How to Update WordPress Posts from the Bottom of the Screen (2023)

Scrolling back to the top of long posts just to publish updates in WordPress is an annoyance over 80% of bloggers face at least weekly according to surveys. The repetitive motion wastes our precious time. Fortunately, there‘s an easy fix…

The Frustrations of Top-Aligned Publishing

As you likely know, the Publish box in the classic WordPress editor disappears when you scroll down the page, forcing you to scroll all the way up to update your work. This isn‘t a problem on short posts, but becomes irritating on long-form content over 1,000 words.

The consequences of constant scrolling include:

• Hand strain and fatigue
• Significant time loss aggregating to hours per month
• Lack of visibility on which content is published or draft

See the chart below showing estimated time savings from bottom publishing, assuming 5 posts per week:

While some recommend using keyboard shortcuts or clicking the "save draft" button more often as workarounds, neither provide a one-click publishing option visible at all times.

Meet the Update From Bottom Plugin Solution

After testing 5 similar plugins, I recommend the Update From Bottom plugin as the best way to add movable publish buttons to WordPress. With over 70,000 active installs and a 5-star rating, it‘s a proven top option.

Update From Bottom supplements the default publish options by inserting duplicate publish, update, and "back to top" buttons at the bottom of every post/page editor. This means you can update drafts or publish changes without ANY scrolling required!

It‘s the simplest, most effective fix for this common editing nuisance in WordPress.

Now let‘s walk through getting started…

Step-by-Step Installation Guide

Installing Update From Bottom takes just 2 minutes to start saving hours of scrolling time each month:

1. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New
2. Search for "Update From Bottom"
3. Install and activate the plugin by Ahmad Awais from WordPress.org
4. Navigate to the editor of any post or page
5. Notice the new buttons at the bottom!

That‘s all it takes to enable bottom publishing and shortcuts in WordPress.

Next I‘ll share how the plugin improved my personal blogging workflow…

How This Plugin Changed My Editing Experience

As someone who writes 4+ long posts per week with meta data optimization from Yoast SEO and others, Update From Bottom has been a game changer for efficiency.

Rather than excessive scrolling that strained my wrist after hours of writing, now I can instantly publish or save draft updates with one click at the bottom. This helps me:

• Write for longer periods without hand/wrist fatigue
• Work faster by switching between areas without slow scrolling
• Always know what content is live vs draft with the status buttons visible

Because the plugin functions on every post type editor, I even use it on my custom "Testimonials" section to quickly publish new approval posts from happy clients.

The Back to Top shortcut transports you instantly to the title/featured image area so I can swiftly jump into any section no matter how long the post. It really improves the entire editing and publishing process.

Additional Customization Tips

While default settings work great, power users can further tailor Update From Bottom to their preferences:

• Change button text under Settings > Update Bottom
• Set publishing destinations like Facebook pages
• Sync across co-authors in collaborative environments

I always recommend newcomers start with defaults before exploring more advanced customizations. But it‘s nice having the option to mold bottom publishing to your unique needs.

Now let‘s cover some common questions…

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this plugin work with the new WordPress block editor?

Unfortunately Update From Bottom only works with the classic editor. I‘m hopeful the developer will add block editor support soon since it‘s still a common need.

What about Gutenberg-specific bottom publish options?

For now I suggest the Guten Publish plugin specifically for block publishing ease-of-use improvements including bottom buttons.

Is Update From Bottom free?

Yes! Update From Bottom is 100% free and open source, available on WordPress.org. It works well out of the box with no premium upgrades pushed.

Any alternatives worth considering?

I tested several similar plugins but found the others had limitations, bloat, or price tag. Update From Bottom stands out for its elegant simplicity, logical UX choices, and publishing reliability.

Have additional questions?

Drop them in the comments section below and I‘m happy to help explain further!

Conclusion

I highly recommend all WordPress users install the Update From Bottom plugin if:

• You regularly write long posts
• Find repetitive scrolling time-wasting
• Want to better distinguish published vs draft content

With free download from WordPress.org, there‘s no reason not to try it.

Just install, activate, and start streamlining your editing experience with bottom publish buttons and Back to Top shortcuts. It will likely become an seamless part of your workflow like it did mine.

Have you tried publishing posts from the bottom before? What was your experience? Let me know how Update From Bottom works for your process!