Wikipedia:VisualEditor
This help page is a how-to guide. It explains concepts or processes used by the Wikipedia community. It is not one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, and may reflect varying levels of consensus. |
Enable VisualEditor. | Read VisualEditor's User Guide .
|
Report a problem with VisualEditor. |
VisualEditor is enabled by default for new registered editors. If it is not enabled for you, and you are logged in, go to Preferences, click Editing, check Enable the visual editor, and click Save. Or use this sandbox link for testing. | Find out how to make links, add or move images, create citations, insert templates, edit tables, and more. | Use Phabricator to report problems with Visual Editor. Please include your web browser, computer operating system, and Wikipedia skin (usually Vector (2022), sometimes Vector Legacy (2010)). Start a new Phabricator ticket. |
- Main page
- Feedback at MediaWiki
- Sandbox (no account required)
- Documentation:
- Development:
- Roadmap up to 2017
- Updates (2013-2023)
- Weekly status reports (2015-2016)
- Why are the developers building this? (2013)
- User Test Data (2013)
- Customization
- Known problems
- Requests for Comments (RfCs): Jul 2013 a, Jul 2013 b, Jul 2015, Sep 2015
Welcome to the portal for VisualEditor, an editing tool currently under development by the
Even after the eventual anticipated full-feature release of VisualEditor, experienced editors may still prefer editing with wikitext because they find it faster and more precise. It will also be needed for editing all discussion pages. Editors who enable VisualEditor will always have the Source editor option available from the toolbar on every page, as the WMF has no plans to remove this.
VisualEditor still has many bugs and missing features. If you encounter an issue using the VisualEditor on Wikipedia.org or another Wikimedia project (ie., not on a third-party wiki), you can report it on the MediaWiki Feedback page. WMF staff prefer that you report bugs via the Phabricator bug tracking website.
About VisualEditor
VisualEditor is a "visual" way of editing Wikipedia that allows people to contribute without having to learn
As of 2021, the visual editor is used about half as often as the 2010 wikitext editor, and about as often as the mobile web editor. It is used about twice as often as Twinkle.
To learn more about using VisualEditor, please read the
Limitations
Current known limitations include:
- Not available in talk or discussion namespaces – On the English Wikipedia, VisualEditor is not enabled for any talk pages, on the Template or Wikipedia namespaces, and on several of the namespaces that are rarely edited. The "Edit" button for VisualEditor is not available on pages where VisualEditor cannot be used. The Reply tool has a visual mode based on VisualEditor, as well as a wikitext mode with a live preview.
- Incomplete editing functionality – The content of some complex formatting, including definition lists, will display and can be edited, but editors using VisualEditor cannot modify certain details. Multi-column lists are edited through the complex transclusion dialog, which is difficult. Table editing on Mobile doesn't work properly. Adding features in this area is one of the developers' priorities.
- Requires JavaScript – If VisualEditor is not available in your browser, or if you have turned off Javascript, then you will see the buttons for the wikitext editor only.
- Numeric reference names – Currently, support named references.
- Slower – Loading longer pages into VisualEditor can be significantly slower than the source editor for some users.[2]
- Cannot edit a single section – VisualEditor loads and submits only entire pages. Clicking an edit link for a section will scroll to the appropriate section upon opening. In VisualEditor's model, editing sections would be paradoxically slower than editing the whole page. [Note: Opening an entire page for editing does not increase edit conflicts, which are (roughly) based on editing the same paragraph.]
- Limited support for user scripts – Most user scriptsdo not work when using VisualEditor; it is up to the script's developer to add support for VisualEditor.
- Cannot upload non-free images – At this time, images that are uploaded inside either the wikitext editor or VisualEditor are sent directly to the File Upload Wizard. Commons also runs a filter to reject many images uploaded by editors who have not made many prior edits to Commons, especially for small or low-resolution images.
- Data in merged cells is deleted – If rows or columns are moved across them. Workaround: Unmerge the affected areas before moving, and merge them again afterwards.
- Wikilink changes – May unnecessarilyturn a simple link into a piped link when a change to the link text involves redirects.
