j111q · Jun 15, 2026 · Jul 21, 2026 · Jul 22, 2026 · Sep 15, 2026 · Oct 2, 2026
diff --git a/src/js/_enqueues/admin/common.js b/src/js/_enqueues/admin/common.js
@@ -1858,7 +1858,7 @@ $( function() {
 			$document.on( 'postbox-toggled', this.maybeDisableSortables );
 
 			// When the screen columns are changed, potentially disable sortables.
-			$( '#screen-options-wrap input' ).on( 'click', this.maybeDisableSortables );
+			$( '#screen-options-wrap input:not(.meta-box-reordering-toggle)' ).on( 'click', this.maybeDisableSortables );
 		},
 
 		/**
@@ -1872,6 +1872,7 @@ $( function() {
 			var width = navigator.userAgent.indexOf('AppleWebKit/') > -1 ? $window.width() : window.innerWidth;
 
 			if (
+				$body.hasClass( 'meta-box-reordering-disabled' ) ||
 				( width <= 782 ) ||
 				( 1 >= $sortables.find( '.ui-sortable-handle:visible' ).length && jQuery( '.columns-prefs-1 input' ).prop( 'checked' ) )
 			) {

diff --git a/src/js/_enqueues/admin/postbox.js b/src/js/_enqueues/admin/postbox.js
@@ -104,6 +104,10 @@
 				postboxWithinSortablesIndex = postboxesWithinSortables.index( postbox ),
 				firstOrLastPositionMessage;
 
+			if ( ! postboxes.metaBoxReorderingEnabled ) {
+				return;
+			}
+
 			if ( 'dashboard_browser_nag' === postboxId ) {
 				return;
 			}
@@ -344,6 +348,13 @@
 					postboxes.save_order( page );
 				}
 			});
+
+			$( '.meta-box-reordering-toggle' ).on( 'click.postboxes', function() {
+				var enabled = $( this ).prop( 'checked' );
+
+				postboxes.setMetaBoxReordering( enabled );
+				postboxes.save_meta_box_reordering_state( enabled );
+			} );
 		},
 
 		/**
@@ -419,6 +430,8 @@
 				}
 			});
 
+			this.setMetaBoxReordering( this.isMetaBoxReorderingEnabled() );
+
 			if ( isMobile ) {
 				$(document.body).on('orientationchange.postboxes', function(){ postboxes._pb_change(); });
 				this._pb_change();
@@ -437,6 +450,51 @@
 			});
 		},
 
+		/**
+		 * Checks whether meta box reordering is enabled.
+		 *
+		 * @since 7.2.0
+		 *
+		 * @return {boolean} Whether meta box reordering is enabled.
+		 */
+		isMetaBoxReorderingEnabled: function() {
+			var $toggle = $( '#meta-box-reordering' );
+
+			if ( $toggle.length ) {
+				return $toggle.prop( 'checked' );
+			}
+
+			return ! $( document.body ).hasClass( 'meta-box-reordering-disabled' );
+		},
+
+		/**
+		 * Enables or disables the meta box reordering UI.
+		 *
+		 * @since 7.2.0
+		 *
+		 * @param {boolean} enabled Whether reordering should be enabled.
+		 * @return {void}
+		 */
+		setMetaBoxReordering: function( enabled ) {
+			var $sortables = $( '.meta-box-sortables' );
+
+			this.metaBoxReorderingEnabled = enabled;
+
+			$( document.body ).toggleClass( 'meta-box-reordering-disabled', ! this.metaBoxReorderingEnabled );
+
+			if ( window.wpResponsive && window.wpResponsive.maybeDisableSortables ) {
+				window.wpResponsive.maybeDisableSortables();
+				return;
+			}
+
+			if ( $sortables.hasClass( 'ui-sortable' ) ) {
+				$sortables
+					.sortable( this.metaBoxReorderingEnabled ? 'enable' : 'disable' )
+					.find( '.ui-sortable-handle' )
+						.toggleClass( 'is-non-sortable', ! this.metaBoxReorderingEnabled );
+			}
+		},
+
 		/**
 		 * Saves the state of the postboxes to the server.
 		 *
@@ -476,6 +534,32 @@
 			);
 		},
 
