What

When users select navigation menu items (Navigation Link blocks) in the Editable List View or canvas, the block controls for that item do not appear in the sidebar inspector. This prevents users from editing individual menu items (links, labels, attributes, etc.).

Current behavior:

1. Select a Template Part containing a Navigation block
2. Open the List View to see navigation items
3. Click on a menu item in the Editable List View (or in the canvas)
4. The item appears selected, but block controls do not display in the sidebar
5. Cannot configure attributes of menu items (links, labels, etc.)

Expected behavior:

1. Select a Template Part containing a Navigation block
2. Open the List View to see navigation items
3. Click on a menu item in the Editable List View (or in the canvas)
4. The Navigation Link block becomes selected
5. Block controls display in the Inspector
6. User can configure attributes of the menu item (URL, label, open in new tab, etc.)

Why

Users need to see and understand important information about navigation links that is not visible in the canvas, including:

• Publication status - whether a linked page/post is published, draft, pending, or scheduled
• Entity type - whether the link points to a page, post, category, custom post type, or external URL
• Link destination details - the full URL and any associated entity information

A consistent link-editing experience helps users understand and maintain their menus with confidence. While users can make some basic edits to navigation links in-canvas, without access to the sidebar inspector controls they miss this important contextual information that is essential for understanding their navigation structure.

Enabling sidebar inspector access for Navigation Link blocks is essential to achieving the broader goal of providing clear, transparent link details and consistent link-editing capabilities across both the canvas and List View (see #73043 - Enhance Link Editing and Management in the Navigation Block).

In previous versions, clicking a menu item in the List View immediately displayed its block controls in the sidebar, providing visibility into all link properties and settings.

How

When a Navigation Link block (menu item) is selected from the List View or canvas, ensure the Inspector displays the block controls for that Navigation Link, providing visibility into link properties and settings.

This may require implementing a "drill down" capability that allows users to select child blocks within contentOnly patterns and access their individual controls.

Acceptance Criteria:

• When user clicks a navigation menu item in the List View, that Navigation Link block becomes selected
• The Inspector displays block controls for the selected Navigation Link block
• User can edit Navigation Link properties (URL, label, settings) via the Inspector
• Selection and control access works for both top-level and nested navigation items

User Stories

As a site editor, I want to select individual navigation menu items from the List View and see their block controls in the sidebar, so that I can view important information like publication status and entity type that isn't visible in the canvas.

As a site editor, I want to access full link details and settings in the sidebar inspector, so that I can understand what each menu item links to and configure properties that aren't available through canvas editing alone.

Related Issues

• Enhance Link Editing and Management in the Navigation Block #73043 - Enhance Link Editing and Management in the Navigation Block (tracking issue for broader link-editing improvements)
• Navigation block should show List View tab when user shows intent to edit navigation structure #74894 - Navigation block should show List View tab when user shows intent to edit navigation structure
• Ensure "Edit Navigation" action is available and automatically selects Navigation block across all editor contexts #73383 - Add "Edit Navigation" shortcut to navigation block
• Pattern Editing and contentOnly interactivity #71517 - Pattern Editing and contentOnly interactivity project
• Pattern editing: list view spotlight fading and curtail keyboard navigation to the edited pattern #73997 - Pattern editing list view spotlight
• Enable overlay for Navigation block in contentOnly mode to support sidebar editing workflow #71757 - Click-through overlay work