WordPress 7.0 is scheduled to release today, and you may have some questions or doubts related to testing, updating, compatibility, or how the release process works.
Below are some questions that may help contributors, developers, plugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party./theme authors, site owners, and general WordPress users better understand the WordPress 7.0 release and testing process.
What is WordPress 7.0 RC5?
WordPress 7.0 RC5 (Release Candidate A beta version of software with the potential to be a final product, which is ready to release unless significant bugs emerge. 5) is a near-final testing version of WordPress 7.0. At this stage, the release is considered feature complete, but community testing is still needed to identify remaining bugs, regressions, compatibility issues, and usability concerns before the final release.
When will the final version of WP 7.0 be released?
The final stable release of WordPress 7.0 is currently scheduled for May 20, 2026.
How can I know what is coming in WP 7.0 and how to test those features?
The following posts contain detailed information about new features, improvements, developer notes, and suggested testing areas for WordPress 7.0:
These resources can help contributors, testers, plugin/theme authors, and site owners better understand what is included in WordPress 7.0 and how to test related functionality.
Why is testing RC5 important?
Testing RC5 helps improve the stability and quality of WordPress 7.0 before it reaches millions of websites worldwide. Community testing helps uncover issues across different plugins, themes, hosting environments, browsers, devices, and workflows that may not appear in limited testing environments.
I already tested my site with WordPress 7.0 during Beta A pre-release of software that is given out to a large group of users to trial under real conditions. Beta versions have gone through alpha testing in-house and are generally fairly close in look, feel and function to the final product; however, design changes often occur as part of the process. 2 & Beta 3. Do I still need to test with RC5?
Yes — RC A beta version of software with the potential to be a final product, which is ready to release unless significant bugs emerge. testing is still extremely valuable even if you previously tested earlier beta versions. During the RC phase, many bugs and fixes have already been added since Beta 2 and Beta 3.
I did not get a chance to test any Beta or RC versions with my existing WordPress site. Should I directly update once WP 7.0 is officially released?
It is not recommended to update a production site A production site is a live site online meant to be viewed by your visitors, as opposed to a site that is staged for development or testing. immediately without any prior testing, especially if your site uses custom code, multiple plugins, custom themes, or complex integrations.
Even though WordPress 7.0 is widely tested by the community before release, every website environment is different. It is always safer to test before updating production.
I am not a technical person, but I have a WordPress site. Should I avoid updating to the latest WordPress version?
No. Keeping WordPress updated is important for security, performance, bug fixes, and compatibility improvements.
A good approach is to ask your hosting provider to create a staging site (a copy/replica of your live website) with the latest WordPress version installed. There, you can test your normal day-to-day workflows before updating your production site.
For example:
- if you run a photo blog, try uploading/editing/deleting photos
- if you run an eCommerce store, test checkout and orders
- if you run an LMS site, test courses and student access
Real-world testing on a staging site can help identify issues before updating your live website.
Do I need technical knowledge to help test?
No. You do not need to be a developer or know how to code.
Even testing your normal day-to-day website workflows can be extremely valuable, whether you use WordPress for example:
- an eCommerce store
- a Learning Management System (LMS)
- a business website
- a blog
- a portfolio
- or any other type of website
Real-world usage testing helps identify issues that may not appear in limited development environments.
I just learned that a new WordPress version is coming, but I did not test my site with any Beta or RC versions. Is it okay to wait before updating after the official release on May 20 until I test my site?
Yes, absolutely. It is completely fine to wait and test your site before updating your live/production website to a major WordPress release.
Should I test RC5 on a production website?
No. RC versions are intended only for testing.
Please use:
Do not test directly on live / production websites.
What should I test first?
Start with workflows you use most often.
