How to save a WordPress post or page as a draft

What is a draft?

A draft is an unfinished copy. It is like a letter you start but do not post yet. Only people who can log in to your site can see it. Visitors cannot. When you are happy with it, you publish it.

Save a draft in the block editor

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard. This is the private control room of your site.
2. Click Posts, then Add New. For a page, click Pages, then Add New.
3. Type a title and some content.
4. Look at the top right corner of the screen. Click Save draft.
5. Wait until the button changes to Saved.

WordPress also saves a draft by itself every minute or so. It is called an autosave. Do not rely on it alone. Click Save draft before you close the tab.

Check how it will look

1. Click Preview at the top right.
2. Choose Preview in new tab.
3. Look at your post as visitors would see it, then close that tab.

Find your drafts later

1. Click Posts, then All Posts. For pages, click Pages, then All Pages.
2. Click the Draft link above the list.
3. Click the title of the draft to open it.

Each draft has the word Draft next to its title.

Publish the draft when it is ready

1. Open the draft.
2. Click Publish at the top right.
3. Click Publish once more to confirm.

Turn a published post back into a draft

Changed your mind? You can hide a live post again.

1. Open the post.
2. Click Switch to draft at the top right.
3. Confirm.

The post leaves your site at once. Any link to it will show a "page not found" message until you publish again.

Quick recap

• A draft is a private, unfinished copy.
• Click Save draft at the top right of the editor.
• Find drafts under All Posts, then the Draft link.
• Click Publish when you are ready.
• Use Switch to draft to hide a live post.