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Troubleshooting Common Gutenberg Editor Issues: A Step-by-Step Guide

34 threads Sep 9, 2025 Plugin → Gutenberg

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Encountering problems with the Gutenberg block editor can be frustrating, especially when it prevents you from creating or updating your content. Based on common community reports, many issues stem from conflicts with other plugins or themes. This guide will walk you through the most effective troubleshooting steps to identify and resolve these conflicts.

Why Do These Issues Happen?

The Gutenberg editor operates within a complex WordPress environment. Other plugins and your active theme can sometimes load code that is incompatible with the editor. This can lead to a range of problems, including:

  • A blank white screen when trying to edit.
  • Specific blocks (like Cover, Latest Posts, or Table of Contents) not working or showing errors.
  • Blocks or editor menus appearing incorrectly or not at all.
  • Content displaying fine in the editor but breaking on the front end of your site.
  • Inability to edit certain post types, like pages.

Step 1: The Basic Checks

Before diving deeper, always complete these basic steps first:

  1. Clear Your Cache: Clear your browser's cache and cookies, then log out and back into your WordPress dashboard.
  2. Update Everything: Ensure WordPress, your theme, and all plugins are updated to their latest versions. An outdated component is a common source of conflict.

Step 2: Conflict Testing - The Most Reliable Method

If basic checks don't resolve the issue, a conflict test is the most important step. This process helps you determine whether a plugin or your theme is causing the problem.

Option A: Manual Testing (Recommended for Staging Sites)

  1. Switch to a Default Theme: Temporarily switch your website's theme to a default WordPress Twenty series theme (e.g., Twenty Twenty-Four).
  2. Check the Editor: See if the problem persists. If it is resolved, the issue is likely with your regular theme.
  3. Deactivate All Plugins: If the problem remains with a default theme, deactivate all your plugins.
  4. Check the Editor Again: If the problem is now gone, a plugin is the culprit.
  5. Reactivate Plugins One by One: Reactivate your plugins one at a time, checking the Gutenberg editor after each activation, until you find the one that causes the issue to return.

Option B: Using the Health Check Plugin (Safe for Live Sites)

For a safer method on a live website, use the official Health Check plugin.

  1. Install and activate the Health Check plugin.
  2. Go to Tools > Site Health.
  3. Navigate to the Troubleshooting tab and click Enable Troubleshooting Mode. This mode will make changes only visible to you, not your visitors.
  4. In Troubleshooting Mode, your plugins will be deactivated, and your theme will be changed to a default one. Test if the Gutenberg editor works normally now.
  5. You can then selectively re-enable your theme and plugins from the Troubleshooting menu to pinpoint the exact cause.

Step 3: What to Do After Identifying the Conflict

  • If it's a Plugin: Keep the problematic plugin deactivated and visit its official support forum or documentation to see if others have reported the same issue with Gutenberg. The plugin developer may have an update or a workaround.
  • If it's Your Theme: Contact your theme's support team. Report the conflict you found and ask if they have an update planned for Gutenberg compatibility.

Other Common Solutions

  • Check Block Settings: For issues with a specific block (e.g., Verse, Notice, or Latest Posts), check the block's settings in the editor's sidebar. A misconfiguration there can sometimes cause unexpected behavior.
  • Browser Specificity: If an issue only occurs in one browser (like Firefox), try updating that browser or test in an alternative one. Also, ensure any browser extensions are not interfering.
  • Recreate Reusable Blocks: If reusable blocks go missing after a site migration, they may need to be recreated on the new site, as they are stored in the database of the site they were created on.

By systematically following these steps, you can diagnose and resolve the majority of Gutenberg editor issues. The key is to isolate the problem by temporarily simplifying your site's configuration to find the incompatible element.

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