- Template issues
- Parameters are wikitext, not rich text – VisualEditor lets you edit the parameters of template transclusions, but only as "wikitext" (so "
[[Foo]]
" or nested templates like "{{Foo|{{Bar}}}}
", not "}}}}"). - Footnotes – Footnotes inside templates (most commonly, infoboxes and {{list-defined references.
- Unable to customize parameter order – VisualEditor does not give you the ability to customize the order in which template parameters are listed. This could cause problems with articles or sets of articles where there is an established, consistent order for templates, especially citation templates.
- Changes template parameter and value alignment – Especially with infoboxes, VisualEditor can sometimes modify spacing done for parameter and value alignment purposes and add a space after each pipe. Note that this is a deliberate feature of TemplateData that can be managed in the documentation of a given template; see mw:Help:TemplateData#Custom formats for detailed information.
- Table-formatting unawareness – Popular table cell templates (e.g. yes, no, tba, n/a) can cause issues. The reason is that these templates contain a pipe character to separate formatting and text, but VisualEditor isn't aware of this. As a result, table operations which change the table structure, such as merging/splitting cells or inserting/deleting/moving rows or columns, may not work properly.
- Unbalanced code – VisualEditor struggles with templates that pass a bit of incomplete code, with markup, to another template or table. These may display oddly or may not be editable if selected in VisualEditor.
- Parameters are wikitext, not rich text – VisualEditor lets you edit the parameters of template transclusions, but only as "wikitext" (so "
You can click "Review your changes" to review the wikitext changes before saving a page. Please report any problems you see, after first searching open VE tickets to make sure it hasn't been reported already..
How to help out
Help is needed to make VisualEditor as good as it can be: You can find and report bugs and ideas for improvements or lend a hand in many other tasks, such as:
- Updating help pages – All Wikimedia Foundation projects have help pages to make contributing easier for new editors. Unfortunately, the full launch of VisualEditor will make obsolete the screenshots and tutorials in these help pages, because they describe how to edit using the markup editor. Therefore, the VisualEditor development team needs help user guide to VisualEditoris a starting place for text for the new help pages.
- Adding TemplateData code to template documentation pages – VisualEditor features an interactive template editor—described in more detail in the list of some of the most transcluded templatesthat may still need TemplateData added to their documentation.
- Help new users – Even though editing with VisualEditor may be easier, learning policies and guidelines and how to interact with the community is always challenging for new editors. You can help by spending time at the appropriate venues: the Help desk, the Teahouse, and the help chatroom. Additionally, please feel free to monitor the Category of Wikipedians looking for help.
- Report errors, and suggest improvements – Read about how to write a bug report or feature request, then start a new Phabricator ticket.
Newsletter
- Click here to sign up for the VisualEditor newsletter! Just add
# {{#target:User talk:YOUR USERNAME HERE}}
to the appropriate part of the list. - Prior issues of the newsletter can be found at Wikipedia:VisualEditor/Updates. Updates are sent out infrequently.
- This list is for the English Wikipedia only. If you want this newsletter delivered to a different wiki, then sign up on the global list at m:VisualEditor/Newsletter.
- You can unsubscribe at any time by removing your name from this list.
- Wikipedia:Village pump (technical)
- Wikipedia:Village pump (WMF)
- Wikipedia:VisualEditor/Feedback
- Wikipedia talk:Talk pages project
- User talk:11111s
- User talk:1keyhole
- User talk:23emr
- User talk:2Awwsome
- User talk:2NumForIce
- User talk:3family6
- User talk:5225C
- User talk:6033CloudyRainbowTrail
- User talk:Abdulraheem Gouda
- User talk:Abhal555
- User talk:Acather96
- User talk:Adam Cuerden
- User talk:Afernand74
- User talk:Ahm_masum
- User talk:Alaney2k
- User talk:Aleksa Milićević
- User talk:Alessandro57
- User talk:Alsee
- User talk:Anasskoko
- User talk:Anchorvale
- User talk:Andrew Davidson
- User talk:Andrewa
- User talk:Andrybak
- User talk:annibale covini gerolamo
- User talk:Anonymoustofu
- User talk:Another Believer
- User talk:Anthony Staunton
- User talk:Antoine.b
- User talk:AnUnnamedUser
- User talk:arodb
- User talk:Arthur Rubin
- User talk:Ashorocetus
- User talk:Atchison_clark
- User talk:AWwikipedia
- User talk:Azdrew
- User talk:Babymissfortune
- User talk:Barkeep49
- User talk:Barte
- User talk:Barzamin
- User talk:Bcorr
- User talk:Beauty School Dropout
- User talk:BetterCallSaulKripke
- User talk:Bevo
- User talk:Bilby
- User talk:bill52270
- User talk:bishwa_777
- User talk:Blackdiamand21
- User talk:Blahma
- User talk:Block Baby
- User talk:BoldLuis
- User talk:bouktin
- User talk:C-Brennan-Poole
- User talk:Caius G.
