With the release of WordPress 5.0 and the new Gutenberg block editor, many people have asked: If I’m not ready, how can I keep the classic editor on my WordPress site?
While the 5.0 block editor offers an exciting new editing experience, it’s understandable that you might want more time to get familiar with the block editor and test things out before going live.
Lucky for you, it’s straightforward to disable the block editor until you’re ready for it. You can turn off the block editor entirely or selectively phase it in—the choice is yours.
Not sure which editor will work best for your site? The best way to decide is to test WordPress 5.0 and the new editor on a staging site. Then you can review the options below to implement before (or after) updating to WordPress 5.0.
Disable the block editor with the Classic Editor plugin
If you’re not ready for the block editor, you can install the Classic Editor plugin (developed by core WordPress contributors) to keep using the classic editor until you feel comfortable switching over.
This plugin offers two options:
- Disable the Gutenberg block editor entirely
- Configure settings to keep both the block editor and the classic editor available so you can use either one
The WordPress development team has confirmed that the Classic Editor plugin will be officially supported until 2024, so you’ve got plenty of time to prepare your site.
Selectively activate using the Gutenberg Ramp plugin
Adapting your site to the new Gutenberg block editor doesn’t have to be all or nothing. The folks at Automattic, the team behind WordPress.com and WordPress VIP, have created a helpful tool called the Gutenberg Ramp plugin.
With this plugin, you can activate the WordPress block editor selectively across your site. For example, you can choose to activate the block editor only on specific post types.
Using the classic editor for Events
The latest versions of The Events Calendar, Events Calendar Pro, Event Tickets, and Event Tickets Plus are all block editor ready. That said, we know that not everyone wants to switch to the block editor right away. No problem!
You can enable or disable the editor under Events → Settings → General → Editing with the Activate Block Editor for Events option.
What happens next?
The core WordPress team has confirmed the Classic Editor plugin will be officially supported until 2024, and we expect the Gutenberg Ramp plugin will follow a similar timeline.
While you can certainly stick with the classic editor for as long as you need, you won’t want to wait too long to make the switch. New, exciting features are already being developed around the block editor—the sooner you make the transition, the sooner you’ll be able to put those features to work on your site.
Embracing WordPress 5.0 and the block editor can seem intimidating at first, but remember, you don’t have to tackle it all at once. Armed with a smart plan for your site and helpful resources like the ones on our All Things Gutenberg page, you’ll be able to gracefully navigate the changes at your own pace.