diff --git a/lib/experimental/editor-settings.php b/lib/experimental/editor-settings.php
index 7c7c8ff88176e5..31ababe1ab4357 100644
--- a/lib/experimental/editor-settings.php
+++ b/lib/experimental/editor-settings.php
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ function gutenberg_enable_experiments() {
 	if ( $gutenberg_experiments && array_key_exists( 'gutenberg-editor-write-mode', $gutenberg_experiments ) ) {
 		wp_add_inline_script( 'wp-block-editor', 'window.__experimentalEditorWriteMode = true', 'before' );
 	}
+	if ( $gutenberg_experiments && array_key_exists( 'gutenberg-content-only-pattern-insertion', $gutenberg_experiments ) ) {
+		wp_add_inline_script( 'wp-block-editor', 'window.__experimentalContentOnlyPatternInsertion = true', 'before' );
+	}
 }
 
 add_action( 'admin_init', 'gutenberg_enable_experiments' );
diff --git a/lib/experiments-page.php b/lib/experiments-page.php
index a2032eb99abdc5..fe4ce4a2cc756f 100644
--- a/lib/experiments-page.php
+++ b/lib/experiments-page.php
@@ -199,6 +199,18 @@ function gutenberg_initialize_experiments_settings() {
 		)
 	);
 
+	add_settings_field(
+		'gutenberg-content-only-pattern-insertion',
+		__( 'contentOnly: Make patterns contentOnly by default upon insertion', 'gutenberg' ),
+		'gutenberg_display_experiment_field',
+		'gutenberg-experiments',
+		'gutenberg_experiments_section',
+		array(
+			'label' => __( 'When patterns are inserted, default to a simplified content only mode for editing pattern content.', 'gutenberg' ),
+			'id'    => 'gutenberg-content-only-pattern-insertion',
+		)
+	);
+
 	register_setting(
 		'gutenberg-experiments',
 		'gutenberg-experiments'
diff --git a/packages/block-editor/src/autocompleters/block.js b/packages/block-editor/src/autocompleters/block.js
index eedd5e102db2ca..6cd8e67a547bd0 100644
--- a/packages/block-editor/src/autocompleters/block.js
+++ b/packages/block-editor/src/autocompleters/block.js
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@
  */
 import { useSelect } from '@wordpress/data';
 import {
+	cloneBlock,
 	createBlock,
 	createBlocksFromInnerBlocksTemplate,
-	parse,
 	store as blocksStore,
 } from '@wordpress/blocks';
 import { useMemo } from '@wordpress/element';
@@ -125,21 +125,16 @@ function createBlockCompleter() {
 			return ! ( /\S/.test( before ) || /\S/.test( after ) );
 		},
 		getOptionCompletion( inserterItem ) {
-			const {
-				name,
-				initialAttributes,
-				innerBlocks,
-				syncStatus,
-				content,
-			} = inserterItem;
+			const { name, initialAttributes, innerBlocks, syncStatus, blocks } =
+				inserterItem;
 
 			return {
 				action: 'replace',
 				value:
 					syncStatus === 'unsynced'
-						? parse( content, {
-								__unstableSkipMigrationLogs: true,
-						  } )
+						? ( blocks ?? [] ).map( ( block ) =>
+								cloneBlock( block )
+						  )
 						: createBlock(
 								name,
 								initialAttributes,
diff --git a/packages/block-editor/src/components/block-switcher/index.js b/packages/block-editor/src/components/block-switcher/index.js
index 981dd4a395f89a..d25fa14cbc744a 100644
--- a/packages/block-editor/src/components/block-switcher/index.js
+++ b/packages/block-editor/src/components/block-switcher/index.js
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import { useBlockVariationTransforms } from './block-variation-transformations';
 import BlockStylesMenu from './block-styles-menu';
 import PatternTransformationsMenu from './pattern-transformations-menu';
 import useBlockDisplayTitle from '../block-title/use-block-display-title';
+import { unlock } from '../../lock-unlock';
 