- User talk:CAPTAIN RAJU
- User talk:Carl.e.Bean
- User talk:Cassiopeia
- User talk:Catx108/my news subscriptions
- User talk:Celine1776
- User talk:ceyockey
- User talk:Charles Edwin Shipp
- User talk:Charles01
- User talk:Checkingfax
- User talk:Ched
- User talk:Chewings72
- User talk:Chitreshraj
- User talk:Christian75
- User talk:ckoerner
- User talk:ClemRutter
- User talk:Cocobb8
- User talk:CodingCyclone
- User talk:ConradKilroy
- User talk:Corn cheese
- User talk:Crh23
- User talk:CRS-20
- User talk:cscott
- User talk:Cup o' Java
- User talk:CWBoast
- User talk:CX Zoom/Newsletters/Current year
- User talk:Daisytheduck
- User talk:Damenleeturks
- User talk:Danish AMC
- User talk:danlev
- User talk:Danre98
- User talk:DarkestElephant
- User talk:Darklanlan
- User talk:Darren-M
- User talk:Davey2010
- User talk:David Gerard
- User talk:David Saroyan
- User talk:Davidbuddy9
- User talk:Davisonio
- User talk:Daxx_wp
- User talk:De la Marck
- User talk:Defan24
- User talk:Dekema2
- User talk:Dfcfozz
- User talk:Diaa abdelmoneim
- User talk:Diego Moya
- User talk:Discott
- User talk:Discount Horde
- User talk:Dlwilson88
- User talk:DLynch (WMF)
- User talk:Donald Trung
- User talk:Dtwedt
- User talk:DXLB Muzikant
- User talk:DylWyl
- User talk:Dyork
- User talk:EchidnaLives
- User talk:Ed6767
- User talk:EdSaperia
- User talk:Eevee01
- User talk:Ekhaya2000
- User talk:Elitre
- User talk:Emery Cool21
- User talk:Epicgenius
- User talk:EpicPupper
- User talk:Ergo Sum
- User talk:Esb5415
- User talk:Evangeline
- User talk:Evolution and evolvability
- User talk:Ezlev
- User talk:fabregas0414
- User talk:Fench
- User talk:flekkie
- User talk:Flexdream
- User talk:Fluffernutter
- User talk:foxj
- User talk:Frederico1234
- User talk:FrenchNobility
- User talk:Fresternoch
- User talk:Froztbyte
- User talk:FuriouslySerene
- User talk:Gaia Rinaldelli
- User talk:Gasforth-2021
- User talk:Ged UK
- User talk:Gerald Waldo Luis
- User talk:Gerryyabes
- User talk:Goldenshimmer
- User talk:Goldside852
- User talk:GreatSculptorIthas
- User talk:Grumpylawnchair
- User talk:Ham II
- User talk:Hamham31
- User talk:Happily888
- User talk:Harvici
- User talk:Hazeldee0512
- User talk:HeartGlow30797/Subscriptions
- User talk:Henrikdv
- User talk:hibsch
- User talk:HJKeats
- User talk:Hmich176
- User talk:Hopefully999
- User talk:HouseBlaster
- User talk:HovigTheEditor
- User talk:Howicus
- User talk:Hydriz
- User talk:hym411
- User talk:HyperEagle
- User talk:Hypersonic man 11
- User talk:I Am Chaos
- User talk:I dream of horses
- User talk:I.hate.spam.mail.here
- User talk:Idell
- User talk:IkselOwk
- User talk:Im5yrsold
- User talk:Imagine Wizard
- User talk:Immu 01
- User talk:Innovative Username
- User talk:Interitus malorum
- User talk:It is a wonderful world
- User talk:Itcouldbepossible
- User talk:Ivan Humphrey
- User talk:James Allison
- User talk:Jamesjpk
- User talk:Jarble
- User talk:JB82
