As I said, we’re dropping all the human blocks. Community guidelines, directory guidelines, and such will need to be followed going forward, but whatever blocks were in place before are now cleared. It may take a few days, but any pre-existing blocks are considered bugs to be fixed.
Each WordPress release celebrates an artist who has left an indelible mark on music. WordPress 6.8, code-named “Cecil,” honors the legendary pianist and jazz pioneer Cecil Taylor.
Classically trained yet relentlessly unconventional, Taylor reimagined the piano as a percussive instrument—layering tone clusters, polyphony, and rhythm into a sound both chaotic and precise. His music defied expectation, finding form in disorder and harmony in dissonance.
That same spirit drives WordPress 6.8. Embrace its bold new features with the same curiosity and experimentation that defined Cecil’s sound.
WordPress 6.8 polishes and refines the tools that you use every day, making your site faster, more secure, and easier to manage. The Style Book now has a structured layout and works with Classic themes, giving you more control over global styles. Speculative loading speeds up navigation by preloading links before users navigate to them, bcrypt hashing strengthens password security automatically, and database optimizations improve performance.
Download WordPress 6.8 “Cecil”
The Style Book has a new, structured layout and clearer labels, to make it even easier to edit colors, typography—almost all your site styles—in one place.
Plus, now you can see it in Classic themes that have editor-styles or a theme.json file. Find the Style Book under Appearance > Design and use it to preview your theme’s evolution, as you edit CSS or make changes in the Customizer.
Easier ways to see your options in Data Views, and you can exclude sticky posts from the Query Loop. Plus, you’ll find lots of little improvements in the editor that smooth your way through everything you build.
In WordPress 6.8, pages load faster than ever. When you or your user hovers over or clicks a link, WordPress may preload the next page, for a smoother, near-instant experience. The system balances speed and efficiency, and you can control how it works, with a plugin or your own code. This feature only works in modern browsers—older ones will simply ignore it without any impact.
Now passwords are harder to crack with bcrypt hashing, which takes a lot more computing power to break. This strengthens overall security, as do other encryption improvements across WordPress. You don’t need to do anything—everything updates automatically.
100+ accessibility fixes and enhancements touch a broad spectrum of the WordPress experience. This release includes fixes to every bundled theme, improvements to the navigation menu management, the customizer, and simplified labeling. The Block Editor has over 70 improvements to blocks, DataViews, and to its overall user experience.
WordPress 6.8 packs a wide range of performance fixes and enhancements to speed up everything from editing to browsing. Beyond speculative loading, WordPress 6.8 pays special attention to the block editor, block type registration, and query caching. Plus, imagine never waiting longer than 50 milliseconds—for any interaction. In WordPress 6.8, the Interactivity API takes a first step toward that goal.
For a comprehensive overview of all the new features and enhancements in WordPress 6.8, please visit the feature-showcase website.
Learn WordPress is a free resource for new and experienced WordPress users. Learn is stocked with how-to videos on using various features in WordPress, interactive workshops for exploring topics in-depth, and lesson plans for diving deep into specific areas of WordPress.
Read the WordPress 6.8 Release Notes for information on installation, enhancements, fixed issues, release contributors, learning resources, and the list of file changes.
Explore the WordPress 6.8 Field Guide. Learn about the changes in this release with detailed developer notes to help you build with WordPress.
Every release comes to you from a dedicated team of enthusiastic contributors who help keep things on track and moving smoothly. The team that has led 6.8 is a cross-functional group of contributors who are always ready to champion ideas, remove blockers, and resolve issues.
The mission of WordPress is to democratize publishing and embody the freedoms that come with open source. A global and diverse community of people collaborating to strengthen the software supports this effort.
WordPress 6.8 reflects the tireless efforts and passion of more than 900 contributors in more than 60 countries all over the world. This release also welcomed over 250 first-time contributors!
Their collaboration delivered more than 320 enhancements and fixes, ensuring a stable release for all—a testament to the power and capability of the WordPress open source community.
