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How to Create and Use Block Patterns in WordPress

A complete guide to WordPress block patterns: create them in the editor, choose synced or unsynced behavior, manage and share them, and register patterns in a theme or plugin.
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Block patterns are reusable groups of WordPress blocks. Create one by selecting a layout in the block editor, choosing More (the three-dot menu) → Create pattern/reusable block, naming it, choosing whether it is synced, and clicking Create. Insert it later from Block Inserter → Patterns. Unsynced patterns make independent copies; synced patterns keep one shared version that updates everywhere.

What a WordPress block pattern is

A block pattern is a saved collection of blocks arranged into a layout. It can contain a single block or a complete composition such as a hero section, a two-column feature row, an article introduction, a call-to-action panel, or a legal notice. WordPress describes patterns as “a collection of blocks that you can insert into posts and pages and then customize with your own content.”

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The important distinction from a template is scope. A template controls the broader structure of a page type, while a pattern is a reusable piece of content or design that you place inside a post, page, template, or template part. After insertion, the blocks remain editable rather than becoming a screenshot or an inflexible widget.

Patterns solve two problems at once:

  • Speed: a finished arrangement can be inserted in seconds instead of rebuilt block by block.
  • Consistency: spacing, hierarchy, button placement, and visual conventions can be established once and reused.

Before creating one, decide whether every use should stay connected to one canonical version. That decision determines whether the pattern is unsynced or synced.

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Unsynced and synced patterns: the decision that matters most

WordPress lets you save a pattern as either an independent layout or a centrally managed shared item. The editor may show synced patterns in a separate area because their editing behavior is different.

Characteristic Unsynced pattern Synced pattern
What insertion creates An independent copy of the blocks A connected instance of the shared pattern
Changing text or images after insertion Changes only that page Changes the shared pattern and therefore every connected use when the pattern is edited
Best for Repeatable structures with page-specific content: hero sections, introductions, feature grids, and calls to action Content that must remain identical: legal notices, contact details, standard announcements, or a compliance statement
Central maintenance None; each copy is maintained locally Yes; one edit can maintain all instances
Risk Copies can drift apart over time An accidental edit can change every location
One-off variation Edit the inserted blocks normally Choose Detach pattern to convert that instance into ordinary blocks

Use Sync only when a global change is intentional. Detaching is the escape hatch when one page needs different wording, imagery, or spacing. Once detached, that instance no longer receives later edits to the synced pattern.

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Create a block pattern in the WordPress editor

1. Build the layout

Open the post, page, template, or template part where the design already looks right. Assemble the layout with the blocks that should travel together. Common building blocks include Group, Columns, Image, Heading, Buttons, and Query Loop. Set the alignment, spacing, colors, typography, links, and responsive options before saving the pattern so the reusable starting point is deliberate.

If several blocks must move together, place them inside a Group block first. Selecting the Group is more reliable than trying to select its children one at a time.

2. Select the blocks

Use List View when the layout is nested. Select the single block or the parent Group that contains the complete composition. The selection should include every element that belongs in the reusable unit, but not unrelated content above or below it.

3. Open the More menu

With the selection active, open the block toolbar’s three-dot More menu. Choose Create pattern/reusable block. The exact wording can vary slightly by WordPress version, but the command is the pattern-creation action rather than a copy-and-paste command.

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4. Name and classify the pattern

Enter a descriptive name that tells another editor what the pattern does. “Product launch hero — dark background” is more useful than “Section 1.” If the dialog offers a category, choose an existing category that matches the use case. Good names and categories make the inserter searchable months later.

5. Choose Sync deliberately

Enable Sync when all insertions must share one source. Leave it disabled when each insertion should become its own editable copy. For example, a standard contact panel with the same phone number on every page is a strong synced candidate; an article intro that needs a different headline on every post is not.

6. Click Create

Click Create. The pattern is now saved to the site. An unsynced item normally appears under Patterns → My Patterns; a synced item appears under Synced Patterns in the inserter.

Insert and customize a pattern

Insert from the Block Inserter

  1. Open the block inserter with the + button.
  2. Choose Patterns. Select My Patterns for your saved unsynced patterns or Synced Patterns for shared ones.
  3. Filter by category, search by name, or choose Explore to browse the larger pattern picker.
  4. Click a pattern to insert it at the cursor, or drag it into the desired position in the editor.

An unsynced insertion behaves like ordinary blocks. Replace the text, swap the image, change links, and adjust styles without affecting any other page. This is the normal workflow for page-specific compositions.

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A synced insertion remains connected to its source. Depending on the pattern’s editing settings, the page editor may expose only the intended content fields. Use the pattern’s Edit pattern control when you need to unlock and change the full structure rather than only the editable content.