- User talk:Jcuber17
- User talk:JetBlast
- User talk:Jhertel
- User talk:Jimbo Wales
- User talk:Jindam vani
- User talk:JJBers
- User talk:JMHamo
- User talk:John Broughton
- User talk:Johnny Au
- User talk:Jonathan Lane Studeman
- User talk:JonsterMonster
- User talk:Josethewikier
- User talk:Jrf
- User talk:Jtamad
- User talk:Judgesurreal777
- User talk:Jyoo1011
- User talk:K4rolB
- User talk:K6ka
- User talk:Kasyap
- User talk:katcheez
- User talk:KEmel49
- User talk:Kerry Raymond
- User talk:Kew Gardens 613
- User talk:Keyacom
- User talk:khamar
- User talk:Killarnee
- User talk:LaDinky
- User talk:Lalit82in
- User talk:Language Boi
- User talk:LeonardoIannelliCOMPUTE
- User talk:lfstevens
- User talk:Littleb2009
- User talk:Llew_Mawr
- User talk:L'Mainerque/Newsletters
- User talk:LogX
- User talk:Lomrjyo
- User talk:LORENZ SARMIENTO
- User talk:Lotje
- User talk:Lucky102
- User talk:MadGuy7023
- User talk:Magol
- User talk:Mainline421
- User talk:Manwuel380
- User talk:Masssly
- User talk:MatthewBurton
- User talk:Medo9
- User talk:Melymay123
- User talk:Meow
- User talk:Merfralex
- User talk:MetaAlphaBeta
- User talk:mgiganteus1
- User talk:Mindi Crayon
- User talk:Mostafa12890
- User talk:Moyogo
- User talk:MrTrains227
- User talk:Mruthunjaya9
- User talk:MrWonka
- User talk:Muffizainu
- User talk:MusikAnimal
- User talk:Mvolz
- User talk:My Pants Metal
- User talk:Naechrr
- User talk:Nate 2169
- User talk:NemesisAT
- User talk:Neo12345292
- User talk:NeoJade
- User talk:Neonorange
- User talk:NgocAnMaster
- User talk:Nicco18
- User talk:Nicereddy
- User talk:Nick Moyes
- User talk:Nick Wilson
- User talk:nigeleezdr
- User talk:NightWolf1223
- User talk:Nihiltres
- User talk:Nikolaih
- User talk:NikolaiVektovich
- User talk:Nkansahrexford
- User talk:NPRB
- User talk:Ocaasi
- User talk:Ohiowa2
- User talk:OhKayeSierra
- User talk:Oiyarbepsy
- User talk:OodFloo
- User talk:Oronsay
- User talk:orsd
- User talk:Paine Ellsworth
- User talk:PamD
- User talk:patchallel
- User talk:Patriccck
- User talk:PearlSt82
- User talk:Pelagic, User talk:Pelagic/Newsletters
- User talk:Perumalism
- User talk:Peter Chastain
- User talk:Peterdownunder
- User talk:Philoserf
- User talk:PhotographerTom
- User talk:Pichemist
- User talk:PieThrowerChamp
- User talk:Piotrus
- User talk:Pizza1016
- User talk:Playlikeastar
- User talk:Plingsby
- User talk:Pointillist
- User talk:PradNelluru
- User talk:Pratyya Ghosh
- User talk:Presidentman
- User talk:ProcrastinatingReader
- User talk:ProtoDrake
- User talk:Prototime
- User talk:Pseudonymous Rex
- User talk:Psiĥedelisto
- User talk:Punetor i Rregullt5
- User talk:Pythoncoder/News
- User talk:Quadtripplea
- User talk:Quiddity
- User talk:QWER11296
- User talk:Qwerfjkl
- User talk:Rachel.dicerbo
- User talk:reb1981
- User talk:Redalert2fan
- User talk:Retinarecorder
- User talk:Rhagfyr
- User talk:Rhododendrites
- User talk:Richard Nevell (WMUK)
