Twenty Twenty‑Three WordPress Theme Review: A Minimalist Full-Site Editing Canvas

Every year, WordPress releases a new default theme that sets the tone for what’s possible on the platform. Twenty Twenty‑Three is a bit different. Rather than pushing lots of flashy features or packed-in design elements, this theme offers something refreshingly simple: a blank canvas for the new era of full-site editing (FSE).

If you’ve ever wanted to create a truly custom WordPress site—without starting from scratch or fighting against a theme’s opinionated design—Twenty Twenty‑Three gives you the freedom to do just that. But is this minimal approach right for you? Let’s take a closer look at what it offers, where it shines, and who it’s actually for.

What Makes Twenty Twenty‑Three Unique?

Instead of feeling like a “complete website out of the box,” this theme is intentionally stripped down. It ships with only the most essential styling, allowing the new site editor (and you!) to take center stage.

Minimalism, But With Style Choices

While it’s barebones at first glance, it ships with a wide range of community-designed style variations. These let you instantly swap between different color palettes and font combinations, all without touching a line of code. So whether you want something bold, soft, dark, or super minimal, you’re just a click away.

Built for Full-Site Editing

Twenty Twenty‑Three is all about embracing the future of WordPress: block-based design for your entire site, not just the posts and pages.

• Header? Footer? Sidebar? You can edit them all visually, right inside the site editor—no more digging through theme options or code.
• The theme’s clean code and open structure make it a perfect starting point for custom designs or child themes.

Real-World Use: How Does It Feel?

If you’re used to older WordPress themes, this one feels different. There are fewer “ready-made” design choices—but that’s the point. You’re not locked into a look you’ll end up fighting later. Instead, you can build what you want, block by block, section by section.

Setup is quick:

• Activate the theme, open the Site Editor, pick a style variation, and start dragging blocks.
• Want to try a bold color scheme or elegant typography? Just swap styles—your whole site updates instantly.

This approach is great for those who want creative control without a lot of bloat.

Who Will Love This Theme?

• Designers and creative site owners who want a flexible starting point and like working with the site editor.
• Developers who want a fast, standards-compliant foundation to build custom solutions.
• Anyone curious about full-site editing and eager to experiment with the latest WordPress features.

If you want “plug-and-play” polish or tons of built-in templates, you might prefer a more traditional theme. But if you value simplicity and creative freedom, this one’s a winner.

Performance and Accessibility

Twenty Twenty‑Three is lightweight and fast out of the box.

• No extra scripts or bulky frameworks—just core WordPress.
• Accessibility has been carefully considered, so your site will work well for everyone, including those using assistive technologies.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Minimalist design is perfect for customization
• Built for the block editor and FSE
• Wide range of community style variations
• Fast, lightweight, and accessible
• Free and officially supported by the WordPress team

Cons:

• Not much “personality” by default
• Beginners may need to learn the new editor tools
• No pre-built business or blog templates out of the box

Final Thoughts

Twenty Twenty‑Three isn’t trying to wow you with fancy layouts or endless features. Its strength is in getting out of your way, letting you—and the new site editor—bring your vision to life. If you want the freedom to build something unique, or just want to see what the future of WordPress looks like, this theme is a fantastic place to start.

Tip: Before you dive in, spend some time exploring the style variations and blocks in the editor. You might be surprised at how much you can do—without touching a single line of code.