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How to delete Gutenberg and Activate Classic Editor !

In version 5.0 of WordPress, they are introducing a new editor called Gutenberg. However, if you, for whatever reason, do not want to use Gutenberg you can install a plugin called the Classic Editor to get the old WordPress editor back.

Classic Editor is an official plugin maintained by the WordPress team that restores the previous (“classic”) WordPress editor and the “Edit Post” screen. It makes it possible to use plugins that extend that screen, add old-style meta boxes, or otherwise depend on the previous editor.

Classic Editor is an official WordPress plugin, and will be fully supported and maintained until at least 2022, or as long as is necessary.

Installation

Time needed: 2 minutes.

You can install the plugin by following these steps

  1. Log in to your WordPress website.

    When you’re logged in, you will be in your ‘Dashboard’.

  2. Click on ‘Plugins’.

    On the left-hand side, you will see a menu. In that menu, click on ‘Plugins’.

  3. Click on ‘Add New’.

    The ‘Plugins’ settings will expand providing you additional options. Click on ‘Add New’.

  4. Search for ‘Classic editor’.

    In the search field (top right) search for ‘classic editor’

  5. Find the plugin and install it

  6. In the search results find the Classic Editor plugin. It’s most often the first result.

  7. Click ‘Install Now’.

    This may take a while so be patient.

  8. Click ‘Activate Plugin’.

After installing the plugin you can find the setting under settings > writing. There you see a couple of options as shown on the screenshot below.

Classic editor settings

Also the first option Classic Editor will, as the setting implies, replace everything that’s Gutenberg with the old WordPress editor. The Gutenberg editor can not be used while this setting is active.

The second option Block Editor will let you use Gutenberg normally.

There is also an option to allow users to switch between the two editors. If set to yes some additional options will be added to the post & page overview pages. This let’s you choose per post or page which editor you want to use on that specific post or page.

Extra options post and page overview

But if you have any issues or questions about the Classic Editor plugin you can visit it’s dedicated forum on WordPress.org.