The Paragraph block is a basic building block that allows you to add text content to a post or page. It is the default block that appears when you create a new post or page. You can customize the text color, style, and alignment. Additionally, you can add links, inline images, and highlights within a paragraph.
Keyboard shortcuts can quickly bold or italicize text, or transform a Paragraph block into a Heading block.
Learn more about the text formatting keyboard shortcuts.
Add a Paragraph block
To add a Paragraph block, click the + Block Inserter button in the top-left corner of the editor. Search for the Paragraph block and click on the block to add it to the page
You can also choose the Paragraph block from the “Block Inserter” (+) pop-up window when you click on the (+) sign.
Get detailed instructions on adding blocks.
Block toolbar
Each block has its own block-specific controls that allow you to manipulate the block right in the editor. If you hover over the buttons, tooltips will tell you what is behind the buttons, and also show you keyboard shortcuts when available.
Transform to
The Transform to button lets you convert the Paragraph block into a Heading, List, Quote, Buttons, Code, Columns, Details, Group, Preformatted, Pullquote or Poetry blocks. You can also transform to styles such as Display, Subtitle, or Annotation depending on your theme.
Block-moving tools
Use the block-moving tools to move the Paragraph block.
The drag or six dots icon allows you to freely reposition the block anywhere within the editor by holding the icon and dragging it to the new location.
You can also use the arrow icons to move the block up or down within the group of nested blocks or when there are multiple blocks.
Get more information about moving a block within the Editor.
Align
Use the change alignment tool to change the width of the Paragraph block. The following is a list of the block width options:
- None – Keep width the same as the content size
- Wide width – Increase the width of the block beyond the content size
- Full width – Extend the block to cover the full width of the screen
Wide width and Full width alignment options are only available if they are enabled in your theme.
Text alignment
Use the Change text alignment tool to modify the alignment of the Paragraph block. Select the icon to display the alignment dropdown menu. You can align the text to the left, make it center-aligned, or orient it to the right.
Bold and italics
The Bold and Italics formatting options are used to customize the text in the Paragraph block. You can also use keyboard shortcuts to enable these text formatting:
- Ctrl + B or Command + B to bold the text.
- Ctrl + I or Command + I to italicize the text.
Insert links
The Insert links tool lets you add a hyperlink to the selected text.
Read about more link editing options.
More rich text options
The drop-down menu to the left of the More options menu contains a range of additional rich text editing options such as highlighting, inline code, inline image, strikethrough, and more.
Read about more rich text editing options.
More options
The More Options menu represented by three vertical dots on the far right of the toolbar gives you more features such as the ability to duplicate, remove, or edit your block as HTML.
Read about these and other settings.
Block settings
WordPress blocks have specific configuration options in the block settings panel. To access the Paragraph block settings panel, click the Settings button at the top-right corner of the editor. Here is a list of the Paragraph block settings options:
Styles
You can modify the paragraph block styles by choosing the options under the Styles panel. The style options may vary based on your theme.
Paragraph style options from Twenty Twenty Five theme
Typography
The Typography settings enable you to customize the font and text appearance of the content within the block. The settings have various options, such as font size, font style, font family, and letter spacing.
The Paragraph block has additional options to style text including line indent, columns, drop cap, and fit text.
Get more details about changing typography settings.
Background
The Background settings allow you to customize the appearance of supported blocks using background images, colors, and gradients.
For details, refer to the Background Settings Overview.
Dimensions
This block provides various options to adjust its dimensions, such as width and height, allowing you to customize the text layout to ensure visual consistency.
For details refer to this support article: Dimension settings overview.
Border
The border settings add border color, width, and radius and add a shadow to the block.
For details refer to this support article: Border settings overview.
Elements
Use the elements panel to change colors for blocks nested inside the selected block.
Learn more about changing colors for nested elements.
Advanced
The Paragraph block provides the following Advanced settings options: HTML Anchor, Additional CSS Class(es), Additional CSS, and Styles.
