WordPress has revolutionized the way websites are built and managed, especially with the introduction of the Gutenberg block editor. One of the most useful and creative features you can implement with blocks is the ability to dynamically show or hide block content. Whether you’re trying to personalize content, create interactive pages, or clean up your layout, hiding and showing content with precision can greatly enhance your site’s user experience.
Why Hide or Show Content in a WordPress Block?
There are several reasons why you might want to hide or show specific block content in WordPress:
- Improve User Experience: Keep your pages clean and clutter-free by showing content only when needed.
- Personalization: Show different blocks of content to different user roles or logged-in users.
- Functionality: Introduce interactive elements, like FAQs or tabbed content, without requiring additional plugins.
Whether you’re a novice user using no-code tricks or a developer crafting custom solutions, there are multiple ways to achieve dynamic visibility in WordPress blocks.
Method 1: Using Built-in Block Visibility Options
Surprisingly, WordPress doesn’t yet offer native visibility toggles for most blocks. However, some blocks, such as those offered by page builders or plugins like Stackable or Kadence Blocks, do include built-in visibility settings. With these plugins, you can often:
- Set device-level visibility (hide on desktop, show on mobile, etc.)
- Show or hide content based on user roles
- Schedule when content appears or disappears
How to use these plugins: Simply install a block enhancement plugin, then select a block and look for advanced settings in the sidebar—usually labeled “Visibility Settings” or similar.
Method 2: Accordion or Toggle Style Effects
Another user-friendly approach is using toggle or accordion components to hide and reveal content on click. This method is perfect for creating FAQs, step-by-step guides, or sections with optional reading. Some block libraries offer toggle blocks, and if not, HTML within a Custom HTML block can do the trick.
Here’s a basic structure using HTML and a bit of JavaScript:
<button onclick="document.getElementById('toggleContent').style.display = (document.getElementById('toggleContent').style.display === 'none' ? 'block' : 'none');">
Show/Hide Content
</button>
<div id="toggleContent" style="display:none;">
<p>This is the content that can be shown or hidden!</p>
</div>
Use the built-in Custom HTML block to place this code. Simple tweaks in JavaScript and CSS can make this technique fit seamlessly into your design.
Method 3: Conditional Blocks with Shortcodes or Plugins
If you want to make content appear only for logged-in users, specific user roles, or even based on custom URL parameters, consider using plugins like:
- Content Control
- Restrict Content
- WP Show Posts
These plugins often let you wrap content in conditional shortcodes like:
[content_control logged_in="true"] This content is visible to logged-in users only. [/content_control]
Shortcodes give you fine control and are particularly useful for membership sites, gated content, and targeted messaging.
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Method 4: Custom Coding for Advanced Users
For developers or advanced users, custom code offers the ultimate flexibility. You can register custom block variations or create block patterns that include conditional PHP via a plugin or theme template. For example, you could register a block that only renders if a user has submitted a form.
This opens endless possibilities for personalization and dynamic interfaces, though it does require knowledge of WordPress development standards and best practices.
Best Practices and Tips
- Always test across devices to ensure that hidden content behaves as expected on mobile and desktop views.
- Avoid hiding content unnecessarily, as this can confuse visitors or make accessibility more challenging.
- Use animations or transitions to make content changes smooth and visually appealing.
- Be mindful of SEO: content hidden via JavaScript is still crawlable by search engines, but overly complicated hiding might reduce usability and searchability.
Conclusion
Manipulating block visibility in WordPress opens up creative ways to present your content and improve site usability. Whether through plugins, built-in features, or a bit of code, the ability to show or hide blocks on demand can make your site more interactive, personalized, and user-friendly.
Explore different methods and experiment with styles and conditions to make your WordPress content smarter and more engaging than ever.