+		/**
+		 * Saves the meta box reordering setting to the server.
+		 *
+		 * @since 7.2.0
+		 *
+		 * @param {boolean} enabled Whether meta box reordering is enabled.
+		 * @return {void}
+		 */
+		save_meta_box_reordering_state: function( enabled ) {
+			$.post(
+				ajaxurl,
+				{
+					action: 'meta-box-reordering',
+					enabled: enabled ? 1 : 0,
+					screenoptionnonce: $( '#screenoptionnonce' ).val()
+				},
+				function() {
+					wp.a11y.speak(
+						enabled ?
+							__( 'Rearranging screen elements enabled.' ) :
+							__( 'Rearranging screen elements disabled.' )
+					);
+				}
+			);
+		},
+
 		/**
 		 * Saves the order of the postboxes to the server.
 		 *

diff --git a/src/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php b/src/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@
 	'add-user',
 	'closed-postboxes',
 	'hidden-columns',
+	'meta-box-reordering',
 	'update-welcome-panel',
 	'menu-get-metabox',
 	'wp-link-ajax',

diff --git a/src/wp-admin/admin-header.php b/src/wp-admin/admin-header.php
@@ -245,6 +245,10 @@ function addLoadEvent( func ) {
 	$admin_body_class .= ' block-editor-page wp-embed-responsive';
 }
 
+if ( ! wp_is_meta_box_reordering_enabled() ) {
+	$admin_body_class .= ' meta-box-reordering-disabled';
+}
+
 $admin_body_class .= ' wp-theme-' . sanitize_html_class( get_template() );
 if ( is_child_theme() ) {
 	$admin_body_class .= ' wp-child-theme-' . sanitize_html_class( get_stylesheet() );

diff --git a/src/wp-admin/css/common.css b/src/wp-admin/css/common.css
@@ -1990,6 +1990,10 @@ p.auto-update-status {
 	line-height: 2.35;
 }
 
+.additional-settings-prefs {
+	margin-top: 14px;
+}
+
 /* This ID appears to be unused in Core. */
 #number-of-columns {
 	display: inline-block;
@@ -2286,6 +2290,11 @@ html.wp-toolbar {
 	width: 1.62rem;
 }
 
+.js.meta-box-reordering-disabled .postbox .handle-order-higher,
+.js.meta-box-reordering-disabled .postbox .handle-order-lower {
+	display: none;
+}
+
 /* Post box order buttons in the block editor meta boxes area. */
 .edit-post-meta-boxes-area .postbox .handle-order-higher,
 .edit-post-meta-boxes-area .postbox .handle-order-lower {

diff --git a/src/wp-admin/css/dashboard.css b/src/wp-admin/css/dashboard.css
@@ -1379,6 +1379,10 @@ a.rsswidget {
 	}
 }
 
+.js.meta-box-reordering-disabled #dashboard-widgets .postbox-container .empty-container {
+	display: none;
+}
+
 @media screen and (max-width: 870px) {
 	/* @deprecated 5.9.0 -- Lists removed from welcome panel. */
 	.welcome-panel .welcome-panel-column li {

diff --git a/src/wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php b/src/wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php
@@ -1874,6 +1874,20 @@ function wp_ajax_hidden_columns() {
 	wp_die( 1 );
 }
 
+/**
+ * Handles the meta box reordering setting via Ajax.
+ *
+ * @since 7.2.0
+ */
+function wp_ajax_meta_box_reordering() {
+	check_ajax_referer( 'screen-options-nonce', 'screenoptionnonce' );
+
+	$enabled = isset( $_POST['enabled'] ) && '1' === (string) $_POST['enabled'];
+	update_user_option( get_current_user_id(), 'meta_box_reordering', $enabled ? 'enabled' : 'disabled' );
+
+	wp_die( 1 );
+}
+
 /**
  * Handles updating whether to display the welcome panel via AJAX.
  *

diff --git a/src/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-screen.php b/src/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-screen.php
@@ -1006,11 +1006,32 @@ public function show_screen_options() {
 
 		$this->_screen_settings = '';
 