 function BlockSwitcherDropdownMenuContents( {
 	onClose,
@@ -196,6 +197,7 @@ export const BlockSwitcher = ( { clientIds } ) => {
 		isReusable,
 		isTemplate,
 		isDisabled,
+		isSection,
 	} = useSelect(
 		( select ) => {
 			const {
@@ -204,7 +206,8 @@ export const BlockSwitcher = ( { clientIds } ) => {
 				getBlockAttributes,
 				canRemoveBlocks,
 				getBlockEditingMode,
-			} = select( blockEditorStore );
+				isSectionBlock,
+			} = unlock( select( blockEditorStore ) );
 			const { getBlockStyles, getBlockType, getActiveBlockVariation } =
 				select( blocksStore );
 			const _blocks = getBlocksByClientId( clientIds );
@@ -250,6 +253,7 @@ export const BlockSwitcher = ( { clientIds } ) => {
 					_isSingleBlockSelected && isTemplatePart( _blocks[ 0 ] ),
 				hasContentOnlyLocking: _hasTemplateLock,
 				isDisabled: editingMode !== 'default',
+				isSection: isSectionBlock( clientIds[ 0 ] ),
 			};
 		},
 		[ clientIds ]
@@ -278,7 +282,10 @@ export const BlockSwitcher = ( { clientIds } ) => {
 			? blockTitle
 			: undefined;
 
+	const hideTransformsForSections =
+		window?.__experimentalContentOnlyPatternInsertion && isSection;
 	const hideDropdown =
+		hideTransformsForSections ||
 		isDisabled ||
 		( ! hasBlockStyles && ! canRemove ) ||
 		hasContentOnlyLocking;
diff --git a/packages/block-editor/src/components/block-toolbar/index.js b/packages/block-editor/src/components/block-toolbar/index.js
index 9545488b8d8af5..7ccbd792a4b0d5 100644
--- a/packages/block-editor/src/components/block-toolbar/index.js
+++ b/packages/block-editor/src/components/block-toolbar/index.js
@@ -128,6 +128,16 @@ export function PrivateBlockToolbar( {
 
 		const _isZoomOut = isZoomOut();
 
+		// The switch style button appears more prominently with the
+		// content only pattern experiment.
+		const _showSwitchSectionStyleButton =
+			window?.__experimentalContentOnlyPatternInsertion
+				? _isZoomOut || isSectionBlock( selectedBlockClientId )
+				: _isZoomOut ||
+				  ( isNavigationModeEnabled &&
+						editingMode === 'contentOnly' &&
+						isSectionBlock( selectedBlockClientId ) );
+
 		return {
 			blockClientId: selectedBlockClientId,
 			blockClientIds: selectedBlockClientIds,
@@ -153,11 +163,7 @@ export function PrivateBlockToolbar( {
 			showSlots: ! _isZoomOut,
 			showGroupButtons: ! _isZoomOut,
 			showLockButtons: ! _isZoomOut,
-			showSwitchSectionStyleButton:
-				_isZoomOut ||
-				( isNavigationModeEnabled &&
-					editingMode === 'contentOnly' &&
-					isSectionBlock( selectedBlockClientId ) ), // Zoom out or Write Mode Section Blocks
+			showSwitchSectionStyleButton: _showSwitchSectionStyleButton,
 			hasFixedToolbar: getSettings().hasFixedToolbar,
 			isNavigationMode: isNavigationModeEnabled,
 		};
diff --git a/packages/block-editor/src/components/block-variation-transforms/index.js b/packages/block-editor/src/components/block-variation-transforms/index.js
index 42b6f626af5a10..8250535be5158a 100644
--- a/packages/block-editor/src/components/block-variation-transforms/index.js
+++ b/packages/block-editor/src/components/block-variation-transforms/index.js
@@ -139,32 +139,40 @@ function VariationsToggleGroupControl( {
 
