WordPress 7.0: Release status and timeline
TL;DR: WordPress 7.0 at a glance
- WordPress 7.0 is not released yet and is currently in active development. The Beta version will be released on 19th February 2026.
- WordPress 7.0 is expected to follow the standard release cycle:
- → Alpha (12 Nov 2025)
- → Beta (19 Feb-12 Mar 2026)
- → Release Candidate (19 Mar-2 Apr 2026)
- → Launch (9 Apr 2026)
- The latest stable version of WordPress today is 6.9.
- Until a stable release is announced, WordPress 7.0 should not be used on production sites. Agencies and developers should prepare by monitoring release updates and planning staged testing.
What is WordPress 7.0?
WordPress 7.0 is planned as the first major WordPress release of 2026, and early coordination around the release has already begun. The scope of WordPress 7.0 is not defined yet, and the work is focused on aligning contributors and identifying open questions. The ideas under discussion are broad and exploratory, and many may change, be deferred, or not reach core at all.
WordPress 7.0 release dates
| November 12, 2025 | Alpha Begins |
| 19 February 2026 | Beta 1 |
| 26 February 2026 | Beta 2 |
| 5 March 2026 | Beta 3 |
| 12 March 2026 | Beta 4 |
| 19 March 2026 | Release Candidate 1 |
| 26 March 2026 | Release Candidate 2 |
| 2 April 2026 | Release Candidate 3 |
| 8 April 2026 | Dry run and 24-hour code freeze |
| 9 April 2026 | Release (WordCamp Asia) |
What can users expect from WordPress 7.0?
According to the Planning for 7.0 post by Matías Ventura, WordPress 7.0 is being treated as a gathering point for contributors, not a roadmap or commitment. Many items listed are exploratory, in early development, or dependent on further validation. At a high level, the work being explored clusters around seven areas:
1. Collaboration
Work continues under Phase 3 of the Gutenberg roadmap. This includes deeper exploration of real-time collaboration and further iterations on Notes, which shipped in WordPress 6.9. The editor-side mechanics for collaboration are relatively mature, but unresolved questions remain around server infrastructure, hosting variability, and third-party block compatibility. Any baseline experience is still being defined.
2. wp-admin and editing experience
Rather than a full redesign, contributors are exploring incremental visual and structural improvements to wp-admin. The focus is on reducing inconsistencies between legacy admin screens and newer block-based interfaces, and aligning the admin with the WordPress Design System.
Related work includes revisions UX, keyboard shortcuts, and admin-level DataViews and DataForms.
3. APIs and infrastructure
Several API-level initiatives are under discussion, including:
- continued development of the Abilities and Workflows APIs
- a client-side AI API that avoids embedding specific providers in core
- preparation for React 19
- stricter block validation to reduce breakage messages
Some of this work is already underway in Gutenberg or trunk, while other parts remain exploratory.
4. Editor isolation and stability
Contributors are preparing for a fully iframed post editor, building on groundwork laid in WordPress 6.9. The aim is a more consistent editing environment, though backward compatibility and testing remain active concerns.
5. Navigation, customization, and responsive editing
WordPress 7.0 also continues to explore:
- simplifying navigation and menu workflows
- improving pattern and template editing
- introducing a responsive editing mode with breakpoint-specific controls
Much of this work is still in design and experimentation phases.
6. Blocks and writing flow
The block editor roadmap includes both new blocks and stability improvements to existing ones. Areas of focus include writing flow, drag-and-drop behavior, media handling, and performance optimizations.
7. Media
Media-related work includes client-side improvements and iterations on the media editor, with details still evolving.
Want to contribute to WordPress 7.0? You can get started by browsing 7.0-related tickets on WordPress Trac, where issues and patches are coordinated.
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How to contribute to WordPress 7.0?
Want to contribute to WordPress 7.0? You can get started by browsing 7.0-related tickets on WordPress Trac, where issues and patches are coordinated.
The WordPress Core Contributor Handbook outlines how to prepare and submit patches, as well as expectations around testing and feedback. Patches for enhancements need to be submitted early in the cycle, as contribution focus shifts to bug fixing after the published cut-off dates. You can also closely get involved by joining the weekly core meetings in the Slack #core channel, held every Wednesday at 15:00 UTC.
FAQs about WordPress 7.0
The latest stable version of WordPress is WordPress 6.9. It is recommended for live sites unless you have a specific reason to stay on an earlier version.
You can learn the basics of WordPress in three days, but not WordPress as a whole. In that time, most people can understand how to install WordPress, use themes and plugins, create pages and posts, and navigate the admin interface. More advanced areas, including performance optimization, security, custom themes, or plugin development, require significantly more time and hands-on experience.
The best WordPress version is generally the latest stable release, as it includes the most recent security fixes and editor updates. Older versions may still function, but they carry higher security and compatibility risk over time.
WordPress 6.9 was released on December 2, 2025. It is the current stable version and serves as the baseline for sites preparing for future major releases, including WordPress 7.0.
WordPress 6.8 was released on April 15, 2025. It introduced several editor and workflow improvements that later iterations continued to build on.