+		$additional_settings = '';
+		$has_meta_boxes      = $this->has_meta_boxes();
+
+		if ( $has_meta_boxes ) {
+			$additional_settings .= $this->get_meta_box_reordering_option();
+		}
+
 		if ( 'post' === $this->base ) {
-			$expand                 = '<fieldset class="editor-expand hidden"><legend>' . __( 'Additional settings' ) . '</legend><label for="editor-expand-toggle">';
-			$expand                .= '<input type="checkbox" id="editor-expand-toggle"' . checked( get_user_setting( 'editor_expand', 'on' ), 'on', false ) . ' />';
-			$expand                .= __( 'Enable full-height editor and distraction-free functionality.' ) . '</label></fieldset>';
-			$this->_screen_settings = $expand;
+			$additional_settings .= '<span class="editor-expand hidden">';
+			$additional_settings .= '<input type="checkbox" id="editor-expand-toggle"' . checked( get_user_setting( 'editor_expand', 'on' ), 'on', false ) . ' />';
+			$additional_settings .= '<label for="editor-expand-toggle">' . __( 'Enable full-height editor and distraction-free functionality.' ) . '</label>';
+			$additional_settings .= '</span>';
+		}
+
+		if ( $additional_settings ) {
+			$fieldset_class = 'metabox-prefs additional-settings-prefs';
+
+			// The editor expand setting is revealed by JavaScript, so keep the fieldset hidden when it is the only setting.
+			if ( ! $has_meta_boxes ) {
+				$fieldset_class .= ' editor-expand hidden';
+			}
+
+			$this->_screen_settings  = '<fieldset class="' . $fieldset_class . '">';
+			$this->_screen_settings .= '<legend>' . __( 'Additional settings' ) . '</legend>';
+			$this->_screen_settings .= $additional_settings;
+			$this->_screen_settings .= '</fieldset>';
 		}
 
 		/**
@@ -1122,6 +1143,9 @@ public function render_meta_boxes_preferences() {
 		<p>
 			<?php _e( 'Some screen elements can be shown or hidden by using the checkboxes.' ); ?>
 			<?php _e( 'Expand or collapse the elements by clicking on their headings, and arrange them by dragging their headings or by clicking on the up and down arrows.' ); ?>
+			<?php if ( $this->has_meta_boxes() ) : ?>
+				<?php _e( 'Use the setting below to control whether screen elements can be rearranged.' ); ?>
+			<?php endif; ?>
 		</p>
 		<div class="metabox-prefs-container">
 		<?php
@@ -1148,6 +1172,33 @@ public function render_meta_boxes_preferences() {
 		<?php
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Gets the option to enable or disable meta box reordering.
+	 *
+	 * @since 7.2.0
+	 *
+	 * @return string Meta box reordering option markup.
+	 */
+	private function get_meta_box_reordering_option() {
+		return '<input class="meta-box-reordering-toggle" name="meta-box-reordering" type="checkbox" id="meta-box-reordering" value="enabled"' . checked( wp_is_meta_box_reordering_enabled(), true, false ) . ' />'
+			. '<label for="meta-box-reordering">' . __( 'Allow screen elements to be rearranged' ) . '</label>';
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Checks whether the screen has meta boxes.
+	 *
+	 * @since 7.2.0
+	 *
+	 * @global array $wp_meta_boxes Global meta box state.
+	 *
+	 * @return bool Whether the screen has meta boxes.
+	 */
+	private function has_meta_boxes() {
+		global $wp_meta_boxes;
+
+		return ! empty( $wp_meta_boxes[ $this->id ] );
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Renders the list table columns preferences.
 	 *

diff --git a/src/wp-admin/includes/screen.php b/src/wp-admin/includes/screen.php
@@ -194,6 +194,19 @@ function get_hidden_meta_boxes( $screen ) {
 	return apply_filters( 'hidden_meta_boxes', $hidden, $screen, $use_defaults );
 }
 
+/**
+ * Determines whether meta box reordering is enabled.
+ *
+ * @since 7.2.0
+ *
+ * @return bool Whether meta box reordering is enabled.
+ */
+function wp_is_meta_box_reordering_enabled() {
+	$setting = get_user_option( 'meta_box_reordering' );
+
+	return false === $setting ? true : 'disabled' !== $setting;
+}
+
 /**
  * Register and configure an admin screen option
  *

diff --git a/tests/phpunit/includes/testcase-ajax.php b/tests/phpunit/includes/testcase-ajax.php
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ abstract class WP_Ajax_UnitTestCase extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 		'add-user',
 		'closed-postboxes',
 		'hidden-columns',
+		'meta-box-reordering',
 		'update-welcome-panel',
 		'menu-get-metabox',
 		'wp-link-ajax',