After upgrading your WordPress version to 5.8 or later, it is common to encounter errors in the widget section (Appearance > Widgets in the administrator dashboard) or, in some cases, make it disappear completely.
WordPress started using the block editor starting with version 5.8.1. The editor allows you to add any block to your site’s widget areas without having to worry about your favorite widgets not working.
These new block widgets can be confusing if you are not familiar with block design. But the good thing is that you can easily go back to using the classic widgets. This will also fix any widget errors encountered after the update.
To restore the use of the old widgets:
- Login to your WordPress admin dashboard.
- In the sidebar, go to Plugins > Add New.
- Use the search bar above to search Classic widgets.
- Install and activate the plugin.
Activating it disables the block editor and enables the old widgets Appearance > Widgets. You can always go back to using the block editor by turning it off Classic widgets in the plug-ins area.
