The beta version of WordPress 6.2 was released recently, with the official launch scheduled for March 28, 2023. This marks the second major update of the year, featuring numerous exciting enhancements and new functionalities.
We have been actively tracking the development process and testing the new features on our staging sites.
In this article, we will provide an exclusive preview of the upcoming features in WordPress 6.2, complete with detailed descriptions and screenshots.
Important Note:You can experience the beta version on your local machine or in a staging environment by utilizing the WordPress Beta Tester plugin. Please be aware that some features in the beta version may not be included in the final release.
Here’s a brief overview of the changes coming with WordPress 6.2:
- Full Site Editor Exits Beta Stage
- Easily Browse and Select Templates for Editing
- Incorporate Custom CSS into Your Theme or Specific Blocks
- Enhanced Navigation Menus for Improved Usability
- Color Indicators for Template Parts Under Editing
- View Styles for All Blocks in the Style Book
- Copy and Paste Styles Between Blocks
- Classic Widgets Transition to Template Parts in Block Themes
- Dedicated Sub Panels for Block Settings and Styles
- Introduction of a New Distraction-Free Editing Mode
- Improved Pattern Insertion with New Category Options
- Various Updates
- Backend Improvements
Full Site Editor Officially Launches
The full site editor feature in WordPress will officially launch with the final version of WordPress 6.2.
This marks a major milestone in the WordPress development roadmap.
The site editor is now fully stable, allowing the community to create block-based themes and explore their own WordPress sites, plugins, or themes.
Important Note:The full site editor is accessible with block themes that support this feature. You can test it even if you’re using the older classic editor with a block-compatible theme.
Explore and Select Templates for Editing
In the past, the Site Editor would automatically load the Home template of your theme, leaving many beginners confused about which template or part to edit.
With WordPress 6.2, the site editor will first display the template preview window. From here, you can explore various templates and view a preview of each one.
You can easily click the Edit button to start editing the chosen template.
After finishing your template edits, remember to click the Save button to publish your changes.
Next, click on the WordPress logo in the top-left corner to reopen the template browser sidebar.
If you need to edit a different template, you can select it from this sidebar. Otherwise, click the WordPress logo again to exit the Site Editor.
Add Custom CSS to Your Theme or Specific Blocks
Recent WordPress updates have hidden the ‘Theme Customizer’, making it challenging for users to add custom CSS to their themes.
With WordPress 6.2, users can easily switch to the Styles panel and select Custom CSS from the menu.
This feature allows users to save Custom CSS that applies to their entire theme.
What if you want to save custom CSS for a specific block?
WordPress 6.2 also enables you to add custom CSS for individual blocks. From the Styles panel, click on the Blocks menu.
On the following screen, you’ll see a list of blocks. Click on the block where you want to apply your custom CSS.
Under the block styles, select the Additional CSS tab.
To conditionally add CSS or manage your custom styles outside of theme-specific settings, we recommend using the free WPCode plugin.
Enhanced Navigation Menus
Creating and managing navigation menus in the full site editor has been challenging for users. WordPress 6.2 aims to simplify this process by enhancing how users can build and organize menus within the site editor.
Now, instead of editing menu items directly, you can add, remove, and modify them in a dedicated subpanel under the Navigation block.
To add a new menu item, simply click the Add Block (+) button. You can also rearrange menu items by dragging and dropping them.
Looking to create a new blank menu or restore a previous one? Just click on the three-dot menu and select an existing menu or create a new one.
Color Indicators for Edited Template Parts
In WordPress 6.2, the template part you are editing will be highlighted, indicating that changes will apply globally across your site.
The element will be outlined in a specific color and feature a template part icon.
This visual cue will help users understand that they are editing a template part rather than a specific page or post, and that these changes will impact other pages on their site.
Explore Styles for All Blocks in the Style Book
The site editor in WordPress 6.2 introduces a new feature called the ‘Style Book.’ Simply navigate to the Styles panel and click on the style book icon.
This feature displays all the blocks along with their styles as defined by your theme.
You can quickly find a block this way and click to edit it directly.
Once located, you can modify its appearance and style to suit your specific needs.
Easily Copy and Paste Block Styles
With the new ease of editing block styles and appearances, copying and pasting these styles has become essential.
In WordPress 6.2, you can effortlessly copy block styles by clicking on the block options and selecting ‘Copy Styles.’
Then, you can edit another block and choose ‘Paste Styles’ from the block options.
Your browser will prompt you to allow your website to access the clipboard contents. Click ‘Allow’ to proceed.
Classic Widgets Converted to Template Parts in Block Themes
Users who transitioned from classic widget themes to block themes lost their legacy widgets. WordPress 6.2 addresses this by converting legacy widgets into special Template Parts during theme switching.
To import widgets, first access the site editor and modify the template where you want to add them. Then, create a new template part by clicking the Add New Block button (+).
In the template part settings panel, click on the Advanced tab to reveal the option to import a widget area from your previous theme.
Dedicated Sub-Panels for Block Settings and Styles
With WordPress 6.2, the editor will display two separate sub-panels for each block: one for block settings and another for styles.
This enhancement will guide users in locating the options they need to modify the appearance of a block.
Introduction of a New Distraction-Free Mode
Traditionally, WordPress has offered features to conceal formatting buttons and toolbars in the post editor.
However, with WordPress 5.4, the editor became full-screen by default, providing a cleaner writing experience, but lacking a distraction-free mode.
WordPress 6.2 addresses this by introducing a completely clean and serene distraction-free mode, which users can select from the editor settings.
When activated, the distraction-free mode will hide all elements of the editor controls.
As shown below, the toolbars, side panels, and top bar are no longer visible.
Enhanced Pattern Insertion with New Categories
WordPress 6.2 streamlines the Pattern Insertion panel by displaying categories first, rather than previews and a drop-down menu.
Two new categories for Patterns have been introduced specifically for the Header and Footer sections.
Selecting a category will reveal the available patterns you can utilize.
You can easily click to insert a pattern into your template and begin editing.
For further information, please refer to our tutorial on using patterns in WordPress.
Additional Updates
Download Link for Media Files – The media screen now includes a Download File link in the list view.
Openverse Integration for Free Image Access – Openverse provides royalty-free, open-source images.
With WordPress 6.2, users can discover and add these images directly from the Add New panel.
New Icon for the Settings Panel – The settings panel icon has changed from a gear icon to a panels icon.
It is now represented by an icon depicting panels.
Behind-the-Scenes Updates
WordPress 6.2 introduces numerous updates aimed at developers. Here are some key changes included in the update:
- Experience quicker updates by relocating directories instead of duplicating them. (Details)
- A new function, switch_to_user_locale(), has been added. (Details)
- Autosave revisions will now only be created when content is modified. (Details)
- Themes that incorporate style variations can now include a style variation tag. (Details)
The WordPress 6.2 beta 1 version features 292 enhancements, 354 bug fixes for the editor, and over 195 tickets for the core.
We hope this article has given you an insight into the upcoming features in WordPress 6.2.
Share your thoughts in the comments below about which features you find intriguing and what you would like to see in future WordPress updates!
If you enjoyed this article, please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also connect with us on Twitter and Facebook.
