Use block patterns

Block patterns are beautifully designed, ready-to-go layouts you can add in just a few clicks. This guide will show you how to add block patterns to your site and customize them with your own content.

To browse and add block patterns to your site, follow these steps:

1. Visit your site’s dashboard.
2. Go to Pages or Posts and select a page or post to edit, or open the Site Editor at Appearance → Editor.
3. In the editing screen, click the Block inserter (+) in the top-left corner.
4. Click the Patterns tab.
5. Browse the available patterns. You can view collections by category, such as Starter content, Contact, Gallery, and Blog Posts.
   • To see all patterns in a larger window, click the “Explore all patterns” button at the bottom of the section.
6. Click any pattern to add it to your page at your cursor’s location.

Once you add a block pattern to your site, it becomes part of your content. Any future updates or removals of patterns from the library will not affect patterns already added to your pages or posts.

To preview patterns at different screen sizes and check their responsiveness, use the WordPress.com Pattern Library. You can browse, search, and preview patterns, then copy and paste them into the block editor:

1. Visit the Pattern Library.
2. Use the category navigation or search by feature or keyword to find patterns.
3. When you find a pattern you want to use, click the “Copy pattern” button.
   • If you are not logged in, you can copy only the first three patterns in each category. To copy more, click “Get access” and log in or create a free WordPress.com account.
4. Go to the editor for a post, page, or template on your WordPress.com site. Paste the pattern using Command + V (Mac) or CTRL + V (Windows), or right-click and select Paste.
5. Edit the content (such as images, text, or links) as needed. Styles set in the Site Editor will automatically apply to the pasted pattern.
   

Once you add a block pattern, you can customize it in two ways: edit the content while keeping the layout intact, or edit the layout itself to rearrange, add, or remove blocks.

You can edit the content within a block pattern — such as text, images, and links — directly on the page. The pattern’s layout stays locked so you don’t accidentally break the design. Click any block within the pattern to:

• Type new text to replace existing text.
• Replace images by clicking any image and selecting Replace in the block toolbar.
• Update links or buttons with your own URLs and labels.

To change the layout or structure of a block pattern, follow these steps:

1. Use List View to select the pattern on your page.
2. Click the “Edit pattern” button in the block toolbar.

3. Make your structural changes — you can move, remove, or add blocks.
4. To exit the pattern editor, select the pattern (using List View) and click the “Exit pattern” option in the block toolbar.

The images included in block patterns and starter content are free to use on your site. However, these images are referenced from external sources and are not saved in your site’s Media Library. This means they could change or be removed in the future.

For best results, replace these images with your own. For help, see our guide on adding images. You can also find free images in the Free Photo Library.

Patterns you have created also appear in the Patterns section of the block inserter. To add a pattern you created, follow these steps:

1. Visit your dashboard.
2. Go to Pages or Posts and select a page or post to edit, or open the Site Editor at Appearance → Editor.
3. In the editing screen, click the Block inserter (+) in the top-left corner.
4. Click the Patterns tab.
5. Select the “My patterns” category.
6. Click a pattern once to add it to your content, or drag it to where you want it to appear.