WordPress 7.0 was supposed to ship on April 9, 2026. That's no longer happening.
On March 31, Matias Ventura announced on Make WordPress Core that the release is being pushed back by several weeks. No new date has been set yet.
This isn't the first delay in the 7.0 cycle - Beta 1 was already postponed in February due to unit test failures, and RC1 was delayed in March over performance concerns. But this time, the delay is architectural, not just a schedule slip.
What's causing the delay
The core issue is Real-Time Collaboration (RTC) - a feature that introduces live co-editing in the WordPress block editor, similar to what Google Docs offers.
Building this requires a new database table, changes to how WordPress handles editing sessions, and a rethinking of how post caches work during active collaboration. The team realized that the database schema needed more design work before being locked into a major release.
Key concerns raised by contributors:
- **Performance: **real-time editing currently disables persistent post caches during active sessions
- Database design: the proposed single RTC table tries to serve both real-time editing (high-frequency, low-latency writes) and synchronization (batch operations) - two fundamentally different workloads
- Testing gaps: database schema changes increase the risk of failures during upgrades, and the usual testing path via the Gutenberg plugin was rejected because it could affect production sites
The RTC feature will ship as opt-in, giving hosts and site owners time to evaluate the impact before enabling it.
Why this matters for site maintenance
If you manage WordPress sites - whether it's your own or your clients' - this delay has practical implications.
1. Don't rush the update when it drops
When 7.0 finally ships, it will include database migrations. That's a different beast than a typical minor update. Your maintenance checklist should include:
Full database backup before updating (not just files)
Staging environment test - run the update on a staging copy first
Plugin compatibility check - especially for page builders, caching plugins, and any plugin that hooks into the editor
Monitor post-update - watch for slow queries or unexpected behavior in the editor
2. Use this window to get your house in order
The delay gives you extra time to prepare. Here's what to tackle now:
Update to WordPress 6.9.3 if you haven't already - it includes 10 security patches
Audit your plugins - remove anything inactive or unmaintained. Fewer plugins = smoother major upgrades
Check your PHP version - WordPress 7.0 is expected to require PHP 7.4+ at minimum, and PHP 8.1+ is recommended
Review your backup strategy - make sure automated backups include both files AND database, with at least 7 days of retention
3. Plan for the RTC feature decision
Even though RTC will be opt-in, you'll need to decide whether to enable it for each site you manage. Consider:
Do your clients actually need real-time co-editing?
Can your hosting handle the additional database writes?
Are your caching layers compatible with the new collaboration mode?
For most small business sites, the answer is probably "not yet." But for content teams with multiple editors, it could be transformative.
The bigger picture
WordPress powers a massive share of the web. A major version release with database schema changes affects millions of sites simultaneously. The fact that the core team is taking extra time to get the architecture right - rather than shipping on schedule and patching later - is a good sign.
But it also reinforces something I see constantly in my work as a WordPress freelancer in Lyon: maintenance isn't optional, it's infrastructure. Every major WordPress release is a moment where the gap between "sites that are actively maintained" and "sites that are left on autopilot" becomes painfully visible.
Sites with a proper maintenance workflow - regular backups, staging environments, plugin audits, monitoring - will handle the 7.0 transition smoothly. Sites without one will scramble.
What to do right now
Don't install WordPress 7.0 RC builds on production sites - they're for testing only
Set up a staging environment if you don't have one (most hosts offer one-click staging)
Run a full backup and verify you can restore from it
Subscribe to Make WordPress Core for the updated release timeline
Audit your plugin list - anything that hasn't been updated in 12+ months is a risk factor for 7.0 compatibility
The new release date hasn't been announced yet, but it's expected to be "a few weeks" after the original April 9 target. I'll update this post when the timeline is confirmed.
I'm Sébastien, a WordPress developer and SEO specialist based in Lyon, France. I help businesses build, optimize, and maintain their WordPress sites. If you're looking for help preparing for WordPress 7.0 or need ongoing maintenance support, you can find out more about my services here.
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