Aaron Jorbin · Aaron Robertshaw · Aashish Sharma · Abha Thakor · Abhay Kulkarni · abhi3315 · AdaKaleh · Adam Silverstein · Adam Zieliński · Adhun Anand · Aditya Bansode · Adrian Jagusch · aduth · Ahir Hemant · Ahmar Zaidi · Ahmed Kabir Chaion · Ahmed Saeed · Ahsan Khan · Aishwarrya Pande · Ajay Ghaghretiya · Ajay Maurya · Ajit Bohra · Akanshu Singh · Aki Hamano · Akira Tachibana · aks30498 · Akshat Kakkad · Akshay Dhere · Albert Juhé Lluveras · Alessio · Alex Concha · Alex Florisca · Alex Lende · Alex Stine · Alexander Bigga · Alexandre Buffet · Alexei Samarschi · alexschmitz · Ali Akbar Reyad · allilevine · alpipego · Alvaro Gómez · Amaan Khan · Amber Hinds · Amimul Ihsan · Amin · Amit Bhosale · Amit Raj · Ammar Mohamed Fath Allah Abd-Elaaty Massoud · amolebonde · Anand Raj · Anders Norén · Andrea Fercia · Andrea Roenning · Andreas Pedersen · Andrei Draganescu · Andrei Lupu · Andrew Nacin · Andrew Ozz · Andrew Serong · Andrew Ssanya · Andrey "Rarst" Savchenko · André Maneiro · Andy Fragen · Anh Tran · Ankit Gade · Ankit K Gupta · Ankit Kumar Shah · Ankit Panchal · Ankit Patel · Anmol Verma · annchichi · Anne-Mieke Bovelett · annezazu · Anthony Burchell · Anthony Hortin · Anton Vlasenko · Anuj Singh · Anveshika Srivastava · Ari Stathopoulos · Ariel Maidana · arnaudbroes · arnoutblueshell · Artemio Morales · Asish Chandra Mohon · Au · autotutorial · Ayesh Karunaratne · Béryl de La Grandière · BackuPs · Balu B · Barry · Beatriz Fialho · ben · Ben Dwyer · Ben Sutcliffe · Benazeer · Benedikt Ledl · Benjamin Zekavica · Benoit Chantre · bernhard-reiter · Bero · bgermann · Bhavik Kalpesh · Bijit Deb · Birgir Erlendsson (birgire) · Birgit Pauli-Haack · Bishal Shrestha · BjornW · bluantinoo · BogdanUngureanu · Boro Sitnikovski · Brad · Brad Jorsch · Bradley Taylor · Brandon Hubbard · Brandon Payton · brettsmason · brevilo · Brian Alexander · Brian Coords · Brian Haas · Bronson Quick · Bryan Schneidewind · burak · burnuser · Calvin Alkan · Calvin Alkan · Carlos Bravo · Carolina Nymark · cbirdsong · cgastrell · charleslf · chiilog (Chiaki Okamoto) · chintanmachhi207 · ChriCo · chriscct7 · chrisdotdotdot · Christoph Daum · claimableperch · Claudiu Lodromanean · codebymikey · codersantosh · Colin Stewart · ColinD · colinleroy · Corey Worrell · Courtney Robertson · Cris Busquets · Crisoforo Gaspar · ctienshi · cweiske · cybeardjm · Cyrille · Cyrille Sanson · Daedalon · Dakota Chichester · Damien Alleyne · Damon Cook · Dan Knauss · danht · Dani Guardiola · Daniel Bachhuber · Daniel Post · Daniel Richards · Daniele Scasciafratte · danielpataki · danielvann · darerodz · Darren Hewer · Dave Loodts · David Aguilera · David Arnado · David Baumwald · David Biňovec · David Bowman · David Calhoun · David FARGIER · David Herrera · David Innes · David Levine · David Rozando · David Shanske · David Smith · daymobrew · deadduck169 · Dean Sas · Debabrata Karfa · DEBARGHYA BANERJEE · Deep Patel · Deepak Rohilla · Dennis Ploetner · Dennis Snell · Densi Nakum · designsimply · Devansh Chaudhary · Dhananjay Kuber · Dharmesh Patel · Dhaval Kapadane · Dheeraj Bhosale · Dhrumil Kumbhani · Dhruvang21 · Dhruvi Shah · Dhruvik Malaviya · dilip · Dilip Bheda · Dilip Hingarajiya · Dilip Modhavadiya · DingGuodong · Dion Hulse · Divyesh_kakrecha · dj.cowan · Django · dnnsjsk · Doeke Norg · dogee · domenicdenicola · Dominik Schilling · donalirl · dooperweb · Doug Wollison · dretzlaff · Drew Jaynes · Drivingralle · Dwain Maralack · Earthman Media · eclev91 · Eddy · Edward Caissie · efc · Elena Brescacin · elizaan36 · Ella van Durpe · Emerson Maningo · Emilie LEBRUN · Emmanuel Atsé · Enrico Battocchi · Eric Dye · Erick Hitter · Erik · Erik · Eshaan Dabasiya · Estela Rueda · Evan Herman · Even Tobiesen · Fabian Kägy · Fabian Todt · Faisal Ahammad · Faisal Alvi · Faizan Nabi · Felix Arntz · Felix Renicks · finntown · Firoz Sabaliya · Francesca Marano · Francis Cabusas · Francisco · Frank B. · Frank Klein · Fransisca H · frkly · fushar · FX Bénard · gaellebesson · Gajendra Singh · Galib Hayder · Gan Eng Chin · Garrett Hyder · Gary Jones · Gary Pendergast · Gennady Kovshenin · George Mamadashvili · Gerardo Pacheco · ghinamt · Girish Panchal · giuriani · Glen Davies · Glynn Quelch · Gopal Krishnan · Grant M. 