To use Gutenberg blocks in WordPress, open a post or page, select the + Block Inserter or type / in the content area, choose a block, and edit it on the canvas. The selected block’s toolbar handles contextual actions, while the settings sidebar exposes controls such as alignment, color, spacing, typography, layout, and dimensions when that block and theme support them.
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What Gutenberg blocks are
The WordPress Block Editor, also called Gutenberg or simply the WordPress editor, builds content from individual blocks. A paragraph, heading, image, video, list, button, column arrangement, or embed can be a separate block. Instead of formatting an entire post as one continuous document, you select the specific unit you want to change.
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Blocks are also the basic layout units. A single block can hold content, while container blocks can hold several other blocks. This lets you edit one element independently or manage a group of elements together.
How to add a block to a post or page
- Open the editor. In WordPress, create or edit a post or page until the Block Editor canvas is visible.
- Open the inserter. Click the + Block Inserter. WordPress displays available blocks by category and previews matching results before you select one.
- Search or browse. Search by the block’s name or by a keyword. The official categories include Text, Media, Design, Widgets, Layout, Theme, and Embeds.
- Select the block. Click the result to insert it at the current insertion point. The new block appears in the canvas and becomes the selected block.
- Enter the content. Type directly into the block or use the controls it provides. The available fields depend on the kind of block you inserted.
The slash command
For a faster workflow, click an empty line in the content area and type /. WordPress shows suggested blocks that match what you type after the slash. For example, entering a block name or keyword narrows the suggestions without opening the full inserter. Choose a suggestion to insert the block at that location.
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Choosing the insertion point
A block is inserted where your cursor or selected block indicates. Click between existing blocks to place a new one in that position, or select an empty paragraph and use the inserter there. When you are working inside a container such as a Group, Row, or Stack, use that container’s own inserter to add a child block in the correct part of the layout.
How to edit a selected block
After insertion, work in two places: the canvas and the controls surrounding it. The canvas is where you enter or arrange content. The selected block’s toolbar and settings sidebar provide the block-specific editing options.
Use the block toolbar
The toolbar appears in context for the block you selected. It contains actions relevant to that block, such as changing its type or applying an available alignment. Because it is contextual, the controls change when you select a different block. Select the exact block you want to modify before choosing a toolbar action.
Use the settings sidebar
The settings sidebar exposes options available to the selected block. Core blocks can provide controls for alignment, color, spacing, typography, layout, and dimensions. A particular block may offer only some of these controls, and the active theme can affect which options are exposed. If a control is absent, first confirm that you selected the intended block; controls are not identical across block types.
Separate content changes from design changes
Content editing happens in the block itself: type text, choose media, or enter the block’s required values. Design and layout changes are made through the toolbar or sidebar when that block supports them. Keeping those two tasks separate makes it easier to diagnose whether a problem is with the content or with a setting on the selected block.
How to combine blocks with Group, Row, and Stack
Use container blocks when several elements should behave as one unit. The Group, Row, and Stack blocks let you combine blocks, move them together, and apply shared formatting.
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A Group can contain multiple blocks. It is useful when a heading, paragraph, image, or button should share a background or text color, or when you want to move the collection as one object. Select the blocks, place them in a Group, and then select the Group to apply its available formatting.
Row blocks
A Row arranges its child blocks in a horizontal layout. Place the elements that belong together inside the Row, then use the Row’s settings to manage the available layout controls. The child blocks remain individually editable, while the Row provides their shared container.
Stack blocks
A Stack arranges child blocks as a vertical collection. It is appropriate when elements should remain together in a column-like sequence but still need separate editing. Select the Stack when you want to work with the collection rather than one child.
Nesting and ungrouping
Container blocks can be nested. A nested Group, Row, or Stack has its own inserter, so you can add another block directly inside that level of the structure. If the grouping is no longer useful, ungroup the blocks later. Ungrouping removes the container while leaving the individual blocks available for separate editing.
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Block patterns: reusable layouts without rebuilding them
A block pattern is a collection of blocks that you can insert into posts and pages and then customize with your own content. Patterns are useful when you want a repeatable starting layout rather than a blank canvas.
Unsynced patterns
Choose an unsynced pattern when each inserted copy should become independent. You can insert the same design into several posts, then change the text, media, or other content in one post without changing the other copies. This is the appropriate choice for a repeatable layout or starting point that will be customized separately each time.
Synced patterns
Choose a synced pattern when one canonical design or message should update everywhere it is used. A change to the synced pattern is reflected in its uses, which preserves the reusable behavior formerly associated with Reusable Blocks.
What changed in WordPress 6.3
WordPress 6.3 renamed Reusable Blocks to Patterns. The synchronized behavior was retained: a synced pattern remains the reusable, centrally managed version. The name changed, but the practical distinction is still whether inserted copies are independent or connected to one shared pattern.
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| Pattern type | Behavior after insertion | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Unsynced pattern | Each inserted copy can be edited independently. | You need a repeatable layout or starting point and expect every post or page to receive its own content. |
| Synced pattern | A canonical design or message can update everywhere the pattern is used. | The same design or message must stay consistent across multiple uses. |
Create a pattern from existing blocks
- Select the block or blocks you want to reuse.