 function __experimentalBlockVariationTransforms( { blockClientId } ) {
 	const { updateBlockAttributes } = useDispatch( blockEditorStore );
-	const { activeBlockVariation, variations, isContentOnly } = useSelect(
-		( select ) => {
-			const { getActiveBlockVariation, getBlockVariations } =
-				select( blocksStore );
-
-			const { getBlockName, getBlockAttributes, getBlockEditingMode } =
-				select( blockEditorStore );
-
-			const name = blockClientId && getBlockName( blockClientId );
-
-			const { hasContentRoleAttribute } = unlock( select( blocksStore ) );
-			const isContentBlock = hasContentRoleAttribute( name );
-
-			return {
-				activeBlockVariation: getActiveBlockVariation(
-					name,
-					getBlockAttributes( blockClientId )
-				),
-				variations: name && getBlockVariations( name, 'transform' ),
-				isContentOnly:
-					getBlockEditingMode( blockClientId ) === 'contentOnly' &&
-					! isContentBlock,
-			};
-		},
-		[ blockClientId ]
-	);
+	const { activeBlockVariation, variations, isContentOnly, isSection } =
+		useSelect(
+			( select ) => {
+				const { getActiveBlockVariation, getBlockVariations } =
+					select( blocksStore );
+
+				const {
+					getBlockName,
+					getBlockAttributes,
+					getBlockEditingMode,
+					isSectionBlock,
+				} = unlock( select( blockEditorStore ) );
+
+				const name = blockClientId && getBlockName( blockClientId );
+
+				const { hasContentRoleAttribute } = unlock(
+					select( blocksStore )
+				);
+				const isContentBlock = hasContentRoleAttribute( name );
+
+				return {
+					activeBlockVariation: getActiveBlockVariation(
+						name,
+						getBlockAttributes( blockClientId )
+					),
+					variations: name && getBlockVariations( name, 'transform' ),
+					isContentOnly:
+						getBlockEditingMode( blockClientId ) ===
+							'contentOnly' && ! isContentBlock,
+					isSection: isSectionBlock( blockClientId ),
+				};
+			},
+			[ blockClientId ]
+		);
 
 	const selectedValue = activeBlockVariation?.name;
 
@@ -189,7 +197,10 @@ function __experimentalBlockVariationTransforms( { blockClientId } ) {
 		} );
 	};
 
-	if ( ! variations?.length || isContentOnly ) {
+	const hideVariationsForSections =
+		window?.__experimentalContentOnlyPatternInsertion && isSection;
+
+	if ( ! variations?.length || isContentOnly || hideVariationsForSections ) {
 		return null;
 	}
 
diff --git a/packages/block-editor/src/store/private-selectors.js b/packages/block-editor/src/store/private-selectors.js
index e83a251ec7e671..f26f96a5081679 100644
--- a/packages/block-editor/src/store/private-selectors.js
+++ b/packages/block-editor/src/store/private-selectors.js
@@ -18,14 +18,15 @@ import {
 	getClientIdsWithDescendants,
 	isNavigationMode,
 	getBlockRootClientId,
+	getBlockAttributes,
 } from './selectors';
 import {
 	checkAllowListRecursive,
 	getAllPatternsDependants,
 	getInsertBlockTypeDependants,
 	getGrammar,
+	mapUserPattern,
 } from './utils';
-import { INSERTER_PATTERN_TYPES } from '../components/inserter/block-patterns-tab/utils';
 import { STORE_NAME } from './constants';
 import { unlock } from '../lock-unlock';
 import {
@@ -348,26 +349,6 @@ export const hasAllowedPatterns = createRegistrySelector( ( select ) =>
 	)
 );
 
-function mapUserPattern(
-	userPattern,
-	__experimentalUserPatternCategories = []
-) {
-	return {
-		name: `core/block/${ userPattern.id }`,
-		id: userPattern.id,
-		type: INSERTER_PATTERN_TYPES.user,
-		title: userPattern.title.raw,
-		categories: userPattern.wp_pattern_category?.map( ( catId ) => {
-			const category = __experimentalUserPatternCategories.find(
-				( { id } ) => id === catId
-			);
-			return category ? category.slug : catId;
-		} ),
-		content: userPattern.content.raw,
-		syncStatus: userPattern.wp_pattern_sync_status,
-	};
-}
-
 export const getPatternBySlug = createRegistrySelector( ( select ) =>
 	createSelector(
 		( state, patternName ) => {
@@ -537,6 +518,14 @@ export function isSectionBlock( state, clientId ) {
 		return true;
 	}
 
