Would you like to save some time when drafting your blog posts?
Do you participate in a daily, weekly, monthly or annual blog challenge?
Do you get frustrated with or dislike having to copy and paste from one blog post to another?
Do you have reoccurring blog posts that only need minor changes?
If you participate in weekly blog challenges or publish posts that have the same layout every month, the ‘copy post‘ feature on the Block Editor is an excellent tool. It relieves all the stress and frustration of copying and pasting and finding the time to draft blog posts.
How To Copy A Blog Post
Here’s an image that will outline some upcoming vital points.
1. Go to your blog’s ‘Posts’ page and find the post you want to copy. In my case, I’m copying a post I wrote for the weekly 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.
2. Click the kebab menu (three vertical dots) next to the post.
3. From the dropdown menu that opens select ‘Copy Post.’
- Open your draft folder, find the newly created blog post and make changes to it.
- Essential changes you’ll need to make to the new post you’ve copied.
- Title of the post
- Content
- Excerpt for the post
- Other changes you may need to change.
- Images/photos
- Pingbacks
- Categories
- Tags
In some cases, such as the copied post I’ve used as an example, I didn’t need to add or change the categories or tags, so I saved myself even more time. However, I did need to update the pingbacks and images on the post.
However, overall, I saved myself time by copying an existing post and making amendments to it.
- Schedule or publish your post.
That’s it! You’re done and will have saved yourself some precious time and got rid of the experience of frustrations that copying and pasting often bring when drafting blog posts.
Layout, content, settings and format might differ on self-hosted blogs.
Have you used the ‘Copy Post’ feature on WordPress? Do you have any more time-saving tips when drafting blog posts? Share them with me in the comments section.
Looking for more blogging tips from Hugh? Check out these posts.
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Hugh's Views & News 
Hi,
I am linking to this in my January 6 post.
Janice
Hi Janice,
Thanks so much.
Merry Christmas 🎄
To you as well!
I recently updated a post by reverting it to a draft, updating it and re-publishing.
It was useful to do this as it was a book launch, so I didn’t want my front page packed out with both the pre-launch and launch blog.
I’m updating posts all the time. However, if most of the information is outdated, I edit the draft and republish it as a brand new post.
My list of posts doesn’t look like yours and I don’t have a kebab menu or any option to copy that I can see. Am I missing something obvious?
You’re probably looking at them via the ‘Classic’ view option instead of the Default view option. You should see a ‘Screen Options’ button in the top right of the screen. Clicking on it will give you an option to use the WordPress.com view (default view). You’ll then see what I was referring to in this post. I hope that helps?
Sorry Hugh, only just spotted your reply. No, I don’t get that option – I can choose between ‘classic’ view which is what I use, and ‘extended’ view which includes the post extracts but otherwise is the same, with no option to copy that I can see. I think it must be because I use wordpress.org?
Ahh, yes, if you’re self-hosted, I’m afraid things will be different, Sarah. I should have added that on the post (and will do). I keep forgetting those details. As a WordPress.Com user, all my ‘How To’ posts will be centred around WordPress.Com. You may find that some processes and settings overlap, but (as we’ve discovered) not all of them will.
I have pinned this for when I can make my laptop work … windows 11 so far has taken three days to install 🤔😟😖
Thank you Hugh you are the best. X
Thank goodness I’m an ‘Apple’ man. 3 days to install? I hope it finishes installing soon, Ellen.
I apparently have a timer on that puts it to sleep and can not update in sleep mode. So it maybe my fault 🙈🙊
Thanks Hugh.
You’re welcome, Sadje.
Hi Hugh, this is one of the most used shortcuts I regularly use with my blog. It saves so much time and is so easy to do! Thanks for sharing it with others who may not be aware.
Hi Debbie, so pleased to hear you’re already making use of this fantastic feature that WordPress offers to its users. When it comes to drafting new blog posts, it’s certainly helped me save a lot of time.
Such a clear and helpful post, Hugh. And your flash this week was powerful.
Thank you so much, Charli.
I use this feature for my expense blogs, which have been created in the Classic WordPress years ago and contain columns that I reuse with new texts and numbers. In the Hemingway theme, it’s called “clone” instead of “copy”. They renamed that term not too long ago. I always double-check the categories and tags as well.
I didn’t know that different themes have different names for these features, Liesbet. I only change my theme about once a year and have never noticed it. It’s always shown as ‘Copy Post’ on the dashboard of my blog. However, I do know that WordPress often changes the wording for certain features. They did the same earlier this year when renaming their free image library.
