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Make it easier to rename post titles by adding the page title to the post panel #70968
Description
What problem does this address?
Imagine this scenario:
- The user creates a new page and therefore switches to the page editor.
- On default the template is shown in the page editor ( https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/af2bccce-af84-4aa9-92be-dfd4fab54f88 )
- The template does not have a title block included
- It's nearly impossible to set the title of the new page. The only way I could find to do this without leaving the editor is the "Rename" Button, which is hidden behind the three dots menu. ( https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/dd541595-ccd9-4f8b-a547-dd0930f426d6 )
What is your proposed solution?
I'm sure there is already a bigger discussion here in Github about the "show template" feature, layouts and so which also includes this issue I'm describing here.
However, apart from all discussions, I propose a very simple solution:
Add the title in the post panel (that's what it's called, right?)
Quick mockup:
Here is a user flow that represents what one of my client has clicked and struggled to rename the page:
Activity
Mamaduka commentedon Jul 30, 2025
I know that the Document actions are relatively new, but Rename is already available there.
Screeenshot
hanneslsm commentedon Jul 30, 2025
Thanks. I also found it after searching, but it took a while. I don't think this is a good place though and we can easily enhance the UX by putting it in the post panel.
I don't really see the reason behind why some actions are in the post panel and some are in the dots-menu (also noting that "Move to trash" is in both). It feels unorganized.
A more meaningful distinction could be:
One more argument for my suggestion is that the post panel is basically a copy from the known and proven quick edit from the old dashboard. Everything is the same… everything but the Title is missing (and the order)
hanneslsm commentedon Jul 30, 2025
Actually, I've seen that the order is also in the dots menu. This also doesn't really make sense to me. But that's another issue.
Mamaduka commentedon Jul 30, 2025
IIRC, the initial document settings proposal included an editable title, but it was later removed or wasn't implemented.
The "Move to Trash" button was removed after the actions were implemented, but later restored based on user feedback. See: #65087.
IMO, that's okay, based on the action type.
cc @jameskoster, @jasmussen
t-hamano commentedon Jul 31, 2025
Instead of adding the title editing UI to the sidebar, we may be able to add it to the command palette. See #70969
hanneslsm commentedon Jul 31, 2025
Both would be nice :) I see that some of my clients feel not comfortable with using the command palette yet and therefore a "classic view" where they see all attributes at once and where they can just click to change it is still needed, in my opinion.
jameskoster commentedon Aug 1, 2025
This will duplicate the title in the Inspector which doesn't seem like an ideal use of space. Especially as titles can be long; in many cases the button is going to wrap.
hanneslsm commentedon Aug 4, 2025
Thanks @jameskoster for your input, but I disagree.
I don't think ideal use of space is what we should focus on here but rather the user experience. Note that we have plenty of space at the bottom of the right sidebar. If space would be really an issue we could introduce a components panel with an arrow to hide some of the info which is a proven UX pattern in the editor. The three dots menu doesn't follow a guideline on when something is hidden behind it and when not. That's an issue I think and therefore we should rather place the page title where users would expect it.
This argument could also be made for long slugs, long author names, template names and parent names.
davemart-in commentedon Jan 19, 2026
I conducted some usability testing on the editor. When asked to edit the post title, a few users first tried clicking the title text shown in the right sidebar.
That text isn’t interactive, so they didn’t immediately discover that the editable title field is in the editor canvas. None of them clicked the ... menu to reveal the "Rename" option.
Expected:
Clicking the title text in the sidebar should move focus to the post title field in the editor, making the correct editing location obvious. Optionally, we could add a new "title" option as suggested in this issue.
Actual:
Users click the title shown in the right sidebar expecting it to be editable, but nothing happens, causing confusion and slowing them down.
jameskoster commentedon Jan 21, 2026
The page title is a
h2, I'm not sure we should make it abuttonas well. It would be unclear how to navigate back to the Inspector panel via keyboard after triggering the button. Another option could be a dedicated Rename button:I'm still not sure this needs to be super-prominent though. In most cases editing the title via the canvas/blocks is more ergonomic.
