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Troubleshooting Common Advanced Editor Tools Issues After WordPress Updates

14 threads Sep 9, 2025 Plugin → Advanced editor tools

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Users of the Advanced Editor Tools plugin (formerly TinyMCE Advanced) often encounter issues after a major WordPress core update or a plugin update. These problems can range from the editor toolbar disappearing to specific buttons or functions no longer working. This guide compiles the most common issues reported by the community and provides steps to diagnose and resolve them.

Common Symptoms

Based on community reports, the most frequent problems include:

  • The editor toolbar failing to load or appearing empty.
  • Specific publishing controls (Status, Visibility, Publish button) becoming unclickable.
  • Certain formatting buttons (e.g., blockquote variations, pullquote) going missing.
  • JavaScript errors, such as "Are you sure you want to leave this page?" messages appearing incorrectly.
  • Functionality breaking for non-Latin characters (e.g., Russian anchors).
  • A blank white screen in the editor area.

Why This Happens

The primary cause of these issues is a compatibility break between the plugin and a new version of WordPress. The WordPress core frequently updates its JavaScript libraries and APIs. If a plugin like Advanced Editor Tools has not been updated to use these new libraries, its functionality can break. Other common causes include conflicts with other plugins or themes and the browser caching old, incompatible JavaScript files.

How to Troubleshoot and Fix the Issues

1. Follow the Basic Troubleshooting Steps

Always start with these fundamental steps:

  • Update Everything: Ensure WordPress, Advanced Editor Tools, your theme, and all other plugins are updated to their latest versions. The Advanced Editor Tools team frequently releases compatibility updates shortly after a major WordPress release.
  • Check for Conflicts: Temporarily switch to a default WordPress theme (like Twenty Twenty-Four) and disable all other plugins. If the problem resolves, reactivate your theme and plugins one by one to identify the conflict.
  • Clear All Caches: Clear your browser cache, your WordPress caching plugin's cache (if you use one), and any server-side or CDN caches.

2. Investigate JavaScript Errors

Many editor problems are caused by JavaScript errors. To check for them:

  1. Open the browser's console. (Usually via Right-click > Inspect > Console tab).
  2. Reload the editor page and look for any red error messages.
  3. Search for these error messages online or report them to the appropriate plugin's support forum. Errors mentioning "jQuery" or "TinyMCE" are particularly relevant.

3. Address Specific Issues

  • Missing Buttons/Toolbar: Go to Settings > Advanced Editor Tools and try re-saving your toolbar configuration. This can often reset the settings and restore missing buttons.
  • "Are you sure you want to leave this page?" Bug: This was a known bug related to a specific WordPress core update (around version 5.6). It was resolved in a subsequent WordPress patch (version 5.6.2). The solution is to ensure WordPress is fully updated.
  • Anchor/ID Errors for Non-Latin Characters: Recent versions of the plugin enforce stricter HTML ID rules. IDs must begin with a letter (a-z, A-Z). Using Cyrillic or other non-Latin characters may cause errors. The solution is to use Latin characters for anchor IDs.
  • Features That Seem Removed (e.g., Pullquote): Some formatting options may have been provided by your theme or another plugin, not by Advanced Editor Tools itself. Disabling the plugin will help you determine the true source of the feature. If it was part of Advanced Editor Tools, check the plugin's settings page to see if it needs to be re-enabled on the toolbar.

By methodically working through these steps, most issues with Advanced Editor Tools can be resolved. The key is to first identify if the problem is a widespread compatibility issue, a conflict, or a local caching problem.

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