Page-Builder Codes Like [et_pb_section] Showing as Text
Your pages show raw codes like [et_pb_section], [et_pb_row], and [et_pb_text] instead of your normal design.
Common signs of this issue
- Your pages display raw text like [et_pb_section admin_label="section"] instead of your normal layout.
- You see strings such as [et_pb_row], [et_pb_column type="4_4"], or [et_pb_text admin_label="Text"] scattered through the page.
- Your real words are all still there, but unstyled, with codes in square brackets wrapped around them.
- It started suddenly after an update, a theme change, an expired license, or moving the site to new hosting.
Safe checks you can do yourself
None of these require sharing passwords with anyone.
- Don't panic — your content is almost certainly not lost. The text between the codes is your real content; it just is not being assembled into the layout right now.
- Check whether the page builder that created these pages is still active. These bracketed codes come from one specific visual builder, and they only show as raw text when that builder is switched off, missing, or not installed on this site.
- Look at what changed just before it started: a deactivated or updated plugin, a switched theme, a lapsed license, or a recent site migration are the usual triggers.
- If you recently moved or copied the site, confirm the same builder (and its license) was installed and activated on the new server — content copied without it will show the codes.
- Take a backup before changing anything, so you can safely reactivate or reinstall the builder.
What this usually means
Those square-bracket codes are shortcodes from a popular drag-and-drop page builder. Normally the builder runs quietly in the background and turns them into your finished design, so you never see the codes themselves.
When that builder is not active on the site, WordPress has nothing to convert the shortcodes into — so it simply prints them out as plain text. It usually looks something like this:
[et_pb_section admin_label="section"]
[et_pb_row admin_label="row"]
[et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Text"]
… your real content …
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
The fix is almost always to get that builder running again — reactivate or reinstall the plugin (or theme) it comes with, and renew its license if it lapsed. Once it is active, the codes turn back into your normal pages.
What not to do
- Don't start deleting the bracketed codes by hand — they are the structure of your page, and removing them can permanently destroy the layout.
- Don't switch themes or install a different builder hoping it will read them — only the original builder understands its own shortcodes.
- Don't rebuild the whole page from scratch before trying to simply reactivate the builder.
When to get help
If reactivating or reinstalling the builder does not bring the pages back — or you are not sure which plugin or theme created them — get help before editing anything. A specialist can identify the right builder, restore it safely, and recover your layout, without you sharing passwords up front. It is also a good moment to set up backups and a staging copy so an update can't surprise you like this again.
Not sure what to do next?
Answer a few short questions and we'll point you to the safest next step — DIY, a freelancer, or a direct review. No passwords required.
Frequently asked questions
Did I lose all my content?
Almost certainly not. The text between the codes is your real content. It is just not being arranged into the design because the builder that assembles it is not active right now.
Can I just delete the codes?
Please don't. Those bracketed codes define your page's structure — deleting them by hand can destroy the layout for good. Reactivating the builder is the safe fix.
Why did this happen out of nowhere?
Usually a plugin or theme was deactivated or updated, a license expired, or the site was moved to new hosting without the builder installed and activated on the new server.