Inserting a draft page via the navigation block can lead to duplicates

[mrfoxtalbot]

Description

If I insert a new page draft via the navigation block and I then go to Pages and publish the page, the new page will show twice. This is happening because the new page is showing under Page List and as a standalone page element in the menu.

I realize this is tehcnically intended but it's a poor and confusing experience.

Step-by-step reproduction instructions

1. Go to Edit Site
2. Click "+" on the Navigation block, type a name and select "Add new NAME page"
3. Navigate to Pages inside the Site Editor, open the page you just created a draft for, and publish it
4. Navigate back to your Navigation block and notice how your new page is showing twice:

Screenshots, screen recording, code snippet

Creating the page

Kapture.2025-05-30.at.14.00.34.mp4

Publishing the page

Kapture.2025-05-30.at.14.01.07.mp4

Environment info

• WP 6.8.1 version
• No plugins
• Theme: Twenty TwentyFive

Please confirm that you have searched existing issues in the repo.

• Yes

Please confirm that you have tested with all plugins deactivated except Gutenberg.

• Yes

Please confirm which theme type you used for testing.

• Block
• Classic
• Hybrid (e.g. classic with theme.json)
• Not sure

[t-hamano]

the new page is showing under Page List

To me, this behavior seems correct. The Page List block automatically outputs published pages by default. If you want to avoid that, press the Edit button of the Page List block in the block sidebar:

[mrfoxtalbot]

That's interesting. I missed the "Edit" button in the sidebar.

I agree with you that the behaviour is correct, in principle. Maybe users should be nudged to create a new page in the editor instead of in the menu (since it will be added automatically)? I know this does not have a simple solution but I worry this adds a lot of confusion to the already complex navigation block.

[t-hamano]

Maybe users should be nudged to create a new page in the editor instead of in the menu (since it will be added automatically)?

People may have different opinions on this matter. However, it's worth noting that this feature has been around for over five years.

• Navigation: Add option to create a new page #18900
• Nav Block - enable page creation from within Block #19775

[mrfoxtalbot]

You're right, this has been around for a while. I still feel there is a gap in UX, but it's certainly not a bug. I will close it for now. Thank you for going over this with me, @t-hamano-