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The quickest way to format text depends on your editor. In the Classic Editor, select the text and use Ctrl+U (Windows/Linux) or Command+U (Mac) for underline. For justified text, use Alt+Shift+J (Windows/Linux) or Ctrl+Option+J (Mac). If you want visible toolbar controls, install the free Re-add text underline and justify plugin, activate it, then choose the desired editor style under Settings → Writing.
Identify which WordPress editor you are using
WordPress can present formatting controls differently depending on the editing interface:
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- Classic Editor: the TinyMCE-style post editor with a formatting toolbar.
- Gutenberg’s Classic block: a Classic Editor-style toolbar embedded inside the block editor.
- Other Gutenberg blocks: paragraph and custom blocks may expose different rich-text controls, so a button available in the Classic Editor is not guaranteed to appear everywhere.
Place your cursor in the editor and check whether you are working in the full Classic Editor, a Classic block, or a standard Gutenberg block before choosing a method.
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Underline selected text
- Open the post or page editor.
- Drag across the words you want to underline.
- Press Ctrl+U on Windows or Linux, or Command+U on Mac.
The shortcut applies to the current selection in the Classic Editor. Underlining is commonly associated with hyperlinks, so reserve it for cases where the visual convention will not confuse readers with links.
Justify selected text
- Select the paragraph or text range.
- Press Alt+Shift+J on Windows or Linux.
- On Mac, press Ctrl+Option+J.
These are WordPress’s documented editor shortcuts. Justification changes how the text edges are aligned; the final appearance varies with your theme, font, column width, viewport, and browser.
Restore visible Underline and Justify buttons
The official WordPress Plugin Directory explains that editor changes in the WordPress 4.7 era removed the underline and justify controls and rearranged other toolbar buttons. The free Re-add text underline and justify plugin restores those controls for supported editor contexts.
Install and activate the plugin
- In the WordPress admin area, go to Plugins → Add New.
- Search for Re-add text underline and justify.
- Choose the listing by Brice Capobianco, install it, and select Activate.
Choose which controls to show
- Open Settings → Writing.
- Find the plugin’s editor-style setting.
- Select one of its available choices: leave the buttons absent, re-add both underline and justify, or re-add justify only.
- Open an editor, select text, and confirm that the chosen controls appear.
The plugin listing describes compatibility with the Classic Editor, Advanced Custom Fields, and Gutenberg’s Classic block. Plugin compatibility and interface labels can change, so check the current directory listing and your installed WordPress version before relying on it across a production site.
Use the Classic Editor or Gutenberg Classic block
If your site needs the older TinyMCE-style toolbar, the official Classic Editor plugin restores the previous classic edit-post screen. The re-add plugin also states that it works inside Gutenberg’s Classic block. This combination is useful when editors need familiar toolbar buttons rather than block-specific rich-text controls.
It does not make underline and justify controls universal across every Gutenberg block. A regular Paragraph block or a custom block may implement its own allowed formats and toolbar.
Add a custom button with the Format API
For a bespoke site, developers can use WordPress’s Format API. The API lets a developer add custom buttons to the formatting toolbar and apply a format to the selected text.
What the implementation involves
- Write editor-side JavaScript for the format and its toolbar control.
- Enqueue that script in the block editor or the relevant editor context.
- Register the format with WordPress and define how it applies to the current selection.
- Test the control with the site’s active blocks, theme styles, keyboard navigation, and editor updates.
This is a development task, not a point-and-click setting. It avoids depending on a third-party plugin, but the site team must maintain the code as WordPress and editor APIs evolve.
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Choose the right method
| Method | Installation | Visible toolbar buttons | Best fit | Maintenance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keyboard shortcuts | None | No | Occasional formatting in the Classic Editor | No additional maintenance |
| Re-add text underline and justify | Install and activate one plugin | Yes, after selecting its setting | Classic Editor, Advanced Custom Fields, or Gutenberg Classic block | Depends on plugin compatibility updates |
| Classic Editor plus Classic block | Install the official Classic Editor plugin when needed | Classic-style controls | Sites that still require the TinyMCE editing workflow | Depends on the editor plugin and WordPress changes |
| Format API | Developer implementation | Yes, with a site-specific control | Custom workflows or sites avoiding third-party plugins | Maintained by the site team |
Troubleshoot missing buttons or unexpected formatting
The buttons still do not appear
- Confirm the plugin is activated under Plugins → Installed Plugins.
- Recheck the editor-style choice under Settings → Writing.
- Make sure you are editing in the Classic Editor or a Gutenberg Classic block if that is the context the plugin supports.
- Check whether a role, editor customization, theme, or another plugin is hiding toolbar controls.
The shortcut does nothing
- Select text first; shortcuts act on the active selection.
- Use the shortcut for your operating system: Ctrl on Windows/Linux, Command for underline on Mac, and Ctrl+Option for justify on Mac.
- Click inside the editor before trying again so the browser sends the keystroke to WordPress rather than another application or browser command.
Justified text looks uneven
Justification can create large spaces between words, especially in narrow columns or with certain fonts. Inspect the result at the screen sizes your audience uses and compare it with left-aligned text before applying it broadly.
Quick Recap
Accessibility and editorial considerations
- Do not use underline as the only way to communicate meaning when readers may mistake it for a link.
- Use semantic links for destinations; do not underline ordinary text merely to make it look interactive.
- Apply justification selectively. Ragged-right text is often easier to scan, while fully justified text can produce distracting gaps on responsive layouts.
- Check contrast, focus states, zoom, and mobile layouts after changing text formats.
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