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Patel · Rajat Patel · Rajendra Patel · Rajendra Patil · Rajesh Radadiya · Rajesh Rathod · Rajin Sharwar · Ramon Ahnert · Ramon Corrales · Ramon James · Ravi Gadhiya · redkite · Rehan Ali · Rejaul Alom Khan · Remco · Renatho · Renz Jay Sanchez · Riad Benguella · Rich Tabor · Riddhi Dave · Rinkal Pagdar · Rishav Dutta · Rishi Mehta · Rishi Shah · Rishit Gupta · rkyburz · Robert Anderson · Robert Chapin · Robert Ghetau · Robert Seyfriedsberger · robertstaddon · Robin Martijn · Rodrigo Arias · Rodrigo Primo · Rogier Lankhorst · Rohan Jha · rohitmathur7 · rohjay · room34 · Rotem Gelbart · Roy Orbitson · Roy Tanck · roybellingan · rseigel · Ruchir Goswami · Rudrakshi Gupta · Rupesh Patil · rupw · Ruturaj Raval · rvoigt · Ryan Fredlund · Ryan Hellyer · Ryan McCue · Ryan Welcher · Ryo · S P Pramodh · Sébastien SERRE · Sérgio Gomes · Sören Wünsch · Sabbir Ahmed · sabrineg · Saeed Piri · Sagar Lakhani · Sagar Prajapati · Sagar Tamang · sailpete · Sainath Poojary · sally · samiamnot · Sampat 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Sekhar Guria · Sumit Bagthariya · Sumit Singh · Sumon Sarker · SunilPrajapati · Suraj Sutar · swalkinshaw · Sybre Waaijer · Synchro · t.schwarz · Taco Verdonschot · Taegon Kim · Takashi Irie · Takashi Kitajima · Takayuki Miyoshi · takuword · Tammie Lister · Tanbir Ahmod · Tapan Kumer Das · th23 · Thakor Darshil · thelmachido a11n · thomaswm · Thrijith Thankachan · tiago · TigriWeb · Till Krüss · Tim Brathärig · Tim Sheehan · Tim W · Timi Wahalahti · Timothée Brosille · Timothy Jacobs · Timur Kamaev · Tirth Doshi · TJarrett · Tobias Bäthge · tobifjellner (Tor-Bjorn “Tobi” Fjellner) · Tom Gugel · Tom Rhodes · Tomoki Shimomura · Toni Viemerö · Tonya Mork · Toro_Unit (Hiroshi Urabe) · Torsten Landsiedel · tropicalista · Troy Chaplin · Trupti Kanzariya · Trusha · tunetheweb · Tung Du · Tushar Patel · TyB · tysonlmao · Ugyen Dorji · Umesh Singh · Unsal Korkmaz · up1512001 · upadalavipul · utrenkner · Vagelis · Vaibhav Singh Web · Vaibhav Tukaram Nawale · Vania · vee · Vegard S. · vgnavada · Vicente Canales · Victoria - a11n · Vijayan · Vijaysinh Zala · Viktor Szépe · Vinit · Vipul Gupta · Vipul Patil · Virgildia · Virginie Garnier · virginienacci · Vishy Moghan · vivekawsm · Vrishabh Jasani · vykesmac · wadowad · Web-Pepper · WebMan Design | Oliver Juhas · Wes Theron · Weston Ruter · whaze · Will Skora · williampatton · wongjn · World Web Technology · wpgerd · wwdes · xate · xavilc · xpurichan · Yahil Madakiya · Yani · Yash Kukreja · yellowafterlife · Yogesh Bhutkar · Yui · Yuliyan Slavchev · yuu · zaoyao · Zargarov · Zebulan Stanphill · zeelthakkar · Zunaid Amin · 耗子
More than 60 locales have fully translated WordPress 6.8 into their language making this one of the most translated releases ever on day one. Community translators are working hard to ensure more translations are on their way. Thank you to everyone who helps make WordPress available in 200 languages.
Last but not least, thanks to the volunteers who contribute to the support forums by answering questions from WordPress users worldwide.
Participation in WordPress goes far beyond coding. And learning more and getting involved is easy. Discover the teams that come together to Make WordPress and use this interactive tool to help you decide which is right for you.
WordCamp Europe 2025 will be held in gorgeous Basel, Switzerland, from June 5 to 7. It will bring together open source enthusiasts, developers, and WordPress professionals from across the region—and the world!
This year’s event offers fresh perspectives, engaging conversations, and countless opportunities to connect with the WordPress community, agencies, and innovators over three action-packed days of learning, networking, and collaboration.
Tickets are limited—secure yours today!
The main conference, which will be held on June 6th and 7th, will feature a lineup of notable keynote sessions, including diverse sessions on business strategy and building innovative modern features, open-source advocacy, accessibility, and more. For those looking to sharpen their skills, presentations will dive deep into topics like SEO for WordPress, performance optimization, speed-builds, and leveraging AI.
You can join Mary Hubbard, the WordPress Executive Director, and Matt Mullenweg, co-founder of the WordPress project on June 7th to discuss WordPress and its community, followed by an in-person Q&A session here in Basel.