Good to hear you’re already making good use of the feature.
I have recently found out about this super cool ‘copy’ a post feature and it’s so helpful for me especially for doing the Senior Salon Pit Stop Posts. Thank you so much for sharing your post at our Senior Salon Pit Stop.
Pinned to Senior Salon Pit Stop InLinkz Linkup Shares board and tweeted @EsmeSalon #SeniorSalonPitStop
Glad to hear you’re already making great use of the ‘copy post’ feature, Esmé. Thank you so much for sharing my post.
My pleasure Hugh thanks for always sharing all your awesome tips
I tried to comment and got a message that said my comment couldn’t be posted. I suppose this meaningless comment will show up? We’ll see.
Love,
Janie
Yup! Okay. I’ll try again with the real comment. I don’t use WordPress and so know nothing about Copy Post but I wonder if Blogger has something similar. I also like your comments about choosing blogs to follow. I used to follow anyone and everyone who followed me or left a comment on my blog. Some of those bloggers are still friends, and others were big mistakes. I had to learn to be more discriminating.
Love again,
Janie
I’m not familiar with the Blogger platform other than leaving comments on it, Janie. So I’m not sure if it does have a ‘copy post’ feature. If it does, I’m sure somebody behind the scene will be able to let you know. Is there a way you can contact them, perhaps via their ‘Help’ page?
Many bloggers fall into the trap of following every blogger who follows them or who leaves them a comment. It’s a sure way of becoming overwhelmed with too many blogs to catch up on. That’s why I always recommend people only follow blogs that publish content that interests them. However, I’m glad to hear you picked up on the problem and now only follow blogs that interest you.
Hi Janie, my blog is set not to display comments straight away until I’ve moderated them. That may be why you had that message. This allows me to stop spam and comments from trolls that WordPress doesn’t always pick up and mark as spam. Your second comment is waiting for me to moderate and approve, which I’m about to do.
Reblogged this on The Reluctant Poet and commented:
Save Some Time With This Tip!
Hi Hugh.
I use this technique at least once per week for a weekend coffee share group I’m part of.. I found it very useful for setting up a basic post with features I like, for example I like to end each page or post with a bio-block with a link back to my main page. I make the copy, change at least the title, featured photo and content and I’m done.
You are correct. This has saved me lots of time that I now spend on content creation instead.
Thanks
Gary, I’m pleased to hear you’re already using the ‘copy post’ feature and that it’s saved you lots of time. I hope the people reading your comment will see how good a feature it is when drafting blog posts with similar layouts.
I’m a big fan of the copy post feature. Even if I change all the text and images it still saves time and means I can ensure consistency of layout and formatting when posts late on the same theme, One thing to add to your list of items to remember to change: keywords.
Thank you for the reminder about keywords, Karen. And good to hear you’re already taking full advantage of the time-saving ‘copy post’ feature.
This is great, Hugh! I also like Colleen’s idea of a couple of template posts, which I’m sure are set up in the same way and held as a draft? I appreciate all these great ideas. Thanks for sharing your kebab menu with us, LOL!
Yes, templates are kept in the draft folder, Terri. I use one for my monthly round-up posts.
And don’t forget about the ‘meatball’ menu (3 horizontal dots). I like those names for them.
Great idea, Hugh. I copy the Thursday Doors Recap page every week. I try to keep is a clean copy. Sometimes I have to add a third paragraph. The other thing I do for weekly challenges is to create and use Reusable Blocks.
Reusable blocks are a big time-saver item, Dan, especially when editing the information in them.
Good to hear you’re making good use of the ‘copy post’ feature.
This is interesting Hugh, I have wondered about this feature. Will have to test it out.
Please do, Alison. It’ll end up saving you lots of time when drafting posts that have similar layouts and content.
Chiming in to add that I’m also a heavy user of the copy feature! Although it can be treacherous unless you edit very carefully for feature image, dates, excerpt, etc! Also, I have templates made for my most frequent types of posts (book review, TTT, Discussion, monthly Wrap up, etc.) and I’ve found it’s efficient to copy those (not inadvertently USE them!). Thanks for a great post! We all need to save scraps of time!
Templates are another tremendous time-saving device, Carol. I use one for my monthly round-up post.
Glad to hear you’re already taking full advantage of this great feature on WordPress.
I’ve found this to be such a useful feature! I use it for my regularly weekly posts!
