Plugin info

Total downloads: 19,859
Active installs: 2,000
Total reviews: 15
Average rating: 5
Support threads opened: 0
Support threads resolved: 0 (0%)
Available in: 4 language(s)
Contributors: 2
Last updated: 4/29/2019 (2438 days ago)
Added to WordPress: 6/11/2017 (8 years old)
Minimum WordPress version: 4.8
Tested up to WordPress version: 5.2.23
Minimum PHP version: f

Maintenance & Compatibility

Maintenance score

Possibly abandoned • Last updated 2438 days ago • 15 reviews

24/100

Is Classic Text Widget abandoned?

Possibly abandoned (last update 2438 days ago).

Compatibility

Requires WordPress: 4.8
Tested up to: 5.2.23
Requires PHP: f

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Description

Brings back the classic WordPress text widget without TinyMCE. This is based on the code from WordPress Ver. 4.7.5

Functionality is exactly the same as the pre-version 4.8 text widget. Additional default functionality includes shortcode execution and custom class filter.

Note: This widget uses PHP namespaces to prevent conflicts with other widgets of a similar nature. PHP namespaces are only supported in PHP Version 5.3.0 and higher. If your site uses a PHP version earlier than 5.3.0, do not install this widget unless your PHP version is upgraded first.

Installation

  1. Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress

Frequently Asked Questions

Do the original text widget filters work with the Classic Text Widget?

Yes and no. Filters that apply to the widget title remain the same to maintain compatibility across WordPress. Filters that apply to to the widget’s content now use add_filter(‘classic_widget_text’, ‘my_function’)

Does the plugin support shortcodes?

Yes, out of the box. To disable shortcode support, add remove_filter( ‘classic_widget_text’, ‘do_shortcode’ ) to your theme’s function file.

Does the plugin directly execute PHP?

No, it does not directly support executing PHP. The widget does support shortcodes however. If you want to execute PHP in this widget, write your code as a shortcode and it will run.

I have a lot of text widgets on my site, is there a way to bulk transfer the content from the new WordPress text widget and place it into the Classic Text Widget?

Yes, but you have to be very careful and do it with SQL. See this post for details about how to bulk replace.

Review feed

Makeworthy Media
6/26/2017

Total lifesaver, thanks!

Thanks so much for creating this plugin. The WordPress core team doesn't seem to understand that the appeal of the Text widget was that it was just that, a text widget, not a visual editor. I'm so pissed that now all my text widgets on my clients' sites are defaulting to the Visual Editor view, screwing up code that was never meant to be used in a Visual Editor. It's one of the stupidest things the core team has done in awhile. If they wanted to add that functionality they should have made it a whole new widget, not screwed with all the existing widgets. *sigh* Anyway, this helps a lot. Thanks again!
Lee Blue
7/20/2017

Great For HTML

I was about to make this exact plugin. Thank you for putting this together. Works perfectly!
Christoph
9/12/2017

Lifesaver

The default text widget broke my shortcodes. Thanks for providing an easily solution!

Screenshots

  1. Classic Text Widget on WordPress Admin Appearance/Widgets menu

    Classic Text Widget on WordPress Admin Appearance/Widgets menu

  2. Classic Text Widget added to Primary Sidebar

    Classic Text Widget added to Primary Sidebar

Changelog

1.0.2

Bumped “Tested up to” tag

1.0.1

Added filter so you can provide your own custom class for the widget. If you choose not to create your own class, the default secondary class is custom-classic-textwidget.

Usage:

add_filter( ‘classic_text_widget_class’, ‘my_classic_text_widget_class’ );
function my_classic_text_widget_class( $class ) {
return ‘my_classic_text_widget_class’;
}

1.0.0

  • Initial commit based on WordPress 4.7.5 Text Widget and plugin conversion by carasmo
  • Restores the pre 4.8 Classic WordPress text widget just like the good old days.