Making the shift from the WordPress Classic editor to the new Gutenberg editor continues to be a struggle for some. This is especially true for large organizations that have long relied on the Classic editor to create webpages for their complex websites and WooCommerce site owners that strive to make creating and maintaining an online store as easy as possible.
That said, change is inevitable. We have seen this time and again in the WordPress landscape and all anyone can really do is make adjustments.
If you still feel a little shaky about using Gutenberg, it’s okay, you’re not alone. That’s why we’re here to help.
Today we’re going to reveal to you some hidden Gutenberg tricks that will make your life a whole lot easier. And the best part? You don’t even have to be a professional developer to take advantage of these hidden gems designed to save you time.
1. Reusable Blocks
One thing that trips people up about using Gutenberg is the fact that it uses blocks. Of course, these blocks are there to help make page creation easier. But if you’re not used to them, creating content block by block can be a pain.
That said, Gutenberg comes with a really neat Reusable Blocks feature that gives website owners the chance to save their most used blocks of content for use on other posts and pages throughout their websites.
You can even import and export the reusable blocks you’ve created to other sites, which is perfect for WordPress agencies looking to boost productivity.
To use the Reusable Blocks feature, start by creating a block of content in a post or page. Then, click the three-dot menu button in the toolbar and select Add to Reusable Blocks.
When you do, name your reusable block (for future reference) and click Save.
To use your reusable block later, simply click the (+) button to add a new block and either search for the reusable block’s name that you gave it earlier, or scroll down to the Reusable dropdown and find the one block you want to add.
2. Fullscreen and Full-Width Mode
Just like the Classic editor, Gutenberg has a fullscreen mode that not many people know about.
When you turn the fullscreen mode on, both the admin and editor toolbars are removed. All that is left is the Top Toolbar and your content, which leaves you to focus on your writing – without distractions.
To enable fullscreen mode in Gutenberg, click the three dots in the upper right hand corner of your screen and click on the Fullscreen Mode option.
3. Drag and Drop Images from Computer Folders
Rather than manually creating a new image block every time you want to add an image to your content, uploading the image to your Media Library, and then inserting it into your content, Gutenberg lets you drag and drop images right into your content from your computer.
And when you do this, Gutenberg automatically adds the image to your Media Library for you.
**drag and drop image to gutenberg editor (MP4 file)
Talk about a time saver! Just remember, the image will only appear in your content if you see the blue line.
4. Gutenberg Shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts are one of the best ways to speed up site creation, so you can focus on other things. Luckily, Gutenberg comes with its own special set of shortcuts that you can learn about by clicking Shift + Alt + H.
In the meantime, here are some of the most helpful:
- Ctrl + Alt + Backspace to delete the selected block
- Ctrl + Alt + T to insert a new block before the selected block
- Ctrl + Alt + Y to insert a new block after the selected block
- / to insert a new block type
- CTRL + Shift + ALT + M to switch to the code editor or go back to the block editor if you’re currently in the code editor
- ## to start a heading
- 1. to start an ordered list
- – to start a list
Save yourself some of the time and hassle that Gutenberg brings to so many website owners by committing some of these popular shortcuts to memory.
5. Add a Fixed Toolbar
Many people don’t like how the Gutenberg toolbar blinks on and off as you change between blocks. In fact, this makes it hard to format each block of content if you want to do things like bold a font, add a link, or change the layout of the text.
To create a fixed toolbar in Gutenberg that you can use no matter which block you’re in, click the three dots in the upper right hand corner of the screen and select the Top Toolbar option.
When you do, you’ll see the fixed toolbar at the top of the editor that you can use to format any content on your post or page.
6. Drag and Drop Blocks
It used to be with the Classic editor that if you wanted to rearrange content on your post or page while editing it, you’d need to cut and paste the content into the place you wanted it to be. And while you can still do that if you want, Gutenberg makes things a lot easier.
To drag and drop content blocks, hover over the block and then the six dots icon on the left hand side.
Then, just drag and drop the block of content to the place you want it to appear.
7. Convert Old Content to Blocks
One question that lingers among website owners is what to do with old site content that was created long before Gutenberg was released. After all, Gutenberg trying to convert all old content into blocks could get messy.
That’s why there’s a feature built into Gutenberg that automatically places all old site content into one large Classic block.
The problem with this is, editing the content as is (in one huge content block) can become very frustrating because any changes you make will apply to the entire post or page.
So, to use Gutenberg with an old piece of content, and convert the single Classic block into individual blocks, click on the three dots in the upper right hand corner of the Classic block and select Convert to Blocks.
When you do, each element will be placed into its own block so you can make any changes you want with ease.
And there you have it! 7 hidden Gutenberg tricks that will make site creation with the new WordPress editor easier than ever.
We know, change is not always welcome. But unfortunately, life is full of changes and if you want your online business to thrive, you’re going to have to keep up. So, learn how to use Gutenberg, take charge of your website, and watch your website continue to grow.
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