Two weeks ago, WordPress announced that the Classic block would disappear from the block inserter in version 7.1. That plan has now been scrapped.
The Classic block will keep appearing in the inserter in WordPress 7.1, exactly as it does today. You can still add it through the inserter, the block library, or a slash command, with no changes to how it works.
Why the U-turn. After gathering feedback, the core team decided the original plan made the editing experience worse without any real benefit. The goal now is to make block alternatives good enough that people stop reaching for the Classic block on their own, rather than hiding it and forcing the issue.
What this means for your site. Nothing. If you never touched the Classic block, this change makes no difference to you. If you already had Classic blocks on your site, they keep working exactly as before.
If you installed the Enable Classic Block plugin to prepare for the original change, you can safely deactivate and remove it. WordPress is closing the plugin since it no longer serves a purpose.
Looking ahead, the core team says it will focus on improving the “Convert to Blocks” tool and understanding why site owners still rely on the Classic block, rather than pushing people away from it.
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