Edit a synced pattern safely

When the same notice, address, or announcement appears in multiple places, open the synced pattern itself and edit it once. Check the list of uses before saving a major change; the effect is global to connected instances. If only the current page should differ, select the instance and choose Detach pattern. WordPress converts that instance into regular blocks, after which local edits are safe and future source changes will not reach it.

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Manage, rename, duplicate, export, and delete patterns

There are two common management paths, depending on the site and editor context:

  • On a block-enabled site, open Appearance → Editor → Patterns.
  • From the Block Editor, open Options → Manage Patterns.

The management screen lists saved patterns and provides actions for:

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  • Rename: improve a vague title without rebuilding the pattern.
  • Duplicate: create a related variation while preserving the original.
  • Edit: change the blocks, styles, or content of the saved pattern.
  • Export as JSON: create a portable file for a development or sharing workflow.
  • Delete: remove a pattern that is no longer approved or maintained.

Use a naming convention that identifies purpose and variation, such as “CTA — newsletter signup — light” or “Legal — privacy notice.” Keep categories meaningful rather than creating a new category for every small difference. A clean naming system is part of governance: it helps editors choose the approved pattern instead of recreating a near-duplicate.

Choose a pattern workflow for your team

Approach Strengths Trade-offs Best fit
Editor-created, unsynced Fast to build; content remains easy to adapt; no code deployment required Copies can diverge; changes are not version-controlled in a code repository Editorial teams producing varied pages
Editor-created, synced One source updates every connected use; useful for controlled notices and contact details Global edits require care; local exceptions must be detached Content that must stay identical site-wide
Theme /patterns file Ships with the theme; reviewable and version-controlled; discovered automatically with a valid header Requires theme development and deployment; changes are tied to theme releases Design systems and repeatable starter layouts
PHP registration Supports conditional logic, custom categories, contextual registration, and programmatic control More implementation and testing; registration errors can prevent visibility Plugins or themes with dynamic or tightly governed pattern libraries
Pattern Directory Portable designs can be found and shared across sites Directory designs may depend on core blocks or differ from a site’s own design system Discovering starting points or publishing broadly reusable layouts

Core-block-only patterns are the most portable. A pattern that depends on a site-specific custom block may not render correctly on another site unless that block is installed and configured there.

Ship a pattern in a block theme

The Theme Handbook documents a straightforward file-based route: put a valid pattern file in the active theme’s /patterns directory. WordPress scans that directory and registers files automatically when their pattern header is valid.

Example pattern file

Create a file such as patterns/feature-callout.php in the theme:

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<?php
/**
 * Title: Feature callout
 * Slug: my-theme/feature-callout
 * Categories: featured, call-to-action
 * Description: A two-column callout with a heading, copy, and button.
 */
?>
<!-- wp:group {"layout":{"type":"constrained"}} -->
<div class="wp-block-group">
<!-- wp:heading -->
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A clear next step</h2>
<!-- /wp:heading -->
<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Replace this copy with the benefit your reader should understand.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->
<!-- wp:buttons -->
<div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button -->
<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button">Learn more</a></div>
<!-- /wp:button --></div>
<!-- /wp:buttons -->
</div>
<!-- /wp:group -->

The Title is the human-readable name shown in the inserter. The Slug should use a unique namespace, normally the theme’s or plugin’s identifier followed by a descriptive slug. Categories improve discoverability, and Description gives editors context. The block markup after the header is the pattern’s content.

Keep the markup valid and test the pattern with the theme’s typography, colors, spacing, and responsive rules. A pattern file is part of the theme, so changing it in code affects new insertions and the way the theme manages that pattern; establish a deployment and review process before making it a shared production dependency.

Register a pattern with PHP

Use PHP when a plugin or theme needs conditional registration, custom categories, contextual patterns, or other programmatic behavior. The API is register_block_pattern( $pattern_name, $pattern_properties ). The name should be a unique namespace and slug; the properties include a human-readable title, block content, and usually categories and an optional screen-reader description.

<?php
function my_plugin_register_patterns() {
    register_block_pattern(
        'my-plugin/site-notice',
        array(
            'title'       => __( 'Site notice', 'my-plugin' ),
            'categories'  => array( 'text' ),
            'description' => __( 'A consistent notice for important site updates.', 'my-plugin' ),
            'content'     => '<!-- wp:paragraph --><p>Add the approved notice here.</p><!-- /wp:paragraph -->',
        )
    );
}
add_action( 'init', 'my_plugin_register_patterns' );

Register on init, use a namespace you control, and provide translatable strings in a real theme or plugin. If the pattern does not appear, inspect the PHP syntax, confirm the registration function runs, and verify that the returned block markup is valid.

