Resolve block errors

Block errors appear when a block’s content has a formatting problem. The error only appears in the editor — your visitors see the page normally — and you can fix it by following the steps below.

When a block contains a formatting problem, the editor displays the message “This block contains unexpected or invalid content.”

Common causes include:

• A syntax error introduced while editing the block’s HTML.
• An outdated or incompatible plugin that created the block. Contact the plugin’s developer if this is the case.

Block recovery is the fastest fix and the best place to start. The editor attempts to restore the block to a working version by removing the formatting that caused the error.

To attempt block recovery:

1. Click the “Attempt Recovery” button in the error message.
2. Review the recovered block to confirm your content looks correct.
3. Save or publish the page to keep the fix.

If block recovery does not fix the error, or if the button does not respond, continue to the next section.

If block recovery did not work, click the ellipsis (⋮) button in the error message to access three additional options.

The Resolve option displays the block’s code side by side with a corrected version. What will be removed will be highlighted in red. Review the comparison, then click the “Convert to Blocks” button to accept the fix or the “Convert to HTML” button to keep the raw code.

The Convert to HTML option changes the block into a Custom HTML block. Your content is preserved as raw HTML code, which you can edit directly. Use this option if you are comfortable working with HTML and want to fix the formatting yourself.

The Convert to Classic Block option places your content in a Classic block, which uses the older WordPress editing experience. This option works best for content originally created in the classic editor.

If none of the ellipsis menu options respond when clicked, refresh the page and try again. If the error persists, continue to the next section.

If the options above do not resolve the error, recreate the block with fresh formatting. Block errors do not appear to your site’s visitors, so you can copy your content from the live page to use in the new block.

To recreate the block:

1. Open the published page in a new browser tab to view the content as visitors see it.
2. Copy the text, images, or other content you want to keep.
3. Return to the editor and delete the block showing the error.
4. Add a new block of the same type and paste your content into it.
5. Save or publish the page to confirm the error does not return.