Disable Gutenberg icon

Disable Gutenberg

by Jeff Starr

View on WordPress.org
88 Quality Score
Active Installs
26/30

With 500,000 active installs, it is one of the most widely adopted editor-replacement plugins in the WordPress directory, indicating strong and sustained demand.

Update Freshness
25/25

The plugin was last updated on 2026-04-17 and tested against WordPress 7.0, which is unusually forward-looking and signals an actively maintained codebase.

User Rating
15/15

A perfect 100/100 score from 732 ratings is exceptional and suggests users have a consistently positive experience with the plugin.

Support Health
8/15

There are zero support threads in the repository, which makes the score ambiguous: it could mean the plugin works so well that no one needs help, or it could reflect a lack of an active support presence.

WP Compatibility
15/15

Compatibility is rated 100/15, with a minimum requirement of WordPress 4.9 and PHP 5.6.20, giving it one of the broadest compatibility ranges of any editor-related plugin.

Scores higher than 98% of indexed plugins

About

Disable Gutenberg Block Editor and restore the Classic Editor and original Edit Post screen (TinyMCE, meta boxes, etc.).

Active Installs 500k+
Rating ★★★★★ 5/5
Last Updated 2026-07-18 4:44pm GMT
Requires WordPress 4.9+
Tested Up To 7.1
Requires PHP 5.6.20+
✓ No known vulnerabilities

What It Does

Disable Gutenberg removes the block editor introduced in WordPress 5.0 and restores the Classic Editor with TinyMCE and the original Edit Post screen, including meta boxes. It works across posts, pages, and custom post types, with options to disable Gutenberg site-wide or on specific post types. The plugin also removes related REST API endpoints and front-end block assets that are no longer needed.

Who It's For

This plugin is best for site owners, agencies, and content teams who have built workflows around the Classic Editor and are not ready or willing to move to blocks. It is particularly useful for sites with heavy custom field usage, legacy shortcodes, or third-party editor plugins that depend on TinyMCE. Small businesses with non-technical editors who are comfortable with the classic interface will also benefit.

Who Should Skip It

If you are building a new site and want to take advantage of block patterns, theme.json, or modern block-based themes like Twenty Twenty-Four, this plugin will hold you back. Developers investing in the block editor ecosystem, including block patterns and site editing, should also skip it.

The Bottom Line

Disable Gutenberg is a focused, well-maintained plugin that does exactly what it promises, with an impressive install base of 500,000 and a perfect user rating. The 50/15 support score is the only weak spot, but with zero reported issues and active maintenance against WordPress 7.0, the plugin appears stable and reliable. If you need the Classic Editor back and want a lightweight, set-it-and-forget-it solution, this is a strong choice.

Tags

block-editor classic editor editor gutenberg