It’s good to hear that many are already taking full advantage of this handy feature, Ritu. We’re all time-savers.
Absolutely, Hugh@
I use this a lot🤗😊
That’s great to hear.
A few weeks ago I wanted to copy a post but forgot how it worked with the “new” setup. After a while, I found out. Thanks for the explanation, that will help me to keep in mind how it works… lol.
Good to know, Erika. The more you use it, the more you remember about it.
Exactly, and even more important the more years I collect in my life 😂
Once again, you’ve taught me something new, Hugh. It was worth stopping by just to find out that those 3 vertical dots are called the “kebab” menu! I never knew that, and I LOVE it. 😄 I also love the rest of the super clear instructions on how to copy a repeating post without having to start from scratch. You have just saved me loads of time, my friend, and I appreciate it “HUGH”-ly!! (Oh, how bad is that? But I couldn’t resist!)
Thanks so much for all you share! 😊
Hi Marcia. That’s great. After all, we all need extra time to get more stuff done, don’t we?
Yes, those three dots are referred to as a kebab menu. If they’re horizontal, they’re referred to as a ‘meatball’ menu. I don’t know who it was that decided these names, but I love them too.
Glad the information in this post is all new to you. I enjoy sharing all of this information with you all.
Have a great week.
Sorry I’m late responding, Hugh. It’s been a crazy week, but I’m getting ready to use this handy tip shortly, as I’m scheduling posts through December, so I can take the month off at that time. “Meatball menu” is now added to my vernacular, along with the “kebab menu.” And best of all, I now know the easy way to schedule repeating posts! SO grateful for that and all the other good stuff you share. 🤗
Hi Marcia, no apologies needed. My comment sections are always open on all my posts for as long as the posts are live. I never close off comments, so everyone is always welcome to read and leave comments whenever they want.
I’m so pleased this post has helped and that it will save you time. I always find December a quiet month in the world of blogging, so I’m planning a break during that month too.
Have a lovely weekend.
Thanks for the tip Hugh! I was doing that, but a longer way around. This is great advice!
I’m sure this method will save you some time, even if only a little, Melanie. What I like most about the technique I’ve shown in this post is that I don’t need to add tags and categories again because I usually end up forgetting some of them.
I love the copy post feature and use it all the time. I set up a bunch of template posts. I copy them and fill in the blanks. Great tips, Hugh. ❤️
Isn’t this such a great time-saving feature, Colleen? Like you, I use it all the time. No cutting and pasting, either. That’s the best bit.
Yes! The blocks take more time so every time saving feature should be used. I love it!
When you think back at how WordPress used to work when we both first started to blog, it’s come on in leaps and bounds, Colleen. And I’m so pleased to see many of those who said they’d never come over to the block editor doing so and wondering why they’d not done so sooner.
Right? I don’t mind the block editor. You have to take it for what it is. I wish they would give us some themes. Everything looks the same now with the block editor. The one page theme doesn’t work for many of us. If they fix the themes, I’ll be a happy camper. LOL! 😀
Is it that the themes don’t work, or just that they are all the same? I’ve had no problems with any of the themes I’ve used, although I know that WordPress has retired some of the themes, especially those not used very much.
I’ve had trouble with the old themes not working. Also, they all look the same now because of the blocks. I read an article that said the theme makers are frustrated. The blocks hinder features that bloggers used to favor. My favorite theme was retired. All that’s left now on the Premium plan are the old themes that no one used before. It’s hard to look different when everything is so limited now. ❤️
I see what you mean. I’ve just checked how many themes are available to me (as a Business plan holder). There are 129, which is a lot less than there used to be. However, I see there is an option to download your own themes now, although you will lose the ‘follow’ button if you use one of your own themes. The last time I changed my theme was just over a year ago. I like the one I currently have and have no plans to change it at the moment. I like it most because I can change the header photo, which I do every month to give my blog a slightly different look.
There was also an option to assign a WordPress engineer to choose the best theme for you. I may give that a go when I know it’s time for a change.
I’m still on the premium plan. With a couple blogs going the price for the business plan was steep for me. I’m working with what we have. Hopefully, the themes will improve. Fingers crossed. LOL! 😀
HI Colleen, what an amazing idea!
Hi, Terri. It’s worked well for my book reviews and poetry challenges. Of course I add to the post from the template post, but the starting framework is there. It saves a lot of time. ❤️
Oh, this is a smart tip! Thank you for it.
You’re welcome. I’m glad it’s helped.