MB Builder 5.0.0: Official Release for Meta Box AIO - Fresh UI & Smarter Workflow

After four rounds of UI testing and the successful release of the free version, we’re thrilled to announce that MB Builder 5.0.0 is now officially available for Meta Box AIO users! This is the biggest UI update of the year, bringing a fresh interface, a smarter workflow, and major performance improvements that completely redefine the way you build custom fields and beyond.

Let’s take a closer look at the key changes of this brand-new UI that will directly enhance your experience and update your Meta Box to explore them.

Reorganized Workspace & Refined UI/UX

MB Builder 5.0.0 introduces a completely redesigned interface, crafted to deliver clarity and efficiency. We didn’t just refresh the look, we restructured the entire workspace to make your workflow more intuitive and distraction-free.

The new UI is released for Meta Box AIO. It means all the extensions included, such as MB Settings Page, MB Relationship, MB Tooltip, etc, have a new interface. But to help you visualize the changes more easily, in this blog post, I’ll use the custom field UI as a demonstration. This is also where the most significant updates have been made in this release.

Convenient Left Sidebar and Floating Panel

Based on the best of WordPress and page builders, we’ve divided the screen into two main areas for ultimate control:

• The functional area (the left sidebar) - where you can add new fields, manage the structure, and configure settings.
• The live preview - where all your changes are displayed instantly.

Besides, you can have an overview of the field group title and location easily on the top bar instead of moving to another tab as previously.

This clear separation creates a balanced and efficient workspace, letting you build with confidence. Every adjustment updates in real time, delivering a smooth, guess-free experience without page switching.

The left sidebar includes panels for three functionalities: adding a new field, structure, and settings.

For the structure specifically, we’ve supported a floating structure panel. This allows you to manage the structure while configuring fields exactly the way you want, saving time and keeping your workflow smooth and uninterrupted. On this panel, you can close, open, as well as drag and drop to rearrange the fields and subfields, or use the quick action.

The field and field group settings are organized into panels with the open status by default. Especially, the most essential features, such as required, cloneable, and conditional logic, custom columns are designed to ensure you can set up quickly and effortlessly.

Every setting you’ve configured is shown in the preview. It means it is exactly what you’ll see in the post editor. Moreover, you can also easily identify which fields have conditional logic applied via an icon beside the field label.

Interactive Workflow

The relationship between the panel and the preview is a two-way interaction. Users are not limited to editing in one place, you can choose a more comfortable workflow: adjusting parameters in the panel or interacting visually in the preview.

Inline Label and ID Editing

You’re no longer restricted to updating the field label and ID through the settings panel. Now, just double-click directly in the live preview. The changes will instantly sync with other places, including the settings and structure panels.

Custom Column

An exciting improvement in this release is the reciprocal interaction between MB Columns and the preview. To customize the layout of the field, subfields, or group, you can use the settings panel to adjust the number of grids or resize it directly in the preview as shown below:

As a result, we hope users can easily choose the most suitable layout for the fields without having to switch screens or update multiple times. We're confident this feature will be extremely helpful for you.

Resizable Panels

In addition, to give you more control over your workflow, we’ve made both the left-side and floating panels resizable. This dynamic interface adapts seamlessly to your work and habits.

Contextual Field Actions

With the same goal of making things more convenient for you, we’ve added context actions in multiple places. This allows you to add a field above or below, delete, or duplicate the current field. No matter where you are or which panel is being opened, every action can be done with only one click.

The contextual actions are available in the normal and floating structure panels. But we highly recommend you use the toolbar that appears when you hover over a field in the preview.

Quick Status Management

To change the status of a field group and manage multiple field groups at once, from the MB Builder 5.0.0 version, you have an additional column in the field group admin, which allows you to switch publish to draft and vice versa quickly without opening the settings.

Therefore, we changed the button in the field setting to simply Save Changes.

Optimized Performance

With so many UX and UI changes, are you worried that performance might be affected? We always take performance as a high priority and aim to make your experience even better with each update. We’ve completely rewritten the way data is stored, leveraging the power of AJAX-based saving and improved loading logic. In parallel, the testing process was continuously carried out on field groups with around 300 fields and multiple nested groups.

Compared with the older version, the performance of this version is the smoothest and most optimized version yet.

Last Words

MB Builder 5.0.0 is more than just a visual upgrade, it’s a reimagined workflow that puts you in full control. From the reorganized workspace and interactive two-way preview to the optimized performance and smarter field management, every detail has been thoughtfully designed to make building custom fields faster, easier, and more enjoyable.

This release reflects our commitment to continuous refinement and listening to our community. Because at the end of the day, your efficiency and satisfaction are what matter most.

And now, it’s time to explore these improvements and see how they can streamline your workflow, save time, and elevate your experience.