Working with blocks

Blocks are the building units of every page and post you create in the WordPress Block Editor. Paragraphs, headings, images, layouts, interactive components — everything starts as a block. This guide focuses on how to confidently manage, adjust, and organize blocks.

Start here: watch the walkthrough video (9 minutes)

Why block skills matter

You’ll work with blocks constantly when creating or editing content. Once you’re comfortable working with blocks, you’ll move faster, make cleaner layouts, and avoid common accessibility mistakes.

This includes:

Adjusting formatting and layout
Reordering sections
Updating settings
Grouping related content
Duplicating or reusing existing elements
Managing spacing and alignment

Understanding how blocks behave helps you:

Make intentional design decisions and build consistency across pages
Keep content structured and accessible
Avoid layout issues
Work more efficiently

Understanding block structure

Every block has a consistent interface. Once you understand the parts, you can confidently edit any block.

When you select a block, you’ll typically see:

Block outline

A subtle outline appears around the selected block. This tells you what you’re actively editing.

For text-based blocks like Paragraph or Heading, you may not see a full outline. Instead, you’ll see the blinking text cursor inside the block. This indicates the block is selected.

If you’re unsure what’s selected, check:

The visible outline in the canvas
The blinking text cursor within text blocks
The highlighted item in List View

Block toolbar

The block toolbar appears directly above the selected block.

This toolbar includes quick-access controls such as:

Block type or transformation options
Text alignment (left, right, center)
Alignment (block width – full, wide, grid, none)
Inline formatting (bold, italic, link)
Block-specific controls (like width or layout options)
The Options menu (three dots)

The toolbar changes depending on the block type.

Optional: fix the toolbar to the top of the screen

By default, the block toolbar appears just above the selected block. However, you can move it to a fixed position at the top of the editor.

To do this, click the Options menu (three dots) in the top-right corner of the editor and enable Top toolbar.

When enabled, the block toolbar will stay pinned to the top of the screen instead of appearing above each block.

This can be helpful if you find the floating toolbar distracting and prefer a consistent toolbar location. You can toggle this setting on or off at any time.

Block settings sidebar

When a block is selected, the right sidebar switches to show that block’s settings.

This area typically includes:

Functional settings (behavior, structure, toggles)
The Styles tab (visual controls such as color, spacing, dimensions)
Advanced options

If you don’t see block settings, confirm that:

A block is selected
You’re viewing the Block tab in the sidebar (not Page/Post settings)

Selecting blocks

Before you can edit a block, you need to select it correctly.

Click directly in the editor

Clicking inside a block selects it. For text-based blocks, clicking inside the text also places your cursor.

Use List View for complex layouts

List View (top toolbar) shows a structured outline of all blocks on the page.

Use it when:

Blocks are nested (Columns, Groups, Tabs, etc.)
You’re having trouble clicking the correct block
You want to understand layout structure
You need to select a parent container block

List View is often the fastest and safest way to work with complex layouts.

Selecting multiple blocks

Selecting multiple blocks allows you to move, group, or delete them together.

Shift + click

Click the first block
Hold Shift
Click the last block in the range

All blocks in between will be selected.

Multi-select with keyboard

You can also:

Click any block
Hold Shift
Use the arrow keys to expand selection

Moving blocks

Reordering content is one of the most common editing tasks.

Move using arrow controls

In the block toolbar, use the up and down arrows to move a block one position at a time.

This works well for simple layouts.

Drag and drop

You can drag a block using the six-dot handle in the block toolbar. This is faster for larger moves.

Click and hold the handle
Drag the block to a new position
Release to drop it

Note: Instead of using the six-dot handle, many blocks can be dragged and dropped by clicking and holding anywhere within the block.

Move blocks in List View

In List View, you can drag blocks to reorder them within the hierarchy.

This is especially helpful when:

Moving blocks inside Columns or Groups
Adjusting nested structures
Avoiding accidental layout breaks

Be mindful of indentation — moving a block into or out of a container changes structure.

Grouping and ungrouping blocks

Grouping helps you manage multiple blocks as a single unit.

Group blocks

To group blocks:

Select multiple blocks (see below)
Click the Group option in the block toolbar

Or open the Options menu (three dots) and select Group

Once grouped, you can:

Move the entire group of blocks together
Apply shared spacing or background styles
Control alignment as a single unit

Ungroup blocks

To ungroup:

Select the Group block
Select the Options menu (three dots) in the block toolbar or in the list view
Choose Ungroup

The individual blocks return to their original structure.

Copy and duplicate blocks

These actions are available in the Options menu (three dots) in the block toolbar.

Duplicate

Creates an identical copy of the selected block directly below it.
Use this when repeating layouts, reusing formatting or building similar sections quickly.

Copy and paste

You can copy blocks within the same page, between different pages, or even between environments (if the same blocks exist).

Copy multiple blocks

Once multiple blocks are selected:

Use Copy from the block toolbar’s Options menu
Or use keyboard shortcuts (see below)

You can paste them elsewhere on the same page — or into another page.

Delete or remove block

If a block is no longer needed:

Select it
Open the Options menu in the block toolbar
Click Delete (or press the Delete key)

Be careful when deleting container blocks (like Groups or Columns). Removing a parent block may remove all nested content inside it. If you delete something accidentally, use Undo in the top toolbar.

Copy block styles

You can copy formatting and visual settings from one block to another.

Select the styled block
Open the Options menu in the block toolbar
Choose Copy styles
Select the destination block
Open Options
Choose Paste styles

This copies visual styling — not content. It’s helpful when you want consistent spacing, colors, or layout treatments without manually reconfiguring each block.

Locking and unlocking blocks

Block locking prevents accidental edits or movement.

To lock a block:

Select the block
Open the Options menu in the block toolbar
Choose Lock

You can choose to Prevent movement, Prevent removal, or both.
To unlock, return to the same menu and remove the lock.

Locking is especially useful when:

A section contains finalized or approved messaging that shouldn’t be altered
You’ve carefully structured content that shouldn’t be rearranged
Multiple editors are working on the same page
A key call to action or required content must remain in place

Using keyboard shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts can significantly speed up your workflow. You don’t need to memorize everything — but learning a few common shortcuts can make editing much faster.

Common shortcuts include:

Copy: Cmd + C (Mac) or Ctrl + C (Windows)
Paste: Cmd + V (Mac) or Ctrl + V (Windows)
Undo: Cmd + Z (Mac) or Ctrl + Z (Windows)
Redo: Shift + Cmd + Z (Mac) or Shift + Ctrl + Z (Windows)
Duplicate block: Shift + Cmd + D (Mac) or Shift + Alt + D (Windows)
Remove block: Ctrl + Option + Z (Mac) or Shift + Alt + Z (Windows)
Open Command Palette: Cmd + K (Mac) or Ctrl + K (Windows)

To see a full list:

Open the Options menu (top-right corner of the editor)
Select Keyboard shortcuts

Tips for editors

Start with structure, then refine

Focus on building the correct structure first. Once layout and hierarchy are solid, adjust styling.

Use List View regularly

When something feels confusing, open List View. It prevents accidental nesting and makes complex layouts easier to manage.

Avoid using spacing hacks

Don’t add empty Paragraph blocks just to create space. Use spacing controls in the Styles tab instead.

Lock complex sections

If a layout is working well and shouldn’t change, consider locking it to prevent accidental edits.

Move with intention

Dragging blocks into different containers changes structure. Always confirm placement in List View before publishing.

Please note that your site may include enhancements or configuration differences that affect specific settings or behavior.