Classic Widgets
by Tonya Mork · Blocks
Also makes 3 other plugins · 2M+ installs across the portfolio →
Enables the previous "classic" widgets settings screens in Appearance - Widgets and the Customizer. Disables the block editor from managing widgets.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
B 78/100
no flags
Active installs
2M+
≈2.9M estimated
Momentum
+13%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “disable”, “editor” and “gutenberg” for “appearance”, “gutenberg widgets” and “previous”. “disable” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “appearance” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “editor” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “gutenberg widgets” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “gutenberg” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “previous” sits at #14 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
78 health vs 71 average across 2,524 Blocks plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →26%
of downloads still active
At least 2M of 7.7M lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Blocks plugin keeps 2.1%, across 1,578 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Blocks plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
This plugin shipped 1 release in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
Details
Recent review vibe
read from the latest 12 reviews to 2026-07-06Reviewers keep thanking the plugin for bringing back the classic widget screen with no setup hassle, with a couple wanting more options and one noting it doesn't slow the site down.
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Well optimized
Most to gain: Support resolution
Updated 327 days ago, past the ~180 days where wp.org starts discounting
Tested up to WordPress 6.9.11, the current branch or newer
4.9★ over 272 reviews, smoothed to 4.78★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
0 of 1 support threads resolved in the last 2 months
To rank higher: Mark more forum threads resolved — the resolved ratio feeds the ranking.
Get the full rank-higher report →Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
35
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.7
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
13%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.2
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| classic widgets your tag | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| classic | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| classic editor widgets | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| widgets | #6 | #7 | 0 |
| appearance | #6 | #8 | 0 |
| classic editor | #5 | #4 | 0 |
| enable classic editor | #3 | #2 | up 1 |
| gutenberg widgets | #6 | #8 | down 2 |
| disable widgets | #4 | #3 | down 1 |
| previous | #14 | #13 | down 5 |
| disable gutenberg your tag | #17 | #14 | down 2 |
| wordpress widgets | #7 | #9 | 0 |
| settings | #24 | #13 | 0 |
| widget | #17 | #15 | down 2 |
| disable your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| editor your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| gutenberg your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
25 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 14 listed. 11 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 3 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “disable”, “editor” and “gutenberg” for “appearance”, “gutenberg widgets” and “previous”. “disable” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “appearance” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “editor” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “gutenberg widgets” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “gutenberg” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “previous” sits at #14 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 154.8K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
Occasionally updatedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
1
releases in the last 12 months
11mo ago
latest release · v0.3 · 8 Dec 2025
3
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 99% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “2M+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 3.6 years ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 90% of the way through.
Install history since 1 Jun 2021
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ Jakub4mo ago
Block widgets editor is totally unusable, this brings you the original intuitive experience.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Manja Seiler5mo ago
Brought back the old widget interface I love. Block widgets were too confusing. Install this n everything’s normal again. Total relief
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Rena5mo ago
was getting so frustrated with those new block widgets tbh. this plugin literally saved my sanity. installed it n boom, the good old widget screen is back. makes editing sidebars a breeze again without any hassle. love it
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Randy5mo ago
Updated a client’s WP & their widget screen changed overnight. they kept calling me abt it lol. installed this & everything went back to normal instantly. no more complaints. tnkz fr
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ hunterfox36mo ago
I only installed this cz the new widget editor was slowing me down. It does what I needed, no extra mess. Still, it feels kinda basic and not something I’d call perfect.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ eangreine16mo ago
Does exactly what I needed. Brought back old widget system easily. No hassle, just install n done. Works smooth without any issue. Really helpful 👍
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ thomas4527mo ago
Classic Widgets helped me quickly restore the old widget screen. Very easy to use and no confusing setup. Feels simple and useful, but a few more options would make it better.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ malka227mo ago
Brought back the old widget screen, which made things easier for me. Very simple to use, with no extra setup required. Not fancy, but helpful if you like the classic way.
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 7.4.8 · WP 5.8.3
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 49 languages, 48 at 90% or more
Plus 25 more locales with partial translations.
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
3 of 8 pass · checked 27 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Enables the previous "classic" widgets settings screens in Appearance - Widgets and the Customizer. Disable..."
- ! Has a FAQ Only 2 questions in the FAQ; 3 or more gives an assistant something to match.
- ! FAQ asks real questions 0 of 2 FAQ entries are headings, not questions ("undefined").
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions Block editor.
- ! Headings and lists 0 headings and 0 lists; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ! Enough to quote 540 characters of description; under 1,000 there is little to quote.
- ✓ Tags match the text 3 of 5 tags appear in the text; "disable gutenberg", "gutenberg" do not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2023-04-01 1M+ → 2M+ up after 335 days in tier
- 2022-05-01 400K+ → 1M+ up after 181 days in tier
- 2021-11-01 300K+ → 400K+ up after 31 days in tier
- 2021-10-01 200K+ → 300K+ up after 30 days in tier
- 2021-09-01 50K+ → 200K+ up after 31 days in tier
- 2021-08-01 900+ → 50K+ up after 31 days in tier
- 2021-07-01 200+ → 900+ up
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
-
Classic Editor 8M+ installs · 4.9★ · 2 shared tags A -
Advanced Editor Tools 1M+ installs · 4.5★ · 2 shared tags A -
Spectra Legacy – Gutenberg Blocks 1M+ installs · 4.7★ · 2 shared tags A -
Kadence Blocks — Page Builder Toolkit for Gutenberg Editor 600K+ installs · 4.8★ · 2 shared tags A -
Disable Gutenberg 500K+ installs · 4.9★ · 2 shared tags A -
GenerateBlocks 200K+ installs · 4.8★ · 2 shared tags A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Classic Widgets into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/classic-widgets" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Classic Widgets — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Classic Widgets: 2M+ active installs, 4.9★ (272 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/classic-widgets
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