+	const attributes = getBlockAttributes( state, clientId );
+	if (
+		attributes?.metadata?.patternName &&
+		!! window?.__experimentalContentOnlyPatternInsertion
+	) {
+		return true;
+	}
+
 	// Template parts become sections in navigation mode.
 	const _isNavigationMode = isNavigationMode( state );
 	if ( _isNavigationMode && blockName === 'core/template-part' ) {
diff --git a/packages/block-editor/src/store/reducer.js b/packages/block-editor/src/store/reducer.js
index ec82d5192dc6f7..2abbd8547b46f3 100644
--- a/packages/block-editor/src/store/reducer.js
+++ b/packages/block-editor/src/store/reducer.js
@@ -2273,6 +2273,20 @@ function getDerivedBlockEditingModesForTree(
 		( clientId ) =>
 			state.blockListSettings[ clientId ]?.templateLock === 'contentOnly'
 	);
+	// Use array.from for better back compat. Older versions of the iterator returned
+	// from `keys()` didn't have the `filter` method.
+	const unsyncedPatternClientIds =
+		!! window?.__experimentalContentOnlyPatternInsertion
+			? Array.from( state.blocks.attributes.keys() ).filter(
+					( clientId ) =>
+						state.blocks.attributes.get( clientId )?.metadata
+							?.patternName
+			  )
+			: [];
+	const contentOnlyParents = [
+		...contentOnlyTemplateLockedClientIds,
+		...unsyncedPatternClientIds,
+	];
 
 	traverseBlockTree( state, treeClientId, ( block ) => {
 		const { clientId, name: blockName } = block;
@@ -2464,15 +2478,14 @@ function getDerivedBlockEditingModesForTree(
 			}
 		}
 
-		// `templateLock: 'contentOnly'` derived modes.
-		if ( contentOnlyTemplateLockedClientIds.length ) {
-			const hasContentOnlyTemplateLockedParent =
-				!! findParentInClientIdsList(
-					state,
-					clientId,
-					contentOnlyTemplateLockedClientIds
-				);
-			if ( hasContentOnlyTemplateLockedParent ) {
+		// Handle `templateLock=contentOnly` blocks and unsynced patterns.
+		if ( contentOnlyParents.length ) {
+			const hasContentOnlyParent = !! findParentInClientIdsList(
+				state,
+				clientId,
+				contentOnlyParents
+			);
+			if ( hasContentOnlyParent ) {
 				if ( isContentBlock( blockName ) ) {
 					derivedBlockEditingModes.set( clientId, 'contentOnly' );
 				} else {
diff --git a/packages/block-editor/src/store/selectors.js b/packages/block-editor/src/store/selectors.js
index 1e18ca232a87fa..a5e8298058d1d7 100644
--- a/packages/block-editor/src/store/selectors.js
+++ b/packages/block-editor/src/store/selectors.js
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import {
 	getInsertBlockTypeDependants,
 	getParsedPattern,
 	getGrammar,
+	mapUserPattern,
 } from './utils';
 import { orderBy } from '../utils/sorting';
 import { STORE_NAME } from './constants';
@@ -2155,27 +2156,31 @@ export const getInserterItems = createRegistrySelector( ( select ) =>
 							foreground: 'var(--wp-block-synced-color)',
 					  }
 					: symbol;
-				const id = `core/block/${ reusableBlock.id }`;
-				const { time, count = 0 } = getInsertUsage( state, id ) || {};
+				const userPattern = mapUserPattern( reusableBlock );
+				const { time, count = 0 } =
+					getInsertUsage( state, userPattern.name ) || {};
 				const frecency = calculateFrecency( time, count );
 
