---
url: /cookbook/modify-after-creation.md
description: >-
  Modify element properties immediately after creation in the editor by
  listening to the wpce_before_insert_node event.
---

# Modify an Element after Creation 

To modify an element right after it has been created (i.e. not after it has been duplicated or pasted from somewhere), you can listen for the `wpce_before_insert_node` event on the `document`. It triggers after an element is picked in the "Add Element" dialog.

```js
document.addEventListener('wpce_before_insert_node', event => {
  // Get the document node and the WPCE instance
  const { node, instance } = event.detail

  // Do something to the node, e.g. add children or modify properties
})
```