Basel, the third-largest city in Switzerland, is filled with historical buildings, a cathedral, museums, and hidden gems! You can get around Basel and experience it yourself using your BaselCard, which allows you to hop on and off all public transportation without a worry. A walk down Basel’s river Rhine could be the perfect evening during your visit to WordCamp Europe!
Find accommodations in Basel
Learn about BaselCard benefits
Need a visa? Apply by May 10, 2025
Plan Your WordCamp Europe Experience See the full schedule, plan your sessions, and maximize your time in Basel.
Make sure to secure your WordCamp Europe 2025 tickets (if you haven’t already!)
Follow WordCamp Europe news on Bluesky, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, Mastodon, and X/Twitter for real-time updates!
You can also help us spread the word about WordCamp Europe this year! Post about your attendance using our ready-made texts or we also encourage you to use your own voice – you know your community best.
And as always, be part of the conversation! Whether you’re attending in-person in Basel or following along online, share your experiences using the tags #WCEU and #WordPress on all social media networks!
Basel is calling—see you at WordCamp Europe 2025! 
Thank you to @dolgelukkig for drafting this copy.
The third release candidate (“RC3”) for WordPress 6.8 is ready for download and testing!
This version of the WordPress software is under development. Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites. Instead, it’s recommended that you evaluate RC3 on a test server and site.
Reaching this phase of the release cycle is an important milestone. While release candidates are considered ready for release, testing remains crucial to ensure that everything in WordPress 6.8 is the best it can be.
You can test WordPress 6.8 RC3 in four ways:
| Plugin | Install and activate the WordPress Beta Tester plugin on a WordPress install. (Select the “Bleeding edge” channel and “Beta/RC Only” stream). |
| Direct Download | Download the RC3 version (zip) and install it on a WordPress website. |
| Command Line | Use the following WP-CLI command: wp core update --version=6.8-RC3 |
| WordPress Playground | Use the 6.8 RC3 WordPress Playground instance (available within 35 minutes after the release is ready) to test the software directly in your browser without the need for a separate site or setup. |
The current target for the WordPress 6.8 release is April 15, 2025. Get an overview of the 6.8 release cycle, and check the Make WordPress Core blog for 6.8-related posts leading up to next week’s release for further details.
Get a recap of WordPress 6.8’s highlighted features in the Beta 1 announcement. For more technical information related to issues addressed since RC2, you can browse the following links:
WordPress is open source software made possible by a passionate community that collaborates and contributes to its development. The resources below outline various ways you can help the world’s most popular open source web platform, regardless of your technical expertise.
Testing for issues is critical to ensuring WordPress is performant and stable. It’s also a meaningful way for anyone to contribute. This detailed guide will walk you through testing features in WordPress 6.8. For those new to testing, follow this general testing guide for more details on getting set up.
If you encounter an issue, please report it to the Alpha/Beta area of the support forums or directly to WordPress Trac if you are comfortable writing a reproducible bug report. You can also check your issue against a list of known bugs.
Curious about testing releases in general? Follow along with the testing initiatives in Make Core and join the #core-test channel on Making WordPress Slack.
From now until the final release of WordPress 6.8 (scheduled for April 15, 2025), the monetary reward for reporting new, unreleased security vulnerabilities is doubled. Please follow responsible disclosure practices as detailed in the project’s security practices and policies outlined on the HackerOne page and in the security white paper.
For plugin and theme authors, your products play an integral role in extending the functionality and value of WordPress for all users. For more details on developer-related changes in 6.8, please review the WordPress 6.8 Field Guide.
Thanks for continuing to test your themes and plugins with the WordPress 6.8 beta releases. With RC3, you’ll want to conclude your testing and update the “Tested up to” version in your plugin’s readme file to 6.8.
If you find compatibility issues, please post detailed information to the support forum.
Do you speak a language other than English? ¿Español? Français? Русский? 日本語? हिन्दी? मराठी? বাংলা? You can help translate WordPress into more than 100 languages.
The launch draws closer,
Six-eight sings through RC3,
Almost time to shine.
Thank you to the following contributors for collaborating on this post: @audrasjb, @mamaduka, @krupajnanda, @benjamin_zekavica, @narenin, @joedolson, @courane01, @joemcgill, @marybaum, @kmgalanakis, @umeshsinghin, @wildworks, @mkrndmane.
The second Release Candidate (“RC2”) for WordPress 6.8 is ready for download and testing!
This version of the WordPress software is under development. Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites. Instead, it’s recommended that you evaluate RC2 on a test server and site.
Reaching this phase of the release cycle is an important milestone. While release candidates are considered ready for release, testing remains crucial to ensure that everything in WordPress 6.8 is the best it can be.