 				return {
-					id,
+					id: userPattern.name,
 					name: 'core/block',
 					initialAttributes: { ref: reusableBlock.id },
-					title: reusableBlock.title?.raw,
+					title: userPattern.title,
 					icon,
 					category: 'reusable',
 					keywords: [ 'reusable' ],
 					isDisabled: false,
 					utility: 1, // Deprecated.
 					frecency,
-					content: reusableBlock.content?.raw,
-					syncStatus: reusableBlock.wp_pattern_sync_status,
+					content: userPattern.content,
+					get blocks() {
+						return getParsedPattern( userPattern ).blocks;
+					},
+					syncStatus: userPattern.syncStatus,
 				};
 			};
 
-			const syncedPatternInserterItems = canInsertBlockTypeUnmemoized(
+			const patternInserterItems = canInsertBlockTypeUnmemoized(
 				state,
 				'core/block',
 				rootClientId
@@ -2261,7 +2266,7 @@ export const getInserterItems = createRegistrySelector( ( select ) =>
 				{ core: [], noncore: [] }
 			);
 			const sortedBlockTypes = [ ...coreItems, ...nonCoreItems ];
-			return [ ...sortedBlockTypes, ...syncedPatternInserterItems ];
+			return [ ...sortedBlockTypes, ...patternInserterItems ];
 		},
 		( state, rootClientId ) => [
 			getBlockTypes(),
diff --git a/packages/block-editor/src/store/test/selectors.js b/packages/block-editor/src/store/test/selectors.js
index d5fedb4ea7c0b8..ca3aee370530f5 100644
--- a/packages/block-editor/src/store/test/selectors.js
+++ b/packages/block-editor/src/store/test/selectors.js
@@ -3402,6 +3402,18 @@ describe( 'selectors', () => {
 				( item ) => item.id === 'core/block/1'
 			);
 			expect( reusableBlockItem ).toEqual( {
+				blocks: [
+					expect.objectContaining( {
+						attributes: {
+							metadata: expect.objectContaining( {
+								name: 'Reusable Block 1',
+								patternName: 'core/block/1',
+							} ),
+						},
+						isValid: true,
+						innerBlocks: [],
+					} ),
+				],
 				category: 'reusable',
 				content: '<!-- /wp:test-block-a -->',
 				frecency: 0,
diff --git a/packages/block-editor/src/store/utils.js b/packages/block-editor/src/store/utils.js
index bdf8e3675edff1..0f41dd3a998c2d 100644
--- a/packages/block-editor/src/store/utils.js
+++ b/packages/block-editor/src/store/utils.js
@@ -11,11 +11,32 @@ import { selectBlockPatternsKey } from './private-keys';
 import { unlock } from '../lock-unlock';
 import { STORE_NAME } from './constants';
 import { getSectionRootClientId } from './private-selectors';
+import { INSERTER_PATTERN_TYPES } from '../components/inserter/block-patterns-tab/utils';
 
 export const isFiltered = Symbol( 'isFiltered' );
 const parsedPatternCache = new WeakMap();
 const grammarMapCache = new WeakMap();
 
+export function mapUserPattern(
+	userPattern,
+	__experimentalUserPatternCategories = []
+) {
+	return {
+		name: `core/block/${ userPattern.id }`,
+		id: userPattern.id,
+		type: INSERTER_PATTERN_TYPES.user,
+		title: userPattern.title?.raw,
+		categories: userPattern.wp_pattern_category?.map( ( catId ) => {
+			const category = __experimentalUserPatternCategories.find(
+				( { id } ) => id === catId
+			);
+			return category ? category.slug : catId;
+		} ),
+		content: userPattern.content?.raw,
+		syncStatus: userPattern.wp_pattern_sync_status,
+	};
+}
+
 function parsePattern( pattern ) {
 	const blocks = parse( pattern.content, {
 		__unstableSkipMigrationLogs: true,