As we approach the release of WordPress 6.7, there is a buzz of excitement in the community about what the latest update will bring. In this post, we’ll explore everything you need to know about the release WordPress 6.7, revisit the updates from WordPress 6.5 and 6.6, and dive into the new features and improvements that you can look forward to in this upcoming release.
WordPress 6.7 release date
According to the official planning proposal from the WordPress Core team, WordPress 6.7 is expected to be released on 12 November 2024. This update is expected to be the third and final major release of the year. The previous ones in 2024 being WordPress 6.5, released in April, and WordPress 6.6, released in July.
So, first, let’s do a quick recap on the previous major WordPress releases in 2024.
WordPress 6.5 release recap
WordPress 6.5 “Regina” (inspired by Regina Carter, the popular jazz violinist) was officially released on April 2, 2024. As the first major release of the year, it set the tone for the subsequent updates by focusing on enhancing user experience, performance, and security.
Key updates and features introduced in WordPress 6.5:
Improved Block Editor: One of the standout features of WordPress 6.5 was the significant enhancements of the Block Editor (aka Gutenberg): Font Library, Blocks and Custom Fields, Interactivity API, enhanced Sync Patterns, Style Revisions and enhanced Design Tools.
Site Health enhancements: WordPress 6.5 made notable improvementas to the Site Health tool. This included performance related updates, improved plugin experience, additional checks and recommendations that help site owners maintain optimal performance and security.
Accessibility improvements: A strong focus was placed on accessibility in WordPress 6.5. Notable updates included better screen reader support, keyboard navigation improvements, and more accessible color schemes.
Security enhancements: Security was a priority in this release, with several vulnerabilities addressed and new security features implemented. Such as improvements to classic themes and updates to the Site Editor, enhanced editing capabilities and better data management with the Data Views in Site Editor.
WordPress 6.6 release recap
WordPress 6.6 “Dorsey” (inspired by the popular American Big Band leader Tommy Dorsey) was released on July 16, 2024. As the second major release of the year, it continued the trend of enhancing user experience and introduced several new features and improvements that catered to both end-users and developers.
Key updates and features introduced in WordPress 6.6:
New Navigation Structure: One of the most notable changes in WordPress 6.6 was the introduction of a revamped navigation structure within the admin dashboard. This update was designed to enhance the usability of the dashboard, making it more intuitive and accessible, especially for beginners. It included improvements like reorganizing the admin menu by frequently used tools and settings, addition of quick access toolbar and contextual help and onboarding guides.
Enhanced performance: WordPress 6.6 brought several performance improvements, particularly for mobile devices. These updates focused on optimizing the platform to reduce loading times and improve responsiveness. The release included optimizations to improve Core Web Vitals scores, asynchronous loading for media assets, such as images and videos, and improved JavaScript and CSS loading.
Default theme update: With WordPress 6.6, the default theme received significant updates. These included new customization options that allows users to personalize their sites more easily. The theme was also optimized for compatibility with the Block Editor, and included several accessibility enhancements such as contrast ratios, keyboard navigation and screen reader support.
Developer-friendly features: This release brought several new hooks, filters, and APIs, making WordPress even more flexible for developers. These tools provide more control over site functionality and customization, allowing developers to build more sophisticated and dynamic WordPress sites.
WordPress 6.7 release: what to expect
WordPress 6.7 (musician: TBC) is set to introduce a range of new features and improvements that enhance the Block Editor’s flexibility, usability, and functionality.
This release includes the ability to zoom out when composing content using patterns, making it easier to manage layouts at a higher level. Additionally, HEIC image support will be added, allowing for easier image uploads and conversions. The new Template Registration API will streamline the process for developers to register templates and template parts.
We took a quick look at the WordPress 6.7 project on Github, which “represents items considered to be relevant to discussing and executing for this next major release”, and here are some interesting improvements were able to read into:
❗Please note, the below improvements are not yet confirmed by WordPress to be released in the 6.7 version but rather “actively pursued”.