The command palette is another option, though #74045 needs to be factored into any decisions.
hanneslsm commentedon Jan 21, 2026
This reminds me of the discussion how to rename blocks in the list view. Double click was pretty bad for a11y, that's why renaming blocks was put in the menu.
Why? I'm using
h1in my themes.What button are you referring to? If you're referring to the suggestion from @davemart-in, I also think that we could run into a11y issues.
It shouldn't be an issue if we add the title in the post panel though, as suggested in the original issue.
Not when a dedicated title block is not in the template. And depending on the theme that can happen very often.
Personally I think this is yet another placed option. We have so many already…
paaljoachim commentedon Jan 22, 2026
I really like James exploration just above by adding a pencil to the title as it is a common pattern to click the pencil to edit.
Another example...
If we look at Google doc or example Mac. One directly clicks the name to change it. It is a common pattern. So either clicking the title directly or adding a pencil would be very helpful.
So going with a very common pattern clicking the title in the sidebar directly to rename the page/post/etc would make it a lot easier for folks to change the name. Clicking the 3 dots and rename is too hidden. I am also wondering when we will remove the non block title from the canvas.... As it is confusing having a non block directly in the space where one adds blocks.
hanneslsm commentedon Jan 23, 2026
is it? I'm not aware we're using the pencil in the editor anywhere for renaming.
I really like to understand the reasons why the title can't be added to the post panel? I don't think that the space is a very convincing argument.
The title is such an essential thing to edit, especially when the Quick Edit View in data views will be used more often (than in the old wp-admin), which is essentially a duplicate of the post panel.
Quick Edit in Data Views:
paaljoachim commentedon Jan 24, 2026
Hey @hanneslsm
My communications skills are a bit lacking lately.... anyhow I will give it a try...
What I meant is that it is a common pattern in general that clicking the pencil opens somekind of edit.
Different methods that can be explored.
That space seems a bit too crowded as it is right now.
Thinking the associated clicking google document title automatically enters edit mode.
As well as clicking a file or folder in OSX.
With this approach one would have the important information in one consistent place. In the same list using the same UX/UI.
jameskoster commentedon Jan 26, 2026
@hanneslsm the title appears in the top bar, the inspector, and on the canvas already. Do we really want a fourth display?
hanneslsm commentedon Jan 26, 2026
That's the point. It does not appear in the canvas if the template does not have a title block, and that can happen pretty often. In the top bar and the inspector the title is not editable.
So yes, at least one that is easy to edit would be nice.
dhanson-wp commentedon Jan 30, 2026
I think what makes editing page titles so confusing is it sits as part of the content in the editing canvas visually. If it were styled in the editor to not look like it is one of the other blocks in the editing canvas, maybe make it a standard, smaller font size and set it in a light background with bottom border, it would be clearer that it isn't part of the design and just the name of the page.
The display of page titles should be handled by the templates, even if you don't display the title block in the template. It might even make the most sense to make the top bar more distinct and editable. Then the page editing canvas would be completely blank, which is preferable for most page building work.
For posts, I think this is an area where Substack feels like a clean and easy UI. The post title and subtitle sit at the top, and then there is a clear marker (post author) separating the post meta from the post content.
fcoveram commentedon Sep 18, 2026
I worked on an idea in #83102 that simplifies the header by removing information while keeping the current functionality.
For this ticket, the proposed design shows the actions behind the ellipsis menu next to the document name. It doesn't remove the panel location, but it mirrors the action list plus it adds others that impact the document being edited.
I second @hanneslsm feedback around why some actions are behind the ellipsis menu, especially those that impact the whole entry. If changing the name from wp-admin has the same friction level than slug, why is it behind a menu in the Editor?
As noted in the user research results comment, it is expected edit the name next to the document's name. But it also feels forced to add an edit action in the panel, given the component interactions placed there.
From the proposed design, I'm optimistic that placing the action in the header feels more consistent with other system patterns, since the header serves as the place for general actions for the document the user is editing.
If the new document bar still doesn't meet users' expectations, we can also make the document name interactive and trigger the rename modal.