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The Block Editor APIs also support registering custom pattern categories, unregistering individual patterns, and removing core pattern support. Those controls are useful when a project needs a tightly curated inserter rather than every available option.

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Find and share patterns through the Pattern Directory

The official Pattern Directory can be searched by keyword or category. Categories include Posts, Text, Gallery, Call to Action, Banners, Headers, Footers, and Wireframe. At the time of the 2026 count, the live directory displayed 2,375 patterns. That number is a changing snapshot, not a permanent inventory or a quality score.

Directory patterns are intended to be copied or referenced across sites. Inspect a design before adopting it: replace demonstration text, check links, verify image licensing, and confirm that every block is available on the destination site. Core-block-only designs travel more reliably than patterns built around custom blocks.

Submit a pattern

Submission rules require patterns to use core blocks and comply with the directory’s restrictions. Follow those rules when preparing a portable design. A pattern should have a clear purpose, sensible spacing at different screen widths, accessible heading order, meaningful button labels, and no hidden dependency on a particular site’s content or plugin.

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Practical pattern examples

Article introduction

Create an unsynced Group containing an eyebrow heading, the article title, a short summary, and an author or date row. Each post can replace the words and metadata while retaining the publication’s preferred hierarchy and spacing.

Feature grid

Use an unsynced Columns or Grid-style composition with three repeated Groups. Editors can change icons, headings, and descriptions for each page without accidentally changing another page’s feature list.

Legal or compliance notice

Use a synced pattern when the wording must be identical. If legal counsel changes one sentence, edit the synced source once. If a particular landing page has a legitimate exception, detach only that instance and document why it differs.

Contact details

A synced contact block is appropriate when the same address, phone number, and support hours appear in headers, footers, and contact pages. Assign one owner to approve edits, because changing the source updates all connected uses.

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Troubleshooting common problems

The create-pattern command is missing

  • Confirm that a block or a parent Group is selected; the command does not appear when the insertion point is merely between blocks.
  • Open the block toolbar’s three-dot menu rather than the editor’s top-level Options menu.
  • Try selecting the outer Group in List View if nested blocks are selected individually.
  • Check that the site’s WordPress version and editor configuration support block patterns; labels can differ between releases.

The pattern was created but cannot be found

  • Look in My Patterns for an unsynced pattern and Synced Patterns for a synced one.
  • Search by the exact name and check the category filter.
  • Open Appearance → Editor → Patterns or Options → Manage Patterns to confirm that it was saved.
  • If it is a theme pattern, verify that the file is in the active theme’s /patterns directory and that its header is valid.

An edit changed more pages than expected

The item is probably synced. Review the pattern’s status in the management screen. Keep the global change if it is intentional; otherwise undo it and detach only the page that needs a local variation. Do not turn a site-wide notice into multiple unsynchronized copies merely to solve one exceptional page.

A theme pattern does not register

  • Check the file extension and location: it must be a pattern file under the active theme’s /patterns directory.
  • Check the PHP comment header for a valid Title and a unique Slug.
  • Validate the block comments and JSON attributes in the content.
  • Confirm that you are testing the active theme, not a parent or staging theme with a different file set.

A PHP-registered pattern does not appear

  • Confirm that registration runs on init and that the function name and namespace are correct.
  • Check PHP syntax and ensure the pattern name is unique.
  • Verify that content contains valid block markup and that the declared category exists or is registered.
  • Look for a later unregister call or an editor customization that removes the pattern from the inserter.

The design looks different on another site

Compare the blocks used by the pattern. Custom blocks, theme-specific styles, fonts, and color presets may not exist on the destination site. Rebuild the portable version with core blocks where possible, then test it at mobile and desktop widths before sharing it.

A maintainable pattern workflow

  1. Define the purpose: write down whether the pattern is a page-specific starting point or a globally controlled component.
  2. Choose the behavior: save it unsynced for local adaptation, or synced for one canonical version.
  3. Use clear names and categories: make the intended use obvious in the inserter.
  4. Prefer core blocks for portability: add custom blocks only when the destination environment guarantees them.
  5. Assign ownership: synced patterns need someone responsible for approving global changes.
  6. Review periodically: duplicate patterns, obsolete announcements, and unused variations make the library harder to search.
  7. Version code-managed patterns: keep theme files and PHP registration in the same review and deployment process as the rest of the site code.

With that discipline, patterns become more than shortcuts: they form a reusable design system that editors can adapt quickly without losing control of structure or shared content.

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