The Document Library block Free & Pro

The Document Library block is the easiest way to put a document library on any page or post. Add it in the WordPress block editor and you get a live preview of your library while you pick a layout, set the columns, and scope the library to specific categories — no shortcode syntax required.

How to insert the block

1. Go to Pages → Add New (or edit any existing page or post).
2. Click the + inserter and search for Document Library.
3. Insert the block. A live preview of your documents renders right in the editor.
4. Configure the block in its settings panel (options below). The preview updates as you change settings.
5. Publish. The front-end library matches what you saw in the preview.

What you can configure in the block

• Layout picker — switch between the table, grid, gallery and folder layouts.
• Columns — a comma-separated list of column keys, in the order visitors see them (for example title,excerpt,categories,date,size,type,link). There are 16 keys to choose from — see choose and reorder columns for the full list and for the drag-to-reorder builder at Documents → Settings → Display.
• Category — limit the library to a document category, so one page can show only policies while another shows only newsletters.
• Documents per page — control how many documents display at once.

Leave any of these blank and the block falls back to your site-wide defaults from Documents → Settings.

How the block relates to the shortcode

Every block option maps to a [filedeck] shortcode attribute: the layout picker is layout, the columns field is columns, category scoping is category, and documents-per-page is per_page. Anything you build with the block can be expressed as a shortcode instead, which is handy for widget areas or page builders — and the shortcode accepts many more attributes than the block exposes, including the initial sort order (sort_by / sort_order). See the shortcode reference for the full attribute list.

FAQ

Do I need the block, or can I use the shortcode instead?

Either works. The block and the shortcode render the same library; the block adds a live preview and visual controls on top.

Can I add more than one Document Library block to a site?

Yes. Each block is configured independently, so different pages can show different categories, layouts, and columns. See multiple libraries on one site.

Is the block available in the free version?

Yes. The Document Library block, all four layouts, and every column are included in the free plugin on wordpress.org.