You can test WordPress 6.8 RC2 in four ways:
| Plugin | Install and activate the WordPress Beta Tester plugin on a WordPress install. (Select the “Bleeding edge” channel and “Beta/RC Only” stream). |
| Direct Download | Download the RC2 version (zip) and install it on a WordPress website. |
| Command Line | Use the following WP-CLI command: wp core update –version=6.8-RC2 |
| WordPress Playground | Use the 6.8 RC2 WordPress Playground instance (available within 35 minutes after the release is ready) to test the software directly in your browser without the need for a separate site or setup. |
The current target for the WordPress 6.8 release is April 15, 2025. Get an overview of the 6.8 release cycle, and check the Make WordPress Core blog for 6.8-related posts in the coming weeks for further details.
Get a recap of WordPress 6.8’s highlighted features in the Beta 1 announcement. For more technical information related to issues addressed since RC1, you can browse the following links:
Want to look deeper into the details and technical notes for this release? These recent posts cover some of the latest updates:
WordPress is open source software made possible by a passionate community of people collaborating on and contributing to its development. The resources below outline various ways you can help the world’s most popular open source web platform, regardless of your technical expertise.
Testing for issues is critical to ensuring WordPress is performant and stable. It’s also a meaningful way for anyone to contribute. This detailed guide will walk you through testing features in WordPress 6.8. For those new to testing, follow this general testing guide for more details on getting set up.
If you encounter an issue, please report it to the Alpha/Beta area of the support forums or directly to WordPress Trac if you are comfortable writing a reproducible bug report. You can also check your issue against a list of known bugs.
Curious about testing releases in general? Follow along with the testing initiatives in Make Core and join the #core-test channel on Making WordPress Slack.
From now until the final release of WordPress 6.8 (scheduled for April 15, 2025), the monetary reward for reporting new, unreleased security vulnerabilities is doubled. Please follow responsible disclosure practices as detailed in the project’s security practices and policies outlined on the HackerOne page and in the security white paper.
For plugin and theme authors, your products play an integral role in extending the functionality and value of WordPress for all users.
Thanks for continuing to test your themes and plugins with the WordPress 6.8 beta releases. With RC2, you’ll want to conclude your testing and update the “Tested up to” version in your plugin’s readme file to 6.8.
If you find compatibility issues, please post detailed information to the support forum.
Do you speak a language other than English? ¿Español? Français? Русский? 日本語? हिन्दी? বাংলা? मराठी? ಕನ್ನಡ? You can help translate WordPress into more than 100 languages. This release milestone (RC2) also marks the hard string freeze point of the 6.8 release cycle.
Testing, 1, 2, 3
It’s almost April fifteenth
Squashing all the bugs
Thank you to the following contributors for collaborating on this post: @michelleames, @tacoverdo, @jopdop30, @vgnavada, @jeffpaul.
The first Release Candidate (“RC1”) for WordPress 6.8 is ready for download and testing!
This version of the WordPress software is under development. Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites. Instead, it’s recommended that you evaluate RC1 on a test server and site.
Reaching this phase of the release cycle is an important milestone. While release candidates are considered ready for release, testing remains crucial to ensure that everything in WordPress 6.8 is the best it can be.
You can test WordPress 6.8 RC1 in four ways:
| Plugin | Install and activate the WordPress Beta Tester plugin on a WordPress install. (Select the “Bleeding edge” channel and “Beta/RC Only” stream). |
| Direct Download | Download the RC1 version (zip) and install it on a WordPress website. |
| Command Line | Use the following WP-CLI command: wp core update --version=6.8-RC1 |
| WordPress Playground | Use the 6.8 RC1 WordPress Playground instance (available within 35 minutes after the release is ready) to test the software directly in your browser without the need for a separate site or setup. |
The current target for the WordPress 6.8 release is April 15, 2025. Get an overview of the 6.8 release cycle, and check the Make WordPress Core blog for 6.8-related posts in the coming weeks for further details.
Get a recap of WordPress 6.8’s highlighted features in the Beta 1 announcement. For more technical information related to issues addressed since Beta 3, you can browse the following links:
Want to look deeper into the details and technical notes for this release? These recent posts cover some of the latest updates:
WordPress is open source software made possible by a passionate community of people collaborating on and contributing to its development. The resources below outline various ways you can help the world’s most popular open source web platform, regardless of your technical expertise.
Testing for issues is critical to ensuring WordPress is performant and stable. It’s also a meaningful way for anyone to contribute. This detailed guide will walk you through testing features in WordPress 6.8. For those new to testing, follow this general testing guide for more details on getting set up.
If you encounter an issue, please report it to the Alpha/Beta area of the support forums or directly to WordPress Trac if you are comfortable writing a reproducible bug report. You can also check your issue against a list of known bugs.
Curious about testing releases in general? Follow along with the testing initiatives in Make Core and join the #core-test channel on Making WordPress Slack.
From now until the final release of WordPress 6.8 (scheduled for April 15, 2025), the monetary reward for reporting new, unreleased security vulnerabilities is doubled. Please follow responsible disclosure practices as detailed in the project’s security practices and policies outlined on the HackerOne page and in the security white paper.
For plugin and theme authors, your products play an integral role in extending the functionality and value of WordPress for all users.
