The Wix Editor is where you build and edit a Wix site: open it from your site's dashboard with Design Site, add elements from the left of the editor, then save, preview and publish from the top right. Saving keeps your work, but nothing changes on your live site until you click Publish.
Here's the catch. Autosave doesn't start until you've saved the site manually once, and it saves to the editor, not to your live site. Some actions also save whether you like it or not: opening Preview and adding an app both trigger an autosave, even if you've turned autosave off. If that catches a change you didn't want, Site History lets you restore an older saved or published version.
Save, autosave, preview and publish compared
| Action | What it does, as of October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Save | Stores your changes in the editor; visitors don't see them yet |
| Autosave | Saves regularly once you've done your first manual save; you can switch it off |
| Preview | Shows the site as visitors will see it, and always triggers an autosave |
| Publish | Makes your changes live on the internet |
| Site History | Restores and republishes an earlier saved or published version |
How to save, preview and publish
- Click Save at the top right of the editor, then Done in the pop-up.
- Click Preview at the top right and browse the site as a visitor would.
- Click Back to Editor to keep working.
- Click Publish at the top right when you're ready for the changes to go live.
You can do all three as often as you like, and you can keep editing after you've published. If you close the window without saving, your browser warns you that unsaved changes will be lost. To keep a half-built page out of sight, hide it from your site menu until it's ready.
Editing on more than one computer
The editor has to stay connected to Wix's servers, so you can't edit offline or save pages from your site to your computer. You can edit from any computer with an internet connection and an updated browser. Save, log out, then log in on the other machine and your changes are there. Wix says to avoid editing on two computers at the same time, because changes made on one can override changes made on the other.
The editor tools
Open Tools at the top right of the editor and tick the box for each tool you want.
| Tool | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Toolbar | Copy, paste, duplicate or delete elements and adjust size, position and alignment; drag it anywhere on the page |
| Layers panel | Lists every element on the page, split into header, page and footer; open it from the Layers icon at the bottom left |
| Rulers | Place elements by the pixel and add guides; horizontal along the top, vertical on the right |
| Gridlines | Dotted lines; the vertical ones show your page's maximum width on tablets and smaller devices |
| Snap to Objects | Purple lines mark other elements' borders, and a dropped element snaps to them within 5 pixels |
The Hide Controls arrow at the top of the editor hides the toolbar and menus when you want a clean view. The Site Design panel on the left holds your site theme, page background and page transitions, so you can change colours and text styles across the whole site in one place. A page background can be a colour, an image or a video.
Mobile and the responsive limits
Wix's own help is clear that the Wix Editor offers partial responsiveness. You can stretch some elements, like strips, to full width and use the mobile editor to make a mobile-friendly version, but it doesn't fully adapt every element to different screen sizes dynamically. Fully responsive sites are listed as a feature request Wix is collecting votes on, and Wix notes that planned features can change or be cancelled.
So the mobile editor is where the work happens. Wix recommends doing it after you've finished the desktop design. There you can resize images, check text is readable, hide elements and pages mobile visitors don't need, and add mobile-only elements. The vertical gridlines help you keep content inside the tablet width while you're still designing for desktop.
Other things the editor can and can't do
- Build a site for you: Wix's AI Website Builder asks a few questions, creates a design, and you then edit it in the Wix Editor.
- Print pages: press Ctrl+P, or screenshot the page and print that.
- Undo and redo: use the undo and redo buttons at the top of the editor.
- Work offline: no, the editor needs a live connection to Wix.
My verdict on the Wix Editor
I'd stay in the Wix Editor if your site is mostly fixed layouts you're happy to tune for mobile by hand, because the tools are precise and Site History makes mistakes cheap. I'd think twice if you need every element to adapt to every screen size, since the editor doesn't do that yet. Whatever you do, get into the habit of Save, Preview, Publish, and remember Preview saves for you. For a walk-through of making changes go live, here's my guide to editing a Wix site, and if you're after a new look, read this before changing template.
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Frequently asked questions
Does the Wix Editor save automatically?
Yes. Your site is saved regularly once you've done the first manual save, and you can turn autosave on or off.
Do saved changes appear on my live Wix site?
No. Saved changes won't appear on your site until you click Publish.
Can I use the Wix Editor offline?
No. The editor needs a constant connection to Wix's servers, so you can't edit offline or save pages from your site to your computer.
Is the Wix Editor fully responsive?
No. It offers partial responsiveness: you can stretch some elements to full width and use the mobile editor, but it doesn't fully adapt all elements to every screen size.
Can I go back to an older version of my Wix site?
Yes. You can restore and republish an older saved or published version from Site History.
