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Preserved HTML Editor Markup

By MarcusPope

Content Management / Blog & Article Publishing

Reviewed by Abdul Hameid

Trusted WordPress expert with 20+ years of experience evaluating plugins for the WP ecosystem.

Preserved HTML Editor Markup Review - In-Depth Analysis

This plugin preserves user-generated HTML markup in the TinyMCE editor. It allows developers to work in HTML and end-users in the WYSIWYG tab simultaneously.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.72/10

User Rating

5/5 (based on 42+ reviews)

Active Installations

600+

Update Frequency

Below Average It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

1 / 10 (Very Low Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

This plugin preserves the user-generated HTML markup in the TinyMCE editor. Unlike other plugins, this one allows developers to work in the HTML tab and end-users to work in the WYSIWYG Visual tab at the same time. No longer will your HTML markup be completely munged into an unrecognizable form when you switch between those tabs. And you don't have to hang your users/editors out to dry when you hand off the project with a disabled Visual tab.

It also supports HTML5 Block Anchor tags in addition to other HTML5 elements, something that is currently not supported in WordPress via any existing plugins. Version 1.5 will probably be the last version I release for a while since my daughter will be born soon. I've added support for full JavaScript code blocks in the HTML tab. They are compatible and preserved when switching to Visual mode. This rounds out the support for almost complete HTML preservation, with full use of the WYSIWYG editor.

Since version 1.2, you now have a little more control over how content is created. You can choose whether to use BR tags or P tags for newlines. You can also change the behavior depending on the type of post, including custom post types. If you have existing content that was created before activating this plugin, you can now use the Fixit feature to convert your existing content in a way that makes it render the same as before.

Comparing to Alternatives

Preserved HTML Editor Markup stands out by focusing specifically on preserving HTML markup in the editor, a niche not fully addressed by other popular editor plugins.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Effectively prevents unwanted auto-formatting in the TinyMCE editor
Highly rated with a 5-star average from users
Simple and focused functionality without unnecessary bloat
Compatible with multiple WordPress versions despite lack of recent updates

Weaknesses

Lack of recent updates may affect compatibility with the latest WordPress versions
Limited features compared to more comprehensive editor plugins
No pro version or premium support options available

User Sentiment Analysis

User reviews are overwhelmingly positive with a perfect 5-star average and no low ratings, reflecting strong satisfaction with the plugin's core functionality.

Positive highlights

"Finally found what I was looking for!" - Jules Colle
"This plugin still works great." - chrisbeaman
"It worked! Thank you!" - brazilkorea
"It really works. Prevents the TinyMCE editor from messing up a div wrapped in an href." - John Clifford
"Good work though. Hoping for an update soon." - nuvoPoint

Common complaints

Weaknesses

No recent updates in several years
Some minor issues with retaining formatting when switching between editors
Limited feature set compared to alternatives

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users who need a reliable solution to preserve HTML markup in the WordPress editor without extra features or complexity.

Not ideal for

Users seeking a fully featured editor plugin with ongoing updates and premium support options.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version offers full functionality to preserve HTML markup without any cost.

Final Verdict

Preserved HTML Editor Markup excels at its specific purpose of maintaining HTML integrity within the WordPress editor, earning high praise from users for its effectiveness and simplicity. Its lack of recent updates and limited feature set may be a consideration for some, but it remains a valuable tool for those needing this functionality.

While alternatives offer broader editing features, this plugin's focused approach and excellent user feedback make it a strong choice for users prioritizing HTML preservation without additional complexity or cost.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free Preserved HTML Editor Markup plugin.

HTML markup

TinyMCE editor

WYSIWYG editor

FAQ

Upload the plugin contents to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory
Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress Admin
If you have existing content that needs fixing, use the “Fix Posts” feature under Admin > Settings > Writing: Fix Existing Content.
You’re done!