Classic Visual Editor Options

76 Quality Score

Active Installs

14/30

With only 1,000 active installs it is a niche utility, but the score was boosted because installs are high relative to this plugin's narrow scope.

Update Freshness

25/25

It was updated within days of this review, targets WordPress 7.0, and requires PHP 7.4, signalling an actively maintained codebase.

User Rating

15/15

All five raters gave it a perfect score, yielding a flawless rating despite the very small sample size.

Support Health

8/15

There are zero support threads on the WordPress.org repository, so responsiveness cannot be verified, though the lack of complaints is itself a mild positive signal.

WP Compatibility

15/15

The plugin is tested against WordPress 7.0 and requires WordPress 5.0 and PHP 7.4, earning a top compatibility score.

Scores higher than 46% of indexed plugins

About

Restores the “Visual Editor Options” section in user profiles.

Active Installs 1k+

Rating ★★★★★ 5/5

Last Updated 2026-08-20 2:58pm GMT

Requires WordPress 5.0+

Tested Up To 7.1.2

Requires PHP 7.4+

✓ No known vulnerabilities

What It Does

This plugin restores the 'Visual Editor Options' section that appeared under user profiles in WordPress versions before 5.0, allowing administrators and users to toggle the visual editor on or off, disable syntax highlighting, and enable the distraction-free writing mode on a per-user basis. After upgrading to WordPress 5.0 and beyond, WordPress removed this settings panel, and this plugin re-adds that interface so site admins can control editor preferences without custom code. It does not restore the Classic Editor itself; it only reinstates the profile-level toggles.

Who It's For

This is best for site administrators on WordPress 5.0 or later who want to give individual users control over their editor experience, particularly on multi-author blogs, news sites, or corporate intranets where some contributors prefer HTML or plain-text editing. Organizations using classic-editor plugins who noticed the disappearance of the user-level visual editor toggles will find this a targeted, no-frills fix.

Who Should Skip It

Anyone who never used the Visual Editor Options panel in older WordPress versions, or who is already satisfied with their site-wide editor configuration, does not need this plugin. Sites running the default block editor for all users will see no practical benefit from installing it.

The Bottom Line

Classic Visual Editor Options is a small, laser-focused plugin that does exactly one thing and does it well, with strong maintenance signals and perfect user ratings offsetting its tiny install base. It is worth installing only if you specifically miss the per-user visual editor toggles removed in WordPress 5.0. For everyone else, it is unnecessary.

Related Plugins

User Profile Builder 90/100

Pick this instead if you need broader profile management, registration forms, and front-end editing rather than just restoring one legacy settings panel.

Ultimate Member 90/100

Choose this when your priority is full membership features like directories, paid tiers, and content restriction, which far exceed what Classic Visual Editor Options offers.

User Registration & Membership 89/100

Opt for this if you want a registration-and-membership plugin with a visual builder, not a small editor-restore utility.

Disable Gutenberg 88/100

Pick this instead if your real goal is to keep the Classic Editor across your site, since Classic Visual Editor Options only restores profile toggles, not the editor itself.

Page Builder by SiteOrigin 87/100

Choose this when you need a complete page-building experience rather than a single legacy editor preference.

Use Cases

legacy WordPress sites classic editor users content publishers bloggers editorial websites news websites writers and journalists WordPress administrators legacy content migration small business websites