Thanks for continuing to test your themes and plugins with the WordPress 6.8 beta releases. With RC1, you’ll want to conclude your testing and update the “Tested up to” version in your plugin’s readme file to 6.8.
If you find compatibility issues, please post detailed information to the support forum.
Do you speak a language other than English? ¿Español? Français? Русский? 日本語? हिन्दी? বাংলা? मराठी? You can help translate WordPress into more than 100 languages. This release milestone (RC1) also marks the hard string freeze point of the 6.8 release cycle.
March fades, nearly there,
Six-eight hums—a steady beat,
RC greets the world.
Thank you to the following contributors for collaborating on this post: @joemcgill @benjamin_zekavica @courane01 @mkrndmane @audrasjb @areziaal @ankit-k-gupta @krupajnanda @bph.
WordPress 6.8 Beta 3 is now ready for testing!
This beta version of the WordPress software is under development. Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites. Instead, it is recommended you evaluate Beta 3 on a test server and site.
You can test WordPress 6.8 Beta 3 in four ways:
| Plugin | Install and activate the WordPress Beta Tester plugin on a WordPress install. (Select the “Bleeding edge” channel and “Beta/RC Only” stream). |
| Direct Download | Download the Beta 3 version (zip) and install it on a WordPress website. |
| Command Line | Use the following WP-CLI command: wp core update --version=6.8-beta3 |
| WordPress Playground | Use the 6.8 Beta 3 WordPress Playground instance to test the software directly in your browser without the need for a separate site or setup. |
The current target date for the final release of WordPress 6.8 is April 15, 2025. Get an overview of the 6.8 release cycle, and check the Make WordPress Core blog for 6.8-related posts in the coming weeks for more information.
Catch up on what’s new in WordPress 6.8: Read the Beta 1 and Beta 2 announcements for details and highlights.
Your help testing the WordPress 6.8 Beta 3 version is key to ensuring everything in the release is the best it can be. While testing the upgrade process is essential, trying out new features is equally important. This detailed guide will walk you through testing features in WordPress 6.8.
If you encounter an issue, please report it to the Alpha/Beta area of the support forums or directly to WordPress Trac if you are comfortable writing a reproducible bug report. You can also check your issue against a list of known bugs.
Curious about testing releases in general? Follow along with the testing initiatives in Make Core and join the #core-test channel on Making WordPress Slack.
Between Beta 1, released on March 4, 2025, and the final Release Candidate (RC) scheduled for April 8, 2025, the monetary reward for reporting new, unreleased security vulnerabilities is doubled. Please follow responsible disclosure practices as detailed in the project’s security practices and policies outlined on the HackerOne page and in the security white paper.
WordPress 6.8 Beta 3 contains more than 3 Editor updates and fixes since the Beta 2 release, including 16 tickets for WordPress core.
Each beta cycle focuses on bug fixes; more are on the way with your help through testing. You can browse the technical details for all issues addressed since Beta 3 using these links:
Beta three refines,
WordPress shapes with steady hands,
Code grows into form.
Props to @benjamin_zekavica @krupajnanda @ankit-k-gupta @joemcgill for proofreading and review.
WordPress 6.8 Beta 2 is now ready for testing!
This beta version of the WordPress software is under development. Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites. Instead, you should evaluate Beta 2 on a test server and site.
You can test WordPress 6.8 Beta 2 in four ways:
| Plugin | Install and activate the WordPress Beta Tester plugin on a WordPress install. (Select the “Bleeding edge” channel and “Beta/RC Only” stream.) |
| Direct Download | Download the Beta 2 version (zip) and install it on a WordPress website. |
| Command Line | Use this WP-CLI command: wp core update --version=6.8-beta2 |
| WordPress Playground | Use the 6.8 Beta 2 WordPress Playground instance to test the software directly in your browser. No setup is required–just click and go! |
The current target date for the final release of WordPress 6.8 is April 15, 2025. Get an overview of the 6.8 release cycle, and check the Make WordPress Core blog for 6.8-related posts in the coming weeks for more information.
Catch up on what’s new in WordPress 6.8: Read the Beta 1 announcement for details and highlights.
Your help testing the WordPress 6.8 Beta 2 version is key to ensuring everything in the release is the best it can be. While testing the upgrade process is essential, trying out new features is equally important. This detailed guide will walk you through testing features in WordPress 6.8.
If you encounter an issue, please report it to the Alpha/Beta area of the support forums or directly to WordPress Trac if you are comfortable writing a reproducible bug report. You can also check your issue against a list of known bugs.
Curious about testing releases in general? Follow along with the testing initiatives in Make Core and join the #core-test channel on Making WordPress Slack.
Between Beta 1, released on March 4, 2025, and the final Release Candidate (RC) scheduled for April 8, 2025, the monetary reward for reporting new, unreleased security vulnerabilities is doubled. Please follow responsible disclosure practices as detailed in the project’s security practices and policies outlined on the HackerOne page and in the security white paper.
