How To Convert Existing WordPress Posts To Gutenberg Blocks

March 26. 2020

The new Gutenberg editor has stirred up quite a commotion in the WordPress world. Some people love it while others hate it. No matter which end of the spectrum you belong to, it can’t be denied that the Gutenberg editor can greatly simplify and improve your editing experience. All it takes is some getting used to the new system. In case you have already realized all the potential of the new editor, you will most likely want to convert existing WordPress posts to Gutenberg blocks, which is a process that can be done in three steps. Buckle up, as our experienced WordPress team is about to disclose the easiest way to convert your old posts and add blocks to them.

A simple explanation of Gutenberg blocks

As you might already know, the new WordPress 5.0 came with the new editor called Gutenberg. What’s so special about this editor is the way in which content is distributed. Gutenberg posts are composed of blocks, and there are all types of different blocks around, including:

• Blocks for texts
• Those for headings
• Blocks for images
• Blocks for lists

And many, many more! They are easily moveable and arrangeable which is why there are a plethora of people who find the Gutenberg editor to be a useful new option. Today, WordPress comes with dozens of useful blocks that allow you to format your posts and pages, create layouts, add media and widgets, and so much more! That’s why it’s very reasonable to think that you would want to resort to converting your existing WordPress posts to Gutenberg blocks. But before you proceed with this task, there are a few things you should do before starting the conversion process and updating to WordPress 5.0.

Before updating to WordPress 5.0 and converting existing WordPress posts to the new Gutenberg blocks…

• Do a complete WordPress website backup. Backup is important for so many reasons, but it bears extra importance when making any changes to your website.
• Ensure that your current theme will support WordPress 5.0. Do the same if using plugin shortcodes, as you will want to ensure they are also compatible with the new version of WordPress.
• In case you have the option of doing it, try to test the new version in a WordPress staging environment and see how you will feel about the new Gutenberg editor and whether it will suit you.
• If you do decide to proceed with the update, ensure everyone who creates content on your website is informed about the change. Let them know they will be working with the blocks system from now on and give them time to adjust.

The three steps that will help you convert existing WordPress posts to Gutenberg blocks

Before we begin, we just have to tell you that this is a much simpler process than it seems. With the right knowledge, converting your existing posts will be as easy as ABC.

1. Editing your old posts

For starters, choose one specific post that you would like to edit. It doesn’t have to be your favorite or least favorite one – it’s just for demonstrative purposes. When you open the post, you will see an ‘Edit Post’ option in the upper middle part of your screen.

Bear in mind that you can also access the post you want to edit through your Dashboard. The Dashboard > Posts > All Posts chain of action will give you an overview of all your existing posts where you will be free to choose one.

2. ‘Convert to Blocks’

Once you click on the post and open it, you will see that the entire post is in one single block. The trademark of the Classic Editor. Now, the drop-down More Options menu will show you the Convert to Blocks option. By clicking on it, you will start the conversion process during which WordPress will scan the HTML posts with an accuracy that will amaze you, placing every part of content into a corresponding block. In fact, due to this platform’s accuracy and efficiency, the entire maintenance of a WordPress website is that much easier.

3. Reviewing the conversion

Once you have waited and allowed WordPress to finish the conversion, you can review the process by taking a look at every block. If you want to spare some time, you can always use the Block Navigation option. It will let you see every part of your post that will be in a series of blocks, a trademark of the Gutenberg Editor. Believe it or not, if everything checks out, that would be it! Didn’t we tell you that it would be easy to convert existing WordPress posts to Gutenberg blocks?

Do you prefer the Classic Editor over the Gutenberg Editor?

The good news is that you can definitely keep it – even after updating to WordPress 5.0. The Classic Editor plugin will allow you to keep creating your content in the same manner. Should you install the Classic Editor before updating to WordPress 5.0, all of your existing posts will remain the same, which means they won’t convert to Gutenberg blocks. It’s totally up to you to decide which type of Editor suits you the best!

Our conclusion

There is no doubt that it will be super easy to convert existing WordPress posts to Gutenberg blocks. The question is whether you want to do it or not! If you are used to the Classic Editor and don’t feel like changing your MO, then, by all means, keep using it. But if you are denying yourself the chance of trying the new Gutenberg editor just because you are afraid of trying out something new, well, you should definitely change your way of thinking. Our WordPress experts think that the new Gutenberg editor might surprise you – in a positive way, of course.