TL;DR
- To reuse a page layout: duplicate a page that already has the layout, then swap in the new content.
- No duplicate option? Copy all the blocks from the old page and paste them into a new one.
- Reusing last year’s page? Duplicate it. Don’t just rename it.
- Using the same section on many pages? Save it as a pattern.
How Do I Reuse a Page Layout in WordPress?
Duplicate a page you like, then change the content. As Beth told one client, “I’d recommend doing a duplicate of an existing page.” WordPress doesn’t have a duplicate button for pages on its own, so many sites add a duplicate or clone tool (a plugin, or add-on) for this:
- Go to Pages in your WordPress dashboard.
- Hover over the page whose layout you want.
- Click Duplicate or Clone. A copy is made, usually as a draft.
- Change the title and check the page address (the slug) so it fits the new page.
- Replace the text and photos.
- Publish.
On one site, Beth added that tool and told the client, “When you go to pages, find a page you want to mimic for your new page. Hover over that page and click ‘clone’.”
What If I Don’t Have a Duplicate Option?
- Open the page whose layout you want.
- Click the three dots in the top right corner of the editor.
- Choose Copy all blocks.
- Create a new page and paste. The blocks come with it. Page settings, like the featured image, don’t.
This works for pages built in the block editor. If your site uses a page builder (a drag-and-drop design tool), look for its own duplicate or template option instead.
Can I Reuse Last Year’s Event Page?
Yes, but duplicate it. Don’t rename the old one. The page address and its history stay tied to the original. When one client wanted to rename an old course for a new one, Beth explained, “You can’t just change the name. The slug will be connected.” The slug is the end of the page’s web address.
Keep last year’s page as it is. Duplicate it, then update the name, dates, and details on the copy. See Why Do Links Break When I Rename Pages or Files?
How Do I Reuse a Section on Many Pages?
Save it as a pattern, a saved group of blocks you can insert anywhere:
- Select the section, like a call-to-action box.
- Click the three dots in its toolbar and choose Create pattern.
- Name it, and choose whether it’s synced.
- Synced: change it once, and it changes on every page that uses it.
- Not synced: each copy is separate, so changing one doesn’t change the others.
See WordPress’s guide to synced and non-synced patterns.
Why Did Editing My Copy Change the Original Page?
The page includes a synced section. Synced patterns, and global sections in page builders, are shared. Change one, and every page using it changes too. To change only your copy, detach that section first. In the block editor, select it and choose Detach. Not sure which sections are shared? Ask us before editing.
Rather Have Us Build It?
Send us the content for the new page and tell us which page to copy. We’ll build it on your Webmaster Retainer.
What Webmaster For Hire Recommends
- Duplicate, don’t rename, when you reuse an old page.
- Check the new page’s address before you publish.
- Ask before editing a shared section, since one change can update many pages.
:: Common Questions ::
How Do I Update the Layout on All My Pages at Once?
That depends on how your site was built. Headers, footers, and theme templates change everywhere at once. Layouts copied page by page have to be changed on each page. Ask us before a big change, and we’ll find the fastest way.
Will a Duplicated Page Hurt My SEO?
Not if you replace the content. Two pages with the same text compete with each other, so make each page’s words its own.
Need a New Page Built?
See our Webmaster Retainer, or request a consultation.