WordPress 6.8 Beta 2 contains more than 14 Editor updates and fixes since the Beta 1 release, including 21 tickets for WordPress core.
Each beta cycle focuses on bug fixes; more are on the way with your help through testing. You can browse the technical details for all issues addressed since Beta 1 using these links:
Second wave refines,
Lines of code like rivers flow,
WordPress finds its form.
Props to @ankitkumarshah @vgnavada @krupajnanda @michelleames @audrasjb @marybaum @ecgan for proofreading and review.
WordPress 6.8 Beta 1 is ready for download and testing!
This beta version of the WordPress software is under development. Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites. Instead, set up a test environment or a local site to explore the new features.
You can test this beta release in any of the following ways:
| WordPress Beta Tester Plugin | Install and activate the WordPress Beta Tester plugin on a WordPress install. Select the “Bleeding edge” channel and “Beta/RC Only” stream. |
| Direct Download | Download the Beta 1 version (zip) and install it on a WordPress website. |
| Command Line (WP-CLI) | Use this WP-CLI command: wp core update --version=6.8-beta1 |
| WordPress Playground | Use a 6.8 Beta 1 WordPress Playground instance to test the software directly in your browser. No setup required–-just click and go! |
The scheduled final release date for WordPress 6.8 is April 15, 2025. Your help testing Beta and RC versions over the next six weeks is vital to ensuring the final release is everything it should be: stable, powerful, and intuitive.
Testing for issues is a critical part of developing any software, and it’s a meaningful way for anyone to contribute—whether or not you have experience. Details on what to test in WordPress 6.8 are here.
If you encounter an issue, please share it in the Alpha/Beta area of the support forums. If you are comfortable submitting a reproducible bug report, you can do so via WordPress Trac. You can also check your issue against this list of known bugs.
Curious about testing releases in general and how to get started? Follow along with the testing initiatives in Make Core and join the #core-test channel on Making WordPress Slack.
WordPress 6.8 will include many new features that were previously only available in the Gutenberg plugin. Learn more about Gutenberg updates since WordPress 6.7 in the What’s New in Gutenberg posts for versions 19.4, 19.5, 19.6, 19.7, 19.8, 19.9, 20.0, 20.1, 20.2, 20.3, and 20.4.
This is a polish release, with user enhancements throughout incorporated into the latest Gutenberg updates. WordPress 6.8 brings a luster and gloss that only a polish release can.
WordPress 6.8 Beta 1 contains over 370 enhancements and 520 bug fixes for the editor, including design improvements, polishing the query loop, and more than 230 tickets for WordPress 6.8 Core. Here’s a glimpse of what’s coming:
Easier ways to see your options in Data Views, and you can opt to ignore sticky posts in the Query Loop. Plus you’ll find lots of little improvements in the editor!
The Style Book now features a structured layout so you can preview site colors, typography, and block styles more easily. You can use the Style Book in classic themes with editor-styles or a theme.json file and includes clearer labels, and you can find them under Appearance > Design.
WordPress 6.8 introduces native support for speculative loading, leveraging the Speculation Rules API to improve site performance with near-instant page loads. This feature prefetches or prerenders URLs based on user interactions, such as hovering over links, reducing load times for subsequent pages.
By default, WordPress 6.8 applies a conservative prefetching strategy, balancing performance gains with resource efficiency. Developers can customize speculative loading behavior using new filters, since the API does not include UI-based controls. The existing Speculative Loading feature plugin will adapt to the core implementation, allowing deeper customization. Please test this feature in supported browsers (currently Chrome 108+ and Edge 108+, with more browsers evaluating) and provide feedback on #62503 to help refine its implementation.
WordPress 6.8 will use bcrypt for password hashing, which significantly hardens WordPress. Other hashing is getting hardened, too, throughout the security apparatus. You won’t have to change anything in your daily workflow.
The features included in this first beta may change before the final release of WordPress 6.8, based on what testers like you find.
Get an overview of the 6.8 release cycle and check the Make WordPress Core blog for 6.8-related posts in the next few weeks for further details.
Due to an update made to the upgrade routine during this release, (see r59803), any upgrade from versions older than 5.1 will fail. Folks are working to resolve this specific issue, so please hold off on reporting on this while testing the Beta 1 release.
The WordPress community sponsors a monetary reward for reporting new, unreleased security vulnerabilities. This reward doubles during the period between Beta 1 on March 4, 2025 and the final Release Candidate (RC) scheduled for April 15, 2025. Please follow responsible disclosure practices as detailed in the project’s security practices and policies. You can find those on the HackerOne page and in the security white paper.
March winds shift the tide.
Hands unite in open source;
WordPress moves ahead.
Props to @audrasjb @marybaum @mamaduka @michelleames @bph @jorbin @joemcgill @krupajnanda @desrosj @benjamin_zekavica @lysyjan87 for reviewing and collaborating on this post!
Over 1,400 attendees from 71 countries gathered at the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila, and nearly 15,000 more joined online, for WordCamp Asia 2025.
