Confluence Cloud's Legacy Editor: your quick-start guide

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Confluence Cloud's Legacy Editor: your quick-start guide

Q: When is the legacy editor being deprecated?

The legacy editor is being fully deprecated in April 2026. This will be a phased process starting in January 2026.

Holly (Hols) Aspinall

Published: 26 May 2025

Last updated: 9 December 2025

6 min read

Two pens editing a desaturated Confluence page

Holly (Hols) Aspinall

Published: 26 May 2025

Last updated: 9 December 2025

6 min read

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What is Confluence’s Legacy Editor?

How do I know if a page is using the legacy editor?

Macros in the legacy editor

Legacy editor vs cloud editor

How to convert pages to the cloud editor

Cloud editor benefits

Which macros are being deprecated?

FAQs

Has Confluence migration got you feeling lost?

Get answers ➔

Got questions about the Legacy Editor and how it works? We'll show you how to identify a legacy Confluence page, what it means, and how to convert them for Cloud.

Recently migrated to Confluence Cloud? If you've looked at any guides for creating content, the editor might look a little different to the editor that your migrated pages use.

Don't worry, we're here to help! This guide will explain the legacy editor, how it differs from Confluence Cloud's new editor, and how you can convert your migrated pages to take advantage of the latest cloud features.

Icon of an orange warning triangle inside a white circle

Important notice about Confluence's legacy editor

Atlassian has announced that the legacy editor will be phased out, starting in January 2026, with all pages transitioning to the new cloud editor by April 2026.

We recommend moving your pages over before this time to enjoy the full editing experience.

What is Confluence’s legacy editor?

Confluence’s legacy editor is similar to the editor used in Confluence Data Center (DC) and Server. When you migrate to Confluence Cloud, pages automatically use the legacy editor to preserve formatting.

The legacy editor gives you a "what you see is what you get" (WYSIWYG) interface with familiar toolbar buttons, and it supports nearly all of Confluence's traditional formatting options and macros.

A screenshot of a Confluence page in the legacy editor

How do I know if a page is using the legacy editor?

If your page is a legacy page, you'll be able to see a label that says "Legacy editor" at the top. This is if your page is not in edit mode.

A screenshot of a Confluence page details with the legacy editor callout highlighted

The other two giveaways, while you're in edit mode, are the toolbar and the location of the Publish button:

The cloud editor toolbar has more extensive options than the legacy editor toolbar. For example, it features an @ icon to mention a user on a page.
The Publish button sits in the bottom right of the page in legacy mode. In the new Cloud Editor, it sits in the top right corner of the page, just above the toolbar.

A comparison of the legacy editor and cloud editor toolbars

Pages continue to work and can be edited using the legacy editor in Cloud (you'll see the older toolbar and Save button at the bottom). However, to benefit from the latest Confluence features, you'll need to convert your pages.

📝 Note: After migration, any new pages you create will default to the new editor unless the space is set to use legacy editing.

What macros can you use in Confluence's legacy editor?

In the legacy editor, you have access to most of the built-in macros from Confluence DC/Server. Many of them are also available in the new cloud editor. Some examples include:

Formatting and layout macros:
- Panel (draw a box with title/border/background)
- Section and Column (create multi-column layouts) → use Layouts in Cloud
- Expand (collapsible text section)
Text and code macros:
- Noformat (preserves text/monospace) → use code formatting from the toolbar in Cloud
- Code Block → use Code Snippet in Cloud
Content-reporting macros:
- Table of Contents (automatically generates a TOC of headings)
- Child Pages (lists a page’s child pages) → use Child Items in Cloud
- Blog Posts (insert lists of content, pages, blogs)
Inline macros:
- Status (insert a coloured status lozenge)
- Anchor (jump links within a page)
Legacy-only macros: There are also some macros only ever usable in legacy mode. For example, the cheese macro (which displays "I like cheese!") and alignment macros. These will still work in a migrated legacy page, but they have no equivalents in the new Cloud editor. Check Atlassian's documentation for a full list of legacy-only macros.

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What are the differences between the legacy editor and the new cloud editor?

The legacy and cloud editors both have some similarities: a range of formatting options, auto-save, and the ability to co-edit (though two users cannot truly edit concurrently on the legacy editor). However, there are some very clear differences that set the two editors apart.

