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How to Add a Table Button and Other Tools to the Classic Editor

19 threads Sep 16, 2025 Plugin → Classic editor

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Many users of the Classic Editor plugin find that certain tools, like a table button, are missing from the toolbar by default. This is a common point of confusion, as the Classic Editor itself does not include these advanced formatting features. This guide explains why this happens and provides the most effective solutions to extend the editor's functionality.

Why Certain Buttons Are Missing

The WordPress Classic Editor is built on a platform called TinyMCE. Out of the box, this platform includes a standard set of buttons. More advanced features, such as creating tables, adding underline formatting, or inserting superscript text, are not part of the core TinyMCE package included with WordPress. These features are considered external "plugins" for TinyMCE and must be loaded separately.

Common Solutions to Extend the Toolbar

1. Use the TinyMCE Advanced Plugin (Recommended)

The most straightforward method for adding buttons like 'table', 'underline', and 'superscript' is to use the TinyMCE Advanced plugin. This plugin is specifically designed to manage the TinyMCE toolbar and enables a wide array of additional buttons that are not available by default.

  • How it works: After installing and activating TinyMCE Advanced, navigate to Settings > TinyMCE Advanced in your WordPress dashboard. Here, you can drag and drop buttons onto your preferred toolbar layout.
  • Bonus: This solution also works when using the Classic Editor block within the modern Block Editor (Gutenberg), allowing you to maintain a consistent editing experience.

2. Custom Code Solution (For Developers)

For those comfortable with code, it is possible to add specific buttons by modifying your theme's functions.php file or creating a custom plugin. However, as noted in the support threads, simply adding a button to the array is not enough. You must also ensure the corresponding TinyMCE plugin is loaded.

Example Code for Adding a Table Button:

// First, add the 'table' button to the toolbar
function add_table_button( $buttons ) {
    array_push( $buttons, 'table' );
    return $buttons;
}
add_filter( 'mce_buttons', 'add_table_button' );

// Second, load the necessary TinyMCE table plugin
function load_table_plugin( $plugin_array ) {
    $plugin_array['table'] = includes_url( 'js/tinymce/plugins/table/plugin.min.js' );
    return $plugin_array;
}
add_filter( 'mce_external_plugins', 'load_table_plugin' );

Important Note: The availability of the TinyMCE table plugin at the specified WordPress path can vary between versions. This method may not be reliable long-term and is generally considered more advanced than using a dedicated plugin like TinyMCE Advanced.

What Doesn't Work

  • There is no setting within the Classic Editor plugin's options to enable these features. The plugin provides the interface but not the extended tools.
  • Pasting code that only adds the button to the toolbar without loading the necessary external plugin will not work, as the functionality will not be present.

Conclusion

If you find your Classic Editor toolbar is missing essential tools, the TinyMCE Advanced plugin is the most reliable and user-friendly solution. For developers with specific needs, custom code is an option but requires careful implementation. The Classic Editor team does not maintain these additional TinyMCE features, so using a well-supported plugin is often the best path to a stable and feature-rich editing experience.

Related Support Threads Support