Help:Classic editor

The classic editor is the editing interface you will see if you do not use the new VisualEditor experience.

Editor modes

 * Visual Mode
 * This mode is generally the default and allows you to make edits that will appear similar to how they will on the published page.


 * Source Mode
 * This mode allows you to edit the page using wikitext. Syntax highlighting is available in this mode.

You can disable Visual Mode entirely by visiting the "Editing" tab in your preferences, opening the "Preferred editor" dropdown, then selecting "Source editor". This mode may be preferred for editors who edit complex templates frequently.

Editing tools

 * Edit Area
 * This is the main content area where you can add text, media and make adjustments to the layout of the page.


 * Toolbar
 * The toolbar allows you to format text, making it different sizes and styles. You can expand and condense the toolbar to view more or less tools.


 * Feature Modules
 * The right pane includes modules that allow you to add features and media such as photos, slideshow, videos and tables. You can also access templates to use on the page and add categories. The preview and publish buttons are found at the top of this area.

Formatting Options

 * Headers
 * Paragraph format.png
 * To create a header, highlight the text you wish to modify, and click on the Format_button.png button. You will see the dropdown menu shown on the right, and can choose the appropriate size header.


 * Lists
 * If you would like to create a list, you can use either use bullets or numbers with Bullet&number_button.png the buttons on the toolbar:


 * Numbers: Click on the numbers button Numbers.png, and a 1. will appear. Add your text for the first list item. When you hit enter, the subsequent number will appear. Hit enter twice to exit the number format. A numbered list will look like this:
 * First item
 * Second item
 * Third item


 * Bullets: Click on the bullets button Bullets.png, and a blue bullet will appear. As with numbered lists, enter your text and hit enter to create the next bullet. Hit enter twice to exit the bullet format. A bullet list will look like this:
 * First item
 * Second item
 * Third item


 * Indenting and Aligning
 * To indent text, highlight it and use the Indent.png indent button to move it to the left or right.
 * You can align text to the left, right, or center, using the justify Justify_button.png buttons.

Quick tips

 * To see how your page will appear once it's published, click on one of the preview buttons (Mobile or Desktop) - this will pop up a box containing a preview of how the page will appear on that device type. The preview will also let you switch between types using a dropdown at the top of the box.
 * If you like your preview, hit publish and your edits will be pushed live.
 * If you don't like your preview, you can keep editing until it appears as you would like it to.
 * To let others know what you changed, fill in a summary above the publish button.

Next steps

 * Learn how to modify the text appearance.
 * Learn how to add links.
 * Learn how to create a new article.