[Admin reskin] Dashboard widget empty container misaligned after reskin

[fabiankaegy]

After the reskin empty columns in the dashboard are slightly misaligned.

Trac ticket: https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/64743

## Use of AI Tools
None

[r1k0]

Patch Testing Report

Patch Tested: ​https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/pull/11069

Environment

• WordPress: 7.0-beta1-61709-src
• PHP: 8.2.29
• Server: nginx/1.29.5
• Database: mysqli (Server: 8.4.8 / Client: mysqlnd 8.2.29)
• Browser: Chrome 145.0.0.0
• OS: Windows 10/11
• Theme: Twenty Twenty-Five 1.4
• MU Plugins: None activated
• Plugins:
  • Test Reports 1.2.1

Steps taken

1. Head over to the admin dashboard.
2. Observe the alignment of the empty widget container before and after applying the patch.
3. ✅ Patch is solving the problem

Expected result

• The empty widget container is properly aligned with the other containers.

Additional Notes

• None

Screenshots/Screencast with results

Before:

After:

[noruzzaman]

Test Report

Patch tested: ​https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/pull/11069

Environment

• WordPress: 7.0-beta2-20260228.231606
• PHP: 8.4.17
• Server: PHP.wasm
• Database: WP_SQLite_Driver (Server: 8.0.38 / Client: 3.51.0)
• Browser: Chrome 145.0.0.0
• OS: macOS
• Theme: Twenty Twenty-Five 1.4
• MU Plugins: None activated
• Plugins:
  • Test Reports 1.2.1

Steps taken

1. Navigated to the Admin Dashboard (/wp-admin/).
2. Observed the empty widget containers ("Drag boxes here" columns) were slightly misaligned before applying the patch.
3. Applied the patch from ​PR #11069.
4. Refreshed the Dashboard page and observed the empty widget containers again.

Result

1. The patch fixes the issue. Empty dashboard widget containers are now properly aligned.

Expected result

• The empty widget containers should be properly aligned with the other dashboard widget columns.

Additional Notes

• The patch adds margin: 4px; to the empty dashboard widget container in dashboard.css.
• No regressions observed.

Before	After

[shailu25]

Test Report

This Report Validates that the indicated patch address the issue.✅

Patch Tested: ​https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/pull/11069

Environment:

WordPress - 7.0-Beta2
OS - Windows
Browser - Chrome
Theme: Twenty Twenty
PHP - 8.2.27
Plugin - None

Actual Results:

• Issue Resolved with Patch ✅

Supplemental Artifacts

• Attached

[shailu25]

Before Patch

[shailu25]

After Patch

[mirmpro]

Tested on Playground and found that the PR has the fixes. Attached screenshots below:

Before:
After:

[tusharaddweb]

I applied the patch and tested it locally on WordPress 7.0 Beta 2. The issue is fixed for me and everything is working properly now.

Before applying the patch:-
​https://prnt.sc/P935KjnaQ0oX

After applying the patch:-
​https://prnt.sc/gS9L1ayPTh6e

[joedolson]

In 61785:

Admin: Reskin - fix empty dashboard widget alignment.

Fix alignment of the empty dashboard widget placeholders to match the alignment of populated dashboard widget regions.

Props fabiankaegy, shailu25, r1k0, noruzzaman, mirmpro, tusharaddweb, joedolson.
Fixes #64743.