How to Disable the Fullscreen Editor in WordPress

Ah the world of WordPress a fantastic tool for building websites but sometimes it throws us curveballs doesn’t it? One such curveball came with the introduction of the fullscreen editor in WordPress 5.4. While a lot of people found this change a welcome addition some of us well we’re a bit more old-school.

We miss that cozy familiar compact view.

And that’s okay.

We’re not saying one way is better than the other it’s all about personal preference and what works for you.

But if you find yourself longing for the days of the compact view don’t fret! We’re going to walk through how you can disable this fullscreen editor both temporarily and permanently.

Tired of that pesky fullscreen editor messing with your workflow? 😩 Get back to the familiar compact view. Check out this guide to ditch the fullscreen editor!

Temporary Disablement

Tired of that pesky fullscreen editor messing with your workflow? 😩 Get back to the familiar compact view. Check out this guide to ditch the fullscreen editor!

The easiest way to get back to that familiar compact view is to disable the fullscreen editor on a temporary basis.

It’s like having a little “off” switch for just a bit so you can switch back to the fullscreen editor later if you choose.

Imagine you’re in your cozy living room you’re enjoying the warmth of the fire but you need to grab something from the kitchen.

Instead of packing up your whole living room you just take a quick trip to the kitchen and then you’re right back to the comfort of your living room.

That’s what a temporary disablement of the fullscreen editor is like.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Navigate to the Pages or Posts section: Head to Pages > All Pages or Posts > All Posts depending on whether you want to disable the fullscreen editor for pages or posts.
2. Open an existing item or create a new one: Click on any existing page or post or click “Add New” to create a fresh one.
3. Look for the three-dot icon: In the upper-righthand corner of the editor you’ll see a three-dot icon. Click on it.
4. Deselect Fullscreen Mode: You’ll see a toggle for Fullscreen Mode. Simply click on it to turn it off.

That’s it! The fullscreen editor will be disabled and you’ll be back to the compact view.

Just remember this is a temporary change.

It will stay in effect for your current browser session but if you switch to another browser or device the fullscreen editor will likely be back.

Permanent Disablement

If you’re finding yourself constantly toggling the fullscreen editor back and forth it might be worth considering making the change permanent.

Just like choosing your favorite comfy chair you can choose your preferred way to work in WordPress.

Now to make a permanent change we’re going to dive into the code of your WordPress theme.

This is a little like taking a look under the hood of your car but don’t worry we’ll guide you through it.

Here’s the process:

1. Create a WordPress Backup: It’s always wise to create a full backup of your WordPress website before making any code changes. Think of this as making a copy of your car’s manual in case you need to refer to it later.
2. Navigate to the Theme Editor: Go to Appearance > Theme Editor. This will open up a text editor where you can modify your WordPress theme files.
3. Find the functions.php file: On the right-hand side of the screen you’ll see a list of files. Look for the file called functions.php and click on it.
4. Add the code: At the bottom of the functions.php file paste the following code:

if (is_admin()) {
    function jba_disable_editor_fullscreen_by_default() {
        $script = "jQuery( window ).load(function() { const isFullscreenMode = wp.data.select( 'core/edit-post' ).isFeatureActive( 'fullscreenMode' ); if ( isFullscreenMode ) { wp.data.dispatch( 'core/edit-post' ).toggleFeature( 'fullscreenMode' ); } });";
        wp_add_inline_script( 'wp-blocks' $script );
    }
    add_action( 'enqueue_block_editor_assets' 'jba_disable_editor_fullscreen_by_default' );
}

5. Click “Update File”: This will save your changes and apply them to your website.

That’s it! Now whenever you open a page or post in your WordPress admin area the editor will automatically launch in compact view.

You’ll be able to enjoy the familiar admin toolbar and WordPress menu just like old times.

Additional Considerations

Now before you go making changes to your website’s code I do want to mention a couple of things:

• Error Messages: Sometimes when you edit a theme file you might see an error message that says “Your PHP code changes were rolled back.” If this happens carefully check the line mentioned in the message as that’s usually where the error is hiding.
• Re-enabling Fullscreen Mode: If you want to switch back to the fullscreen editor later simply remove the PHP code you added in step 4.

Alternative Methods

While editing your theme file is a straightforward way to disable the fullscreen editor you might also want to consider using a plugin.

Plugins are like add-ons for your WordPress website and they can help you do many different things including customizing your editor.

Two great plugins for disabling the fullscreen editor are:

1. Code Snippets: This plugin lets you add custom PHP code to your website making it a great way to add the code snippet we used earlier without having to edit the theme file directly.
2. Disable Block Editor FullScreen Mode: This plugin is specifically designed for disabling the fullscreen editor and it does so automatically when you activate it. No code required!

Conclusion

WordPress is a powerful tool but it’s important to make it your own.

Just like you adjust the thermostat to get your house just the right temperature you can adjust WordPress to create the perfect writing environment for you.

Whether you choose to use a temporary disablement or a permanent solution you have the power to control how your WordPress editor behaves.

So go forth and customize your writing space! Make it comfortable make it familiar and make it work for you.

And remember if you ever get stuck or have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out.

We’re always here to help!

Tired of that pesky fullscreen editor messing with your workflow? 😩 Get back to the familiar compact view. Check out this guide to ditch the fullscreen editor!