We've broken down some of the key differences below:

Feature	Legacy editor	Cloud editor
Links (e.g. Jira, Microsoft)	❌ Limited functionality	✅ Rich, embeddable Smart Links
Real-time co-editing	❌ No	✅ Fully supported
Page status	❌ No	✅ Yes
Slash command menu	❌ No	✅ Yes
Consistent styling	❌ Varies	✅ Yes
Receiving updates & new features	❌ No	✅ Yes

Another key difference is how page data is stored. In the legacy editor, data is XHTML-based and stored in the XML format, which allows for complicated HTML and CSS-based layouts. On the other hand, Confluence Cloud’s new editor stores data in the Atlassian Document Format (ADF). This allows users to design intuitive, structured pages with no prior knowledge of HTML or CSS, making content creation more accessible to everyone.

While the legacy editor in Cloud is not deprecated yet (though it will be from April 2026), it is no longer being improved or updated. Atlassian encourages converting pages to the new editor when possible. It also doesn't provide full support for Cloud-based apps, so some macros might not experience full functionality.

How to manually convert legacy pages to Confluence's cloud editor

If you want to use Confluence Cloud’s editor with a migrated Confluence page, follow these steps:

On your page, press E or click the pencil icon to enter Edit mode.
Click Preview at the bottom of the page to see how it looks in the new cloud editor.
If you're happy with how it looks, click Convert page in the bottom right corner.

How to automatically convert legacy pages in all spaces

Select the cog icon in the top-right corner of the page.
Go to Settings > Configuration in the left sidebar.
Click General configuration.
Scroll to Convert pages automatically and check Enable.
Click Save.

📝 Note: Not all page elements will convert smoothly, particularly if you have third-party apps enabled. Do this at your own risk.

What are the benefits of using the new cloud editor?

The cloud editor combines a more user-friendly experience with continuous updates and support. Here are three main benefits:

Faster loading times: The cloud editor is optimised to let you create and format content quicker than ever.
Improved collaboration: Users can work in real time with each other and make edits together rather than waiting for a page to become available.
New features and enhancements: Atlassian is actively working to make the cloud editor better than ever, with improvements such as Smart Links, Atlassian Intelligence, and more.

Which macros are being deprecated with the legacy editor?

The

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Why do migrated pages live in Confluence's legacy editor?

Keeping migrated pages in the legacy editor preserves complex macros, layouts, and formatting that might not be supported in the cloud editor. This gives you time to review the necessary updates in your own time.

Can you use Confluence's cloud editor with legacy pages?

Yes, but they need to be converted. The good news is that you can revert migrated pages back to the legacy editor if a page doesn't look quite as expected.

Is it possible to revert pages to Confluence's legacy editor?

It depends. If you've converted your page from the legacy editor to the cloud editor, you can undo the change. However, new pages created in Confluence Cloud cannot revert to the legacy editor. This is to ensure compatibility and to give you access to all of Confluence Cloud's latest features.

What are the downsides of using the legacy editor?

While your content remains safe and usable in Confluence's eegacy Editor, it will not be updated. The main issues with this are:

There will be no bug fixes (unless there's a major incident).
The legacy editor will not benefit from any future enhancements or features.
Some macros are deprecated and will be removed in the coming months, reducing the functionality of your pages.

When is the legacy editor being deprecated?

Confluence's legacy editor is being fully deprecated in April 2026. This will be a phased process starting in January 2026.

Which macros are being deprecated with the legacy editor?

Atlassian is deprecating a number of macros, but many of them have been replaced with elements integrated into the Confluence Cloud editor toolbar.

Deprecated macros include:

Align - use text formatting in the new cloud editor
Background Color - use a Background macro as a workaround
Chart - create a table and use "Insert chart"
Code Block - use the new Code Snippet macro
Contributors Summary - use the new Contributors macro
Copyright - add the symbol using a keyboard shortcut
Div
Fancy Bullets
Highlight - use text formatting in the new cloud editor
HTML Comment
Multimedia - add multimedia to your pages without the need for a macro
Page Index
PowerPoint - upload the file to your page or embed a OneDrive smart link
Privacy Mark - Use the lock and key icon from the emoji picker in the toolbar
Registered Trademark - add the symbol using a keyboard shortcut
Related Labels - click on a page label to view all related labels
Rollover
Search Results
Service Mark - add the symbol using a keyboard shortcut
Spaces List
Span
Strikethrough - use text formatting in the new cloud editor
Trademark - add the symbol using a keyboard shortcut
Word - upload the file to your page or embed a OneDrive smart link

For a full list, take a look at this Atlassian article.

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Written by

Holly (Hols) Aspinall

Senior Content Marketing Manager

As an experienced content marketer and a long-time Confluence user, Hols is passionate about creating educational, accessible guides that help readers go beyond the limitations of their Confluence instance.

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