- User talk:Robert M. Hunt
- User talk:Robert McClenon
- User talk:RoySmith
- User talk:Saehrimnir
- User talk:Sam'kelo Mpungoseh
- User talk:Sanyamkamat
- User talk:Sasuke Sarutobi
- User talk:ScottyWZ
- User talk:Sculpordwarfprunesea
- User talk:Shaded0
- User talk:Shanata
- User talk:shanluan
- User talk:Shemew
- User talk:Shibbolethink
- User talk:Signalizing
- User talk:Simoncaulton
- User talk:SivaGovind
- User talk:Slazenger
- User talk:SmartK
- User talk:SMcCandlish
- User talk:Some1
- User talk:Spineas
- User talk:Spurb
- User talk:Sreejiththulaseedharan
- User talk:SshibumXZ
- User talk:SSSB
- User talk:StudiesWorld
- User talk:Sue Gardner
- User talk:SunDawn
- User talk:Syed Sadique Hussain
- User talk:Sylvester Penn
- User talk:Symphonic Spenguin
- User talk:TapticInfo
- User talk:TehPlaneFreak
- User talk:Tenryuu
- User talk:TenType
- User talk:TerraCodes
- User talk:The 19th One
- User talk:The Anome
- User talk:The ed17
- User talk:The Land
- User talk:The Master of Hedgehogs
- User talk:The person who loves reading
- User talk:the wub
- User talk:TheFrog001
- User talk:TheOtherGaelan
- User talk:There'sNoTime
- User talk:TheSandDoctor
- User talk:Three97
- User talk:Thryduulf
- User talk:Timeshifter
- User talk:TimothyBlue
- User talk:Tom Morris
- User talk:Tom29739
- User talk:Tomorrow and tomorrow
- User talk:Tonymetz
- User talk:Toran107
- User talk:ToxiBoi
- User talk:TPFNoob
- User talk:TrudiJ
- User talk:UMAGPR
- User talk:UnstoppablePhoenix
- User talk:Valereee
- User talk:VeniVidiVicipedia
- User talk:Vishal.acet
- User talk:Vitaium
- User talk:Vpilato
- User talk:VQuakr
- User talk:Vukky
- User talk:VulcanSphere
- User talk:Waddie96
- User talk:Washing Machine
- User talk:WDM10
- User talk:WhatamIdoing
- User talk:Whiteghost.ink
- User talk:Wikiuser13
- User talk:Wil540 art
- User talk:Wittylama
- User talk:Wolbo
- User talk:Wouterstomp
- User talk:writeswift
- User talk:wshaggy
- User talk:Xbony2
- User talk:Yobkj
- User talk:Yololobia2
- User talk:Yoshi1423
- User talk:ZLEA
- User talk:Zulujive
- User talk:Zziccardi
- User talk:ԱշոտՏՆՂ
- User talk:علاء
- User talk:أيوب
Userbox
VisualEditor
userbox variants
|
You can signal to other editors your use of the VisualEditor on your
. See that page for all the options available, three of which are shown here.Notes
- ^ "visualeditor-nondefault.dblist". gerrit.wikimedia.org. Retrieved 28 December 2021. (List of Wikiprojects that do not have VisualEditor enabled by default for new users)
- ^ For data on VisualEditor performance, see this Grafana dashboard
External links
- The mediawiki.org page about VisualEditor, which links to historical regular status reports from 2011 through 2016.
- The mediawiki.org page about Parsoid, the bidirectional wiki parser behind VisualEditor, and historical regular status reports from 2011 through 2014.
- A 2015 study on VisualEditor's effect on newly registered editors