According to Amy Kamala’s announcement on WordPress.org, “WordPress 7.0 Beta 1,” the first beta version of WordPress 7.0 is now available for download and testing ahead of its scheduled April 9, 2026, final release.
Beta 1 Now Available For Testing
Kamala emphasizes that this release is intended solely for testing and development, not for production sites. Users can test WordPress 7.0 Beta 1 via:
- The WordPress Beta Tester plugin (Bleeding Edge → Beta/RC Only)
- Direct ZIP download
- WP-CLI (wp core update –version=7.0-beta1)
- A browser-based WordPress Playground instance
Community testing is strongly encouraged, with feedback directed to support forums or WordPress Trac.
What’s New In WordPress 7.0
WordPress 7.0 focuses heavily on real-time collaboration, design flexibility, performance improvements, and expanded developer capabilities, including deeper AI integration.
Real-Time Collaboration
Building on groundwork from 6.9, WordPress 7.0 introduces:
- Multi-user real-time editing for posts and pages
- Data syncing with offline support
- A new default HTTP polling sync provider (with optional websocket support)
- Real-time synced notes with keyboard shortcuts
For the beta phase, collaboration is opt-in to allow broader testing.
Refined Admin Experience
WordPress 7.0 delivers a refreshed wp-admin interface featuring:
- A new default color scheme
- Visual revision comparisons inside the editor
- Cross-document view transitions for smoother navigation
The goal is modernization without disrupting familiarity.
Expanded Design & Editing Tools
Creators gain new flexibility with:
- Responsive editing mode (show/hide blocks by screen size)
- Pattern-level editing modes
- Spotlight and Isolated Editor modes
- New dimension controls (width, height, aspect ratios)
- Text indent and column supports
The Font Library is now enabled for all themes, giving editors greater control over typography.
New & Improved Blocks
WordPress 7.0 adds and enhances several blocks:
- Breadcrumbs block
- Icons block
- Responsive-enabled Grid block
- Gallery block with lightbox support
- Cover block with embedded video backgrounds
- Updated Navigation block with customizable overlays
- Heading block variations for hierarchy control
These updates significantly expand layout and design options.
Major Developer Enhancements
WordPress 7.0 introduces several foundational upgrades:
Web Client AI API
A new AI client layer in Core allows plugins and themes to connect to external generative AI providers through a unified interface. AI providers remain external, but integration becomes standardized within WordPress.
Client-Side Abilities API
The new Abilities API enables standardized registration and execution of browser-based “abilities,” improving workflows and opening the door to hybrid or AI-powered capabilities.
PHP-Only Block Registration
Blocks and patterns can now be registered server-side with automatic inspector controls, simplifying modern block development.
Additional updates include:
- DataForm enhancements (new layouts and validation support)
- DataViews improvements
- CodeMirror updated to v5.65.40
- Expanded support for dynamic block bindings
Client-Side Media Processing
WordPress 7.0 introduces browser-based media processing, allowing image resizing and compression to occur client-side. This reduces server load and improves efficiency while supporting advanced image formats and smoother workflows.
Why This Release Matters
As Amy Kamala notes, WordPress 7.0 represents a significant evolution:
- More collaborative for teams
- More flexible for creators
- More powerful for developers
- More modern in the admin experience
- More integrated with AI capabilities
With Beta 1 now live, the WordPress community plays a critical role in testing and refining what may become one of the most transformative releases in recent years.