WordPress 6.1 has just been launched, marking the final major update of 2022.
This update introduces important enhancements to full site editing and the block editor functionality.
In this article, we will explore the new features in WordPress 6.1 and recommend which ones to try after updating your website.
Please Note: WordPress 6.1 is a significant update, and if you are not using a managed WordPress hosting service, you will need to manually perform the update. Here’s how to update WordPress safely.
Important Reminder: Make sure to create a complete backup of your WordPress site before proceeding with the update.
With that said, here’s everything new in WordPress 6.1.
Introducing Twenty Twenty-Three – The New Default Theme
WordPress 6.1 comes with an exciting new default theme named Twenty Twenty-Three.
This theme features a clean and minimalist design that resembles a blank canvas, allowing you to infuse your personal style.
It includes 10 different style variations that can be selected within the Site Editor, all of which are fully customizable.
Additionally, Twenty Twenty-Three offers four unique fonts that correspond to the various style variations, which can also be utilized when creating posts or pages.
The Twenty Twenty-Three theme is an ideal choice for users looking to create a website using the block editor while customizing their own styles and layouts.
Updates to the Block Editor in WordPress 6.1
The block editor is the platform where users compose content, design pages, and modify their themes.
Each new version of WordPress introduces significant upgrades, fresh features, and enhancements to the block editor.
Here are some of the most noticeable updates in the block editor.
Inner Blocks for List and Quote Blocks
Previously, moving items within bulleted lists required manually deleting and editing each item.
With WordPress 6.1, List and Quote blocks now support inner blocks, allowing each list item to function as its own block, making it easy to rearrange them.
The Quote block has also been enhanced with inner blocks.
You can now apply different styles to quote and citation blocks.
Featured Image Option in Cover Block
In WordPress 6.1, you can now choose a featured image specifically for a cover block. Once selected, the featured image will automatically display within the cover.
Many beginners often mix up cover blocks and featured images. This update allows them to use the cover block to effectively display the featured image for an article.
Important Note:Depending on your theme, you might notice the featured image appearing twice: once where your theme typically shows the featured image and again as part of the cover block.
Enhanced Border Options
WordPress 6.1 introduces a variety of design tools for blocks, including a more advanced border tool now available for multiple blocks.
You can customize the top, right, bottom, and left borders individually, allowing for different colors and sizes.
Previously, users could only adjust the border radius for the image block.
With WordPress 6.1, you can now also set the border color and size.
Expanded Padding and Margin Options
WordPress 6.1 adds a ‘Dimensions’ tool to more blocks, enabling users to set padding and margins.
Users will also benefit from visual cues that help them see their changes in real time.
You can now set margins for Spacer and Separator blocks, allowing for more spacious content layouts.
Revamped Navigation Blocks
With WordPress 6.1, you can now effortlessly customize the background and text colors of sub-menus.
The Navigation feature now enables you to easily select a menu from either the block toolbar or the sidebar panel.
Enhanced Editor Design in WordPress 6.1
WordPress 6.1 introduces several noticeable enhancements to the Editor design, streamlining the interface to enhance user experience.
Status & Visibility Panel Renamed to Summary
The Status & Visibility panel has been renamed to Summary, with the Template and Permalink panels now integrated into the Summary panel.
You can click on the URL field to modify the Permalink or change the Template name.
Here’s a comparison of how it appeared in WordPress 6.0 versus WordPress 6.1.
Time to Read Feature in the Information Panel
The information panel now also displays the ‘Time to read’ feature.
Site Icon Replaces WordPress Logo
If you have set a site icon for your website, it will now be displayed as the View Posts button in the top left corner of the screen.
New Preferences Options Available
The Preferences section of the block editor now features two new options.
First, there is the ‘Always open list view’ option, which displays the list sidebar by default for all articles.
The ‘Show button text labels’ feature replaces icons in toolbars with clear text labels.
Create Additional Templates in the Site Editor
If you’ve worked with child themes in traditional WordPress themes, you’re likely familiar with the template hierarchy.
With WordPress 6.1, users can now achieve this using the block editor without needing to write any code.
You can utilize the following templates regardless of the block theme you are using.
- Single Page Template
- Single Post Template
- Individual Term in a Taxonomy
- Individual Category Template
- Custom Template (suitable for any post or page)
Navigate to the Appearance » Editor section and select templates from the left sidebar. Then, click on the Add New button to explore the available options.
When you select a template for an individual item, a popup will appear.
From this popup, you can choose the item for which you want to apply the new template.
For example, if you select the Category template, a popup will be displayed.
You can then decide whether to apply your new template to all categories or just a specific one.
Easily Search and Utilize Template Parts
The site editor in WordPress 6.1 enhances the experience of discovering and utilizing template parts.
For example, if your theme includes multiple header template parts, you can easily click on the template part options and choose to replace them.
This action will open a modal popup, allowing you to browse available template parts for use.
Easily Reset Customizations in the Site Editor
WordPress 6.1 now provides the ability to quickly reset customizations while working in the Site Editor.
Significant Updates for Developers in WordPress 6.1
WordPress 6.1 introduces several key updates for developers. Here are some highlights.
- Classic themes can now incorporate template parts (Details)
- Fluid typography enables theme developers to dynamically modify font sizes. (Details)
- Post types are now able to feature their own starter patterns (Details).
- New filters for accessing theme.json data (Details)
- Streamlined data access using React hooks in WordPress 6.1 (Details)
- Introduction of the is_login() function to identify if a page is the login screen. (Details)
We hope this article has helped you explore the new features in WordPress 6.1 and inspired you to try them out. We are particularly enthusiastic about the enhancements made to the block editor.
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