User interface and usability enhancements
We can expect the editing experience to become more intuitive and streamlined, especially for users who may not have extensive technical knowledge.
A notable new feature is the zoom-out mode in the editor, which allows users to see and interact with multiple patterns at once, making it easier to design pages from a higher-level perspective.
Additionally, what we picked up from the Github project, new tools like the Tabs block will allow for better content organization by creating tabbed sections, making it easier to manage complex layouts. And enhancements to the Global Styles interface, such as improved management of background colors and spacing presets, will provide users with more control over the visual aspects of their sites without needing to delve into custom CSS.
Block Editor updates
Updates to the Interactivity API will provide more stable code execution and improve performance, particularly for interactive blocks like the Gallery block, which now supports lightbox functionality.
According to the Github project, Gutenberg looks to be receiving several updates aimed at improving its functionality and versatility. Including the introduction of new blocks, such as a free-form crop for images, which will allow users more flexibility when editing visuals directly within the editor.
Performance and stability improvements
The upcoming release seems to include several optimizations aimed at making WordPress sites faster and more reliable, such as the Auto Sizes for Lazy-Loaded Images, which dynamically adjusts image sizes to improve loading times. Background image support is expanded to more blocks, allowing users to set site-wide options for background images with enhanced control.
The Github project also suggests that enhancements to the Grid Layout and Query and Search blocks can be expected. We can also look forward to bug fixes, specifically with issues where the editor might freeze or crash when certain blocks are reused, helping maintain a stable editing environment, reducing frustration and downtime for users.
Advanced accessibility features
There seems to be various accessibility improvements, such as ensuring full-width templates display correctly.
Security enhancements
On the security front, new controls for block bindings—such as restricting modification permissions to admin users—are being introduced to provide better protection against unauthorized changes, thereby safeguarding site integrity and user data.
Improved developer experience
Developers will benefit from the new Preview Options API, which allows plugins to add custom preview options to the dropdown menu in the editor. The Template Registration API simplifies the process for registering templates, reducing the complexity for plugin developers who need to create custom templates or template parts.
Introducing the Twenty Twenty-Five theme
One of the most exciting features of WordPress 6.7 is the introduction of the new default theme: Twenty Twenty-Five. The Twenty Twenty-Five theme is designed to serve a wide range of bloggers. Whether you’re running a personal blog, a photography portfolio, or a complex news site, this theme provides patterns and blocks that cater to varying levels of complexity.
If you want to keep up with the latest news regarding WordPress 6.7, you can follow the updates directly on the Make WordPress Core blog.
How to prepare for the WordPress 6.7 update
As with any major WordPress release, it’s crucial to prepare your website properly to ensure a smooth transition to WordPress 6.7. Here are some important steps you should take before updating to the latest version:
Back up your site: Backing up your website is one of the most critical steps before performing any major updates, including the transition to WordPress 6.7. A backup is essentially a safety net that allows you to restore your site to its previous state if anything goes wrong during the update process. This could include compatibility issues with plugins or themes, failed updates, or unforeseen errors that could potentially disrupt your website’s functionality. There are several plugins to help you back up your site, or alternatively you can do it manually. But the easiest way to do this, of course, is to use WP Umbrella ☂️
Check plugin and theme compatibility: Before updating to WordPress 6.7, it’s important to ensure that all your existing plugins and themes are compatible with the new version (review the change logs and test in a staging environment). Incompatibility issues can cause various problems, such as broken functionality, site errors, or even complete crashes.
Review and implement site health recommendations: Before updating to the new version, you need to assess your website’s performance and security to identify any potential issues that need to be addressed. Using a WordPress management too such as WP Umbrella will speed up the process by helping you spot any critical issues that need resolving, check the PHP version, and clear caches and optimize databases (oh by the way, we do most of this automatically for you 😉).
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