Roadmap to the next WordPress version is here! WordPress 7.1 is scheduled for release on August 19, 2026. This will be the second major release for this year.
Whilst WordPress 7.0 was initially planned to be released in April, it was delayed and finally live on May 20. With a new version coming up so soon, what’s in store this time? We took a look at the new features.
WordPress 7.1: What’s New?
WordPress 7.1 is scheduled for final release on August 19, 2026, coinciding with the final day of WordCamp US in Phoenix, Arizona. The first beta will drop on July 15, leaving but a tight window for testing the changes.
Responsive Styling
If you build sites for clients, WordPress 7.1 will have something exciting for you. What’s more, it has nothing to do with AI!
Up until now, if you wanted to control the looks of a block in desktop and mobile versions, you needed custom CSS or additional plugins to make edits. In 7.1, block styling is available in the Site Editor directly. No CSS needed! This is a long-requested feature and an exciting addition, as it will make website optimization and customization easier.
- Responsive Breakpoints: You can now edit block layouts and styles visually for different screen sizes. (read more)
- Interactive-State Styling: Style CSS pseudo-classes like
:hover,:focus, and:activedirectly inside the interface. (read more) - Inheritance Clarity: A new “display inherited styles” tool will visually pinpoint exactly where a block is inheriting a global setting from. (read more)
In addition, the UX for patterns will also be improved in WP 7.1.
AI Guidelines in WordPress 7.1
WordPress 7.1 will include a new feature titled Guidelines, which will allow site admins define editorial rules, brand voices and content standards according to their requirements. This ensures that any AI-assisted drafting adheres to your brand. What’s more, these guidelines can be exported and imported on other sites, wherever you need consistency.
Under the hood, the AI Client in WordPress core will gain generation streaming and vector embeddings, paving the way for insightful internal search across your content.
For more information about AI Client and its updates, take a look at this post on make.wordpress.org.
How is AI Used in WordPress?
What WordPress 7.1 won’t include is an AI model, nor will there be a pre-configured AI provider. Just like with WordPress 7.0, users can connect the AI model of their choice with a PHP API found within the WP core itself (in the wp-admin menu Settings > Connectors).
Other Features & Developer Notes
WordPress 7.1 will have something for everyone, but developers have a lot to look forward to (and test) as well:
- React 19 upgrade: Core is officially upgrading from React 18 to React 19, bringing the block editor up to date with the latest React version.
- Classic block deprecated: To slim down the editor’s footprint and maximize performance, the Classic block (along with its lazy-loaded TinyMCE dependency) is slated for deprecation.
- Client-side media processing: Building on 7.0 architecture, 7.1 utilizes a WebAssembly image pipeline (
wasm-vips) fetched dynamically on-demand. This brings native support for image formats like Ultra HDR, HEIF (HEIC), JPEGXL, and a native GIF-to-video converter. - Unicode expansion: Better international formatting for e-mail addresses, slugs, and usernames to support WordPress’s global userbase.
- Media editing: Editing media such as cropping and rotating images is improved with a modal window experience.
- Admin bar is now persistent: The wp-admin bar will now be visible within any of the editor views.
- New blocks & block improvements: The Gallery block will receive more settings, and we’ll have two new block types: Tabs and Table of Contents.
Will Real-Time Collaboration Happen?
WordPress 7.1 is heavily leans on asynchronous collaboration. In this version, we’ll see interactive additions with the Notes feature, which includes a suggestion mode and emoji reactions for editorial feedback.
Real-time collaboration (RTC) was supposed to happen already in WordPress 7.0, and introduce “Google Docs” style multi-user editing to WP. However, due to performance concerns, it was dropped from 7.0. There are some decisions and strategies to discuss concerning RTC, so we will most likely see a launch for it sometime later in the future.
WordPress 7.1 Planned Timeline
Now it’s time for some well-deserved summer vacations, but save these dates for when you get back!
- July 15, 2026: WP 7.1 beta 1 released
- August 5, 2026: WP 7.1 Release Candidate 1 released
- August 19, 2026: Final WordPress 7.1 planned release
For all new features in WP 7.1, head over to make.wordpress.org.
Get Involved and Contribute to WordPress
WordPress is open source, meaning anyone is welcome to contribute to its development. Interested in finding out more and getting involved? Check out the Core Contributor Handbook.