How to Fix Shortcodes That No Longer Render in Divi, Elementor, or WPBakery After WordPress 6.5

by | May 31, 2025 | Marketing Strategy

If you recently updated your site to WordPress 6.5 or newer, and noticed that shortcodes are no longer rendering in your page builder content — you’re not alone. This is a known issue that has affected a large number of WordPress users, particularly those using visual builders like Divi, Elementor, or WPBakery (Visual Composer).Instead of displaying dynamic content like event calendars, ads, forms, or post listings, your site may now show raw shortcode text like:

[tribe_events view="month"]
[quads id=1]
[custom_gallery]

Or, worse, nothing at all — just a blank space where your content used to be.

What Changed in WordPress 6.5?

WordPress 6.5 introduced a number of performance and editor improvements, but one of them caused a ripple effect in the shortcode ecosystem:

Shortcodes are no longer processed automatically inside all content blocks or builder modules.

In previous versions, WordPress would process shortcodes in most content areas without developers needing to do anything extra. But to align with modern block-based content and to avoid security issues with user-generated shortcodes, this behavior was tightened.

Unfortunately, this breaks the behavior that many plugins and themes relied on — including shortcodes for:

  • The Events Calendar ([tribe_events])
  • WP QUADS Ad Manager ([quads id=1])
  • WooCommerce elements
  • Custom or theme-specific shortcodes

And it especially impacts visual page builders, which often bypass the standard content filters that used to run these shortcodes automatically.

The Symptoms

You may be affected if:

  • You see shortcode text instead of output
  • The affected content is placed in a Text Module, Code Module, or inner content block
  • It started happening after a WordPress core update

The Fix: Shortcode Builder Fixer Plugin

To resolve this issue, we’ve developed a lightweight, production-safe plugin called:

Shortcode Builder Fixer

This plugin restores shortcode execution in:

  • Divi modules (Text, Code, Blurb, etc.)
  • Elementor frontend areas
  • WPBakery content blocks

It ensures your shortcodes are rendered correctly by applying the proper filters (do_shortcode) that WordPress now requires explicitly.

How It Works

Once activated, the plugin:

  • Hooks into the output of supported builder modules
  • Automatically runs do_shortcode() on the content
  • Adds an admin settings panel where you can enable or disable the fix

📥 How to Install the Plugin

  1. Download the plugin:
    👉 Click here to download Shortcode Builder Fixer
  2. Go to your WordPress dashboard → Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin
  3. Upload the ZIP file and click Install Now, then Activate
  4. Visit Settings > Shortcode Fixer to toggle the fix

🛡️ Is It Safe?

Yes. The plugin:

  • Does not overwrite any existing content
  • Works on single-site and multisite setups
  • Is fully reversible — disable or delete it at any time

This plugin is a safe way to restore functionality without waiting for Divi, Elementor, or plugin authors to issue their own patches.

🧰 Bonus: Developer-Friendly

If you’re a developer or agency managing multiple client sites, you can:

  • Include this plugin as part of your standard WordPress stack
  • Customize it to support additional builders or shortcode types
  • Extend it with logging, debugging, or analytics hooks

Need custom functionality? Reach out via our contact form, and we’ll help you adapt the plugin to your use case.

🚀 Get Your Shortcodes Working Again Today

Don’t let WordPress 6.5 disrupt your content.
Install the Shortcode Builder Fixer and restore the expected behavior for your Divi, Elementor, and WPBakery modules instantly.

👉 Download the Plugin

Have questions or want to suggest new features? Contact us here.