Block Patterns and Reusable Blocks

Overview #

Block Patterns and Reusable Blocks are block templates

• Block Patterns and Reusable Blocks are both available to be used more than once in any page or post.
• Block Patterns are pre-made by external creators for use in any site.
• Reusable Blocks are created by you to be used on your own site.

Block Patterns #

Block Patterns are pre-made grouped block layouts

• The default Block Patterns available immediately in the Blocks/Patterns/Reusable panel come with the site’s installed themes.
• The Blocks/Patterns/Reusable panel is accessed through the plus sign icon at the top of the page editor.
• There are themes and plugins that may not have a Patterns section in the Blocks/Patterns/Reusable panel.
• Insert into the Content Editor and customize with your own content using the Block Toolbar and Block Settings panel.

Adding Non-default Block Patterns

• More Block Patterns are available at WordPress’ Block Pattern Directory.
• Select the Pattern you want in the directory.
• Hover over the Pattern, and click the blue “Copy” button.
• Paste into the Content Editor.
• The Pattern will not be copied into the Blocks/Patterns/Reusable panel.
• To use it again in other pages or posts, turn the Pattern you’ve just added into a Reusable Block.

Reusable Blocks #

Reusable Blocks are blocks or block groups you save to reuse in any post or page

• They are available in the Blocks/Patterns/Reusable panel accessed through the plus sign icon at the top of the page editor.
• If there are no Reusable Blocks that have been saved, there will not be a Reusable section in the Blocks/Patterns/Reusable panel.
• Reusable Blocks are site-specific, only for the current site.

Saving a Reusable Block

• Save a block/block group via the three-dot icon on the Block Toolbar, and clicking the “Add to Reusable Blocks” link.
• Once saved, the block/block group will appear in the Reusable section of the Blocks/Patterns/Reusable panel.

Adding a Reusable Block Instance to the Content Editor

• To add a Reusable Block without customizing the design or changing the content, just select from the Blocks/Patterns/Reusable panel, and insert into the Content Editor.
• To add a Reusable Block, but also customize with your own content/design:
  • Select from the Blocks/Patterns/Reusable panel.
  • Insert into the Content Editor.
  • Go to the three-dot icon on the Block Toolbar.
  • Click “Convert to regular blocks“.
  • Customize the content.
  • If you’d like to use this new customized version of the block again in other posts or pages, just create it as a new Reusable Block to add to the Blocks/Patterns/Reusable panel.

Managing Saved Reusable Blocks

• To edit/delete Reusable Blocks, go to the three-dot icon on the Block Toolbar, or the Page Options panel in the Tools section, and click “Manage Reusable blocks” link.
• This will take you to a separate listing outside of the All Pages or All Posts listings.
• The Reusable Blocks listing is not available through the WordPress Sidebar tabs.
• If you edit a Reusable Block, it will change all that Reusable Block’s instance throughout the site — if those instances were not converted to regular blocks, and there were no customizations.