It’s the people. It’s the friendships and the stories.
Matt Mullenweg, WordPress Cofounder
The flagship WordPress event started with a dedicated Contributor Day, followed by two days of engaging talks, panels, hands-on workshops, and networking. Notable guests included WordPress Cofounder Matt Mullenweg and Gutenberg Lead Architect Matías Ventura, who were joined by a diverse lineup of speakers and panelists.
Throughout the event, the sponsor hall buzzed with activity as companies from across the WordPress ecosystem showcased their latest products, engaged with attendees, and offered live demos and giveaways. Each day, attendees refueled with diverse food offerings featuring Filipino favorites, turning meals into a prime networking opportunity where new connections were made and ideas were exchanged.
This year’s event introduced several new programs to the schedule:
WordCamp Asia kicked off with an incredible Contributor Day, bringing together almost 800 contributors, many of them new, to collaborate, share knowledge, and give back to WordPress. With 37 dedicated table leads and 16 experts from the Human Library guiding the way, participants of all experience levels engaged in meaningful discussions, tackled important tasks, and made a lasting impact on the WordPress project.
Key contributions included resolving a critical media bug, advancing vertical text editing in Gutenberg, and refining the editing experience with dozens of issue closures. Performance optimizations and accessibility improvements abounded, joined by seven fresh patterns, and over 44,000 newly translated strings.
New tools and workflows were explored to enhance testing and development. The day also saw meaningful conversations between hosting providers and users, improvements to event organizing processes, and hands-on training.
With innovative ideas, new faces, and significant progress across multiple areas, Contributor Day reinforced the spirit of open source collaboration that drives WordPress forward.
On the first full conference day, attendees gathered to celebrate the power of open source collaboration and innovation. Opening remarks from global and local event leads reflected on the incredible journey of WordCamp Asia, tracing its roots back to the first Southeast Asian WordCamp in Manila in 2008. This full-circle moment underscored how the WordPress community has flourished over the years, driven by shared knowledge and a commitment to an open web. The excitement continued with a highly anticipated opening keynote from Matías Ventura, who shared insights into the future of Gutenberg and WordPress, inspiring attendees to embrace the next wave of innovation and creativity in content publishing.
The day then began in earnest. Talks highlighted new ways to integrate WordPress with external applications, opening possibilities for more interactive and scalable digital experiences. Simultaneously, content strategists and marketers explored evolving best practices in SEO, learning how to optimize their sites for visibility, engagement, and long-term growth. These sessions emphasized the importance of adaptability in a constantly evolving digital landscape, ensuring that WordPress users stay ahead of industry trends.
Workshops throughout the day provided hands-on learning experiences tailored to a wide range of skill levels. Developers refined their expertise, gaining practical knowledge they could apply to their own projects. Accessibility advocates led discussions on designing for inclusivity, showcasing strategies to make WordPress-powered websites more navigable and user-friendly for people of all abilities.
As the conference continued into the afternoon, conversations expanded to performance optimization and emerging technologies shaping the future of WordPress. A dedicated session explored AI-driven workflows, demonstrating how artificial intelligence can enhance site performance, automate repetitive tasks, and create more personalized user experiences. These discussions showcased the evolving role of WordPress as a versatile platform that extends beyond traditional publishing.
The first day culminated in a thought-provoking keynote panel, WordPress in 2030, where industry leaders explored the future of the platform. The discussion covered the expanding open source community, emerging technologies, and the role of education and mentorship. Panelists shared their perspectives on the opportunities and challenges ahead, encouraging attendees to actively shape the future of WordPress by contributing, innovating, and advocating for an open web.
Returning for the final day of WordCamp Asia 2025, attendees explored a new set of sessions designed to push the boundaries of web development and strategy. Technical discussions on advanced Gutenberg block development highlighted innovative ways to build more dynamic and interactive content experiences, while another session examined performance optimization strategies to enhance site speed, accessibility, and overall user engagement. Content creators and marketers gained valuable insights into audience growth, effective storytelling, and data-driven content strategies to maximize impact.
The final sessions of the conference reinforced WordPress’s adaptability and innovation, equipping attendees with new skills and strategies.
As the final day drew to a close, Matt shared historic photos from WordCamp Davao 2008 in the Philippines, and then answered questions from the audience.
Questions covered a variety of topics, incluiding: publishing on the open web, AI, headless WordPress, education, and Matt’s personal motivations. It was clear throughout the Q&A that the future of WordPress is as bright as the island-themed attire at the event’s after-party.
Thank you to all the hard-working organizers who made this event possible, the speakers who took the stage, the visitors who ventured to Manila, and everyone who tuned in from around the world. Our hope is that every WordCamp attendee leaves with new knowledge, new friends, and new inspiration to build a better web.
Be sure to mark your calendars for other major WordPress events in 2025: WordCamp Europe (Basel, Switzerland) and WordCamp US (Portland, Oregon, USA). Then join us in Mumbai, India for WordCamp Asia 2026!
