Fix The Missing or Uneditable Divi Layouts

Have you tried editing a layout in your Divi Library only to find it doesn’t load in the Visual Builder or disappears on the front end? This issue often happens after updates or changes to WordPress, Divi, or plugins and is usually caused by a misalignment in the permalinks.

It’s a common problem in WordPress sites that use dynamic content, like Divi Library layouts. Fortunately, the fix is simple.

To resolve this issue, reset your permalinks:

1. Go to Settings > Permalinks in your WordPress dashboard.
2. Without making any changes, click Save Changes.
3. Check if your layouts in the Divi Library now load correctly.

This simple step regenerates the necessary rules to ensure WordPress correctly interprets dynamic routes like those used by Divi Layouts.

When you access a Divi layout using a URL like:

https://mywebsite.com/et_pb_layout/my-layout/?et_fb=1

WordPress follows a series of steps to process the request:

1. The Browser sends the request to the server:
   “I need to load this layout called my-layout.”
2. The Server checks the .htaccess file to interpret the URL.
   .htaccess acts as a rulebook, converting friendly URLs into something WordPress understands. The correct rule looks like this:
   RewriteRule ^et_pb_layout/(.*)/?$ index.php?post_type=et_pb_layout&name=$1 [L]
3. The Translator (.htaccess) transforms the URL into an internal query:
   https://mywebsite.com/index.php?post_type=et_pb_layout&name=my-layout&et_fb=1
4. WordPress receives the query and searches the database for a layout named my-layout.
5. The Server delivers the content back to the browser.
6. The Browser displays the layout to the user.

If anything breaks this chain, the layout won’t load. For instance:

Before: The correct .htaccess rule for /et_pb_layout/:

RewriteRule ^et_pb_layout/(.*)/?$ index.php?post_type=et_pb_layout&name=$1 [L]

After: If a plugin modifies this rule, it might look like this:

RewriteRule ^et_pb_layout/(.*)/?$ index.php?post_type=custom_plugin&slug=$1 [L]

With the modified rule, the server sends the wrong message to WordPress:

https://mywebsite.com/index.php?post_type=custom_plugin&slug=my-layout&et_fb=1

WordPress searches in the wrong place (custom_plugin instead of et_pb_layout) and the layout fails to load.

This issue is common because WordPress relies on dynamic rules in .htaccess. Many plugins also modify .htaccess, which can lead to conflicts. Examples include:

• SEO Plugins: Add rules to handle redirects.
• Cache Plugins: Adjust rules to optimize load speeds.
• Plugins with Dynamic Content: Add rules for custom routes.

When plugin rules conflict with Divi’s, they can overwrite them. Resetting permalinks regenerates the correct rules and restores normal functionality.