- Open the selected block’s three-dot menu.
- Choose Create pattern/reusable block.
- Enter a name that identifies the layout or message.
- Turn on Sync when you want global updates. Leave it unsynced when each inserted copy should remain independent.
Manage saved patterns
Patterns can be managed from Appearance → Editor → Patterns or from the pattern-management option in the Block Editor. Use the management screen when you need to review or edit the saved pattern rather than only the copy currently placed in a post.
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How to install a custom or third-party Gutenberg block
Core blocks cover many common text, media, design, layout, widget, theme, and embed tasks. When the built-in inserter does not find a suitable block, search the Block Directory. The Block Directory is part of the WordPress plugin repository and contains single-block plugins.
- Open the + Block Inserter in the editor.
- Search for the block name or the function you need.
- Review the Block Directory results when the matching block is not already available.
- Select a result to install its plugin.
- After installation and activation, return to the inserter and add the new block like any other block.
Installing from the Block Directory is not available to every WordPress user. You need permission to install and activate plugins. If the install option is missing, ask an administrator or another user with the required capability rather than trying to work around the permission boundary.
Core blocks versus plugin blocks
| Block source | How you find it | What to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Core block | Search or browse the standard Block Inserter categories. | Its controls are provided by WordPress and may vary by block and theme. |
| Third-party block | Search the Block Directory from the inserter when a suitable built-in block is not available. | Plugin-install and activation permission is required, and the block becomes dependent on that plugin being maintained and available. |
Before adopting a plugin block for important content, account for the plugin as a continuing dependency. The block may be unavailable to editors without the needed permissions, and removing or changing the plugin can affect content that relies on it. Use a core block when it already meets the requirement; use a third-party block when its additional capability justifies that dependency.
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A practical workflow for building a post with blocks
- Start with the document structure. Add headings, paragraphs, lists, and media as separate blocks so each part can be edited independently.
- Insert blocks quickly. Use the + inserter when browsing categories helps, or use
/when you already know the block you want. - Configure each block. Select it, edit its content on the canvas, then use the toolbar and sidebar for the controls that block and theme expose.
- Group related elements. Put blocks that should move or share formatting inside a Group, Row, or Stack. Use the nested inserter when adding another child at that level.
- Decide whether a repeated section is a pattern. Save it as unsynced when later copies will differ. Save it as synced when one update must apply to every use.
- Look beyond core blocks only when needed. Search the Block Directory for a suitable single-block plugin, and verify that you have permission to install and activate it.
How to choose between individual blocks, containers, and patterns
The right choice depends on the scope of the change you expect to make.
| Need | Use | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Edit one piece of content without affecting nearby elements | An individual block | Each block is an independent content and layout unit. |
| Move several elements together or apply shared formatting | Group, Row, or Stack | A container treats its child blocks as one unit while preserving individual editing. |
| Reuse a layout but customize every inserted copy | Unsynced pattern | Copies are independent after insertion. |
| Keep one message or design consistent across uses | Synced pattern | One canonical pattern can update all uses. |
| Add a capability missing from core blocks | Block Directory plugin block | The directory provides single-block plugins, subject to plugin permissions and maintenance. |
Troubleshooting common Gutenberg block problems
The block you want does not appear in search
Try the block’s name and then a related keyword. Browse the relevant inserter category, since blocks are organized under Text, Media, Design, Widgets, Layout, Theme, and Embeds. If no core result fits, search the Block Directory. A directory result may install a single-block plugin, but only a user with permission to install and activate plugins can use that route.
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You cannot see a formatting control
Click the block itself and check both the contextual toolbar and settings sidebar. Controls vary by block and theme, so a setting available for one block may not be available for another. If the control still does not appear, confirm that you did not select a parent Group, Row, or Stack when you intended to select a child block, or vice versa.
Several elements will not move together
Select the related blocks and place them in a Group, Row, or Stack. Work with the container when moving or formatting the collection, and with an individual child when changing only that element. If the container is nested, use the correct level’s inserter and selection outline.
A repeated section changes in every post
That section is using a synced pattern. Synced patterns intentionally keep one canonical design or message across all uses. If each post needs its own version, create or use an unsynced pattern instead.
A repeated section does not update elsewhere
That behavior is expected for an unsynced pattern. Its inserted copies are independent. To apply one change globally, create a synced pattern and use that synchronized version where consistency is required.
The pattern option is difficult to locate
Select the block or blocks, open the three-dot menu, and look for Create pattern/reusable block. Existing patterns are managed from Appearance → Editor → Patterns or the Block Editor’s pattern-management option. WordPress 6.3 uses the term Patterns for what earlier releases called Reusable Blocks.
Quick Recap
Key points to remember
- Blocks are the basic content and layout units in the WordPress Block Editor.
- The + inserter is the general way to browse and add blocks; the
/command is the quick inline method. - The toolbar works in context, while the sidebar exposes controls specific to the selected block and theme.
- Group, Row, and Stack organize several blocks so they can move or receive shared formatting together.
- Use unsynced patterns for independent copies and synced patterns for changes that should propagate everywhere.
- The Block Directory supplies third-party single-block plugins when core blocks are not enough, but plugin installation and activation require the appropriate permission.
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