Suggested areas:
- Block Block is the abstract term used to describe units of markup that, composed together, form the content or layout of a webpage using the WordPress editor. The idea combines concepts of what in the past may have achieved with shortcodes, custom HTML, and embed discovery into a single consistent API and user experience. editor
- Site editor
- Publishing workflow
- Media uploads
- Theme compatibility
- Plugin compatibility
- Menus/widgets/navigation
- Responsive/mobile behavior
- Accessibility Accessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility)
- Performance
What should plugin and theme authors focus on?
Plugin and theme authors should carefully test:
- Installation and activation
- Updates
- Editor integration
- Frontend rendering
- Settings screens
- Custom blocks
- APIs and hooks In WordPress theme and development, hooks are functions that can be applied to an action or a Filter in WordPress. Actions are functions performed when a certain event occurs in WordPress. Filters allow you to modify certain functions. Arguments used to hook both filters and actions look the same.
- Styling/layout behavior
- Fatal errors or warnings
Compatibility testing before release helps reduce user issues after launch.
What kinds of issues should testers look for?
Helpful issues to report include:
- Fatal errors
- Broken layouts
- Missing UI UI is an acronym for User Interface - the layout of the page the user interacts with. Think ‘how are they doing that’ and less about what they are doing. controls
- Failed saves/updates
- JavaScript JavaScript or JS is an object-oriented computer programming language commonly used to create interactive effects within web browsers. WordPress makes extensive use of JS for a better user experience. While PHP is executed on the server, JS executes within a user’s browser.
https://www.javascript.com issues
- Accessibility regressions
- Performance slowdowns
- Mobile/responsive issues
- Unexpected behavior changes
- Plugin or theme conflicts
Even small usability problems can be valuable feedback.
How can I tell whether something is actually a bug?
A good approach is to:
- Reproduce the issue multiple times
- Test with unnecessary plugins disabled
- Switch temporarily to a default theme
- Compare behavior with WordPress 6.x if possible
If something worked previously but behaves differently in 7.0 RC5, it is worth reporting.
How do I report a bug?
Before reporting:
- Try reproducing the issue consistently
- Document exact reproduction steps
- Collect screenshots or screen recordings if possible
Then report the issue through:
What information should a bug report include?
A useful bug report should include:
- WordPress version
- PHP PHP (recursive acronym for PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor) is a widely-used open source general-purpose scripting language that is especially suited for web development and can be embedded into HTML. https://www.php.net/manual/en/index.php version
- Browser/device
- Active plugins/themes
- Exact reproduction steps
- Expected result
- Actual result
- Screenshots or screencasts (if available)
Clear reports help contributors verify and fix issues faster.
What if I find a security issue?
Please do not report security vulnerabilities publicly.
Security issues should be reported privately through:
How much testing is enough?
There is no minimum requirement. Even 15–30 minutes of focused testing is valuable.
Testing a few important workflows carefully is often more helpful than trying to test everything quickly.
Where can I follow WordPress 7.0 updates?
You can follow updates on:
What is a WordPress Release Party?
A WordPress Release Party is a live, coordinated session where contributors gather in the Make WordPress Slack to help test, monitor, and celebrate a new WordPress release as it’s being packaged and published. It’s both a working session and a community event, where people collaborate in real time to catch last-minute issues, validate fixes, and ensure the release goes smoothly.
Here are detailed instructions on how to contribute to a release party.
What happens if the WordPress release team finds a critical bug during release party? Will the new version still be released?
Not necessarily. If a critical issue is discovered during release testing, the release team may decide to delay the final release until the issue is investigated and resolved.
The stability and safety of WordPress sites always take priority over releasing on a fixed date.
Need More Help or Have Questions?
If you still have any questions or doubts beyond the topics covered above, feel free to ask in the comments below or reach out in the #core and #core-test Slack channels.
Every test, bug report, reproduction step, screenshot, verification, and piece of feedback helps improve WordPress for millions of users worldwide.
Thank you to everyone helping test and contribute to WordPress❤️
#call-for-testing, #faq, #wp7-0
