Before WordPress 5.0 arrived in 2018, every post was written in a simple box that looked a lot like Microsoft Word. That editor is now called the Classic Editor.
The Classic Editor is the old TinyMCE-based WordPress editor, and you can still use it through an official plugin. Many long-time bloggers prefer it because it is simple and familiar.
What is the Classic Editor in WordPress?
It is one large writing area with a formatting toolbar on top. You get buttons for bold, italic, lists, links and alignment, along with an Add Media button for images.
There are two tabs. Visual shows formatted text, and Text shows the raw HTML. There are no blocks, so layouts like columns need shortcodes or extra plugins.
How to bring back the Classic Editor
Since the block editor is the default, you need the free Classic Editor plugin. Yes, it is an official plugin maintained by WordPress contributors. Here are the steps:
- First, go to Plugins → Add New Plugin in your dashboard.
- Now, search for "Classic Editor" and click Install Now.
- Next, click Activate once the installation finishes.
- Here, open Settings → Writing and choose the default editor for all users.
- Finally, decide whether users can switch between editors, then click Save Changes.
If installing plugins is new to you, check our guide on how to install WordPress plugins.
This plugin only changes the post editing screen. If you also want the old widgets screen back, you need the separate Classic Widgets plugin.
Should you still use it?
It is fine for plain text posts, and older sites built around it keep working. However, all new features now go into the block editor, so you will miss out on patterns, columns and site editing.
The block editor also has a Classic block that gives you the old toolbar inside a single block. You can read more in our Classic Editor lesson.
In short, the Classic Editor is the simple, old way of writing in WordPress. That's all about the Classic Editor. Which editor do you prefer? Share your choice in the comment box below.