Revisions

Revisions are a WordPress feature that automatically saves snapshots of your content over time. Every time you update a page or post, WordPress keeps a record — so you can review changes, compare versions, and restore earlier content if needed.

What revisions are used for

Revisions support a more flexible and confident editing workflow. For editors, revisions provide a safety net. They make it easier to experiment, collaborate, and recover from mistakes without losing work.

You can use them to:

  • Review how content has changed over time
  • Compare different versions of a page or post
  • Restore a previous version if something was removed or changed incorrectly
  • Collaborate with other editors while maintaining a clear history of updates

They’re especially helpful when working on longer pages, shared content, or iterative updates.

How to access revisions

Revisions are available while editing a page or post in the Block Editor.

To access them:

  1. Open the page or post you want to review
  2. In the right sidebar (Page or Post settings), look for the Revisions panel
  3. Click the Revisions link (it may show a number indicating how many revisions exist)

This opens the Revisions screen, where you can browse and compare saved versions.

Key sections of revisions

Revision timeline

The timeline appears at the top of the screen.

  • Use the slider, or previous and next buttons, to move between different saved versions
  • Each step represents a saved revision
  • You’ll see timestamps and, when available, the author of each revision

This helps you understand when changes were made and by whom.

Comparison view

The main panel shows a side-by-side comparison of content changes.

  • Added content is highlighted in green
  • Removed content is highlighted in red
  • You can enable “Compare any two revisions” checkbox at the top of the page to select and compare different points in time

This view is based on the underlying HTML structure of the content, not a fully visual preview. Because of that, it may feel technical or harder to read — especially for more complex layouts or block-based content. It is still a reliable way to identify what changed, even if it takes a bit more scanning.

Note:
A visual, editor-friendly revision experience is expected in WordPress 7.0, which will make comparing changes much easier for most editors.

How to restore a revision

If you find a version you want to return to:

  1. Use the timeline slider to select the desired revision
  2. Review the changes carefully in the comparison view
  3. Click Restore This Revision (or Restore This Autosave, if applicable)

Once restored:

  • The selected revision becomes the current version of the page or post
  • You can continue editing from that point
  • The restore action itself is saved as a new revision

Best practices

Use revisions as a safety net — not a crutch

Revisions are there to protect your work, but it’s still important to review changes carefully before publishing.

Check revisions before undoing major changes

If something looks off, check revisions before trying to manually fix it. Restoring a clean version is sometimes faster and more reliable.

Use meaningful update habits

While revisions are automatic, being intentional about when you update content (instead of making many small updates) can make the revision history easier to follow.

Don’t rely on memory — use the comparison view

The comparison tool shows exactly what changed. Use it instead of guessing or scanning manually.

  1. WordPress.org Revisions documentation