• Welcome
  • Tutorials
  • Services
  • Contact
  • Endorsements
  • Meet Gretchen
  • Blog
  • Books
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Search
    Generic filters
    Exact matches only

Gretchen Louise

mentoring digital wordsmiths

  • Welcome
  • WordPress
    • WordPress Hosting
    • WordPress Themes
    • WordPress Plugins
  • Resources
    • Encouragement for Digital Wordsmiths
    • Personal Branding Resources
  • Tools
  • Hire Me

by Gretchen Louise · 12 Comments

How to Use WordPress Bulk Edit and Quick Edit

Share
Pin52
Tweet
Email
Print
52Shares
52Shares

Two of the most time-saving features in WordPress are the Bulk Edit and Quick Edit options. You’ll find them when you’re viewing all your Posts, Pages, Media Library, Categories, Tags, etc.

How to Use WordPress Bulk and Quick Edit

Bulk Edit Drop DownBulk Edit

The Bulk Edit option is available when you check the box next to any number of posts.

  1. Check the box in the top left of the header row to select all your posts visible on that page. You can selectively un-check posts, or selectively check only a few.
  2. Click the “Bulk Actions” drop-down and choose your desired action before clicking “Apply”: usually Delete or Edit.
  3. If you choose Edit, a box will come up that allows you to bulk assign categories, tags, status, etc. to a large number of posts at once.
  4. Choose the desired attributes and click “Update.”
  5. Wait a few moments for the settings to be applied (if you close the screen before the box disappears, your changes may not save).

Bulk Edit Options

Note: If you choose a category it will add that category to all posts—it will not remove any other categories applied to them.

How would you use Bulk Edit?

Search for all posts with the word “writing” to apply the category “writing” to all of them without having to individually edit each post. Select all posts by one author or in a specific category to revert them to draft or private.

Quick Edit Hover

Quick Edit

The QuickEdit option appears when you hover over a Post, Page, etc. when you’re viewing all Posts, Pages, Comments, etc. QuickEdit allows you to perform quick, inline edits to the attributes of one specific post.

Why would you use Quick Edit?

You can quickly edit different options on different posts or pages without ever leaving the view you’re on. Plus, it’s faster than editing the entire post, especially if you’re on a slower internet connection!

Quick Edit Options

Click here for more tips on how to Become Savvy Inside WordPress in 5 Minutes a Day.
Share
Pin52
Tweet
Email
Print
52Shares
52Shares

Posted in Tutorials, WordPress on October 19, 2013 (Last Updated October 16, 2013)

« WordPress Trackbacks and Pingbacks: 5 things you should know
The 5 Minute Guide to WordPress Permalinks, Shortlinks, and Slugs »

I love words. Share yours here in the comments? Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Or, you can subscribe without commenting

Words from More Digital Wordsmiths

  1. Free WPTP says

    May 8, 2015 at 11:46 pm

    Nice tutorial. It’s very helpful 🙂

    We have also written tutorial about bulk editing in WordPress here http://freewptp.com/tutorials/bulk-edit-wordpress-posts-and-pages/

    Reply
  2. Dario de Judicibus says

    December 9, 2014 at 5:30 am

    «ou’ll find them when you’re viewing all your Posts, Pages, Media Library, Categories, Tags, etc.»

    I see no Quick Edit in Media Library

    Reply
    • Gretchen Louise says

      December 9, 2014 at 11:49 am

      You’re right. It appears the only bulk action in the Media Library right now is delete.

      Reply
  3. tom says

    June 5, 2014 at 7:38 am

    Thanks!
    You just saved me a lot of time!

    Reply
  4. Michael Cannon says

    October 31, 2013 at 8:36 am

    Gretchen, Thank you for sharing with the WordPress community this quick tutorial on Bulk and Quick Editing.

    For those folks looking to add more fields to their Bulk and Quick Edit panels, I’ve written the plugin Custom Bulk/Quick Edit at http://wordpress.org/plugins/custom-bulkquick-edit/ that greatly simplify things.

    I’m continuously working on enhancements, so if there’s a request, do let me know.

    Reply
    • Gretchen Louise says

      October 31, 2013 at 8:40 am

      Thank you, Michael! I just ran across your plugin last night and was going to investigate it further. Looks like it has some nice features!

      One thing I’ve always wished for was the Quick Edit feature in the admin bar, so I could Quick Edit a post while viewing it.

      Reply
      • Michael Cannon says

        October 31, 2013 at 7:05 pm

        Since this is the 2nd or 3rd request for quick editing the post content, I’ve put it on the todo.

        Thank you for the idea.

        Reply
        • Gretchen Louise says

          November 5, 2013 at 11:13 pm

          I will look forward to this! Please let me know when it becomes a reality.

          Reply
          • Michael Cannon says

            November 24, 2013 at 5:11 pm

            How important is it to have RTE editing ability from day one? Could you live without for a while?

          • Gretchen Louise says

            November 29, 2013 at 2:56 pm

            Michael, I would just love to be able to quick edit the post attributes (tags, categories, etc.). Editing the post text itself wouldn’t be as important to me. does that help?

  5. Rosann says

    October 19, 2013 at 7:10 am

    Thank you for this!! I’ve been following your series on WordPress and have been enjoying it. I’ve worked in WordPress for over 2 years so some of the things you’ve covered I already knew, but there have been a few “aha!” moments here and there. Today is one of those. I actually never knew I could do this bulk action! So cool! 🙂

    Reply
    • Gretchen Louise says

      October 19, 2013 at 7:56 am

      Thank you so much for commenting, Rosann! I am definitely covering some basic information, so I’m glad even a long-time WordPress user can find some new facts. Truth be told, I learned a lot while working on this series, too! 🙂

      Reply

Hi, I’m Gretchen.

Gretchen I believe the tech side of your blog doesn’t have to keep you from writing. Read more...

Latest Tutorials

How to Give a Free Download to Your MailChimp Email Subscribers

How to Give a Free Download to Your MailerLite Email Subscribers

How to Share a Free File Download With Your Email List Using Dropbox or Google Drive

Search
Generic filters
Exact matches only

A word from my clients…

Gretchen is perpetually cheerful in the face of technical challenges that leave me paralyzed with fear.

-Trina Holden

Sponsored Links

Sticky Blogging Formula

Buy me a coffee?

If you want to say thanks for the tutorials you find helpful, I always welcome an addition to my coffee fund.

Looking for something?

Search
Generic filters
Exact matches only
Disclosure: Some links may be affiliate links.

Let’s connect!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Working with Gretchen took all the worry and stress out of creating a blog. She was able to complete in a few hours what would have taken me months to figure out.

-Tory White
Copyright © 2021 Gretchen Louise · All Rights Reserved · Privacy Policy · Photography by Jenni Marie Photography · Credits
Disclosure: Powered by Affiliate Partners: StudioPress · Agathon Group · NameCheap · WordPress · ConvertKit · WP Rocket · Social Rocket
Close

 
52Shares
52Shares