Office Hours Q&A: What is coming in WordPress 7.0?

The next major WordPress release is approaching, bringing another round of updates and changes for site owners and developers. WordPress 7.0 is the first of three planned releases for this year. If the new proposed features are any indication of what’s to come, we can’t be happier about going back to three major releases per year.

Our Agency Success community saw the first glimpses of what’s new in WordPress 7.0 during our February 26, 2026, Office Hours livestream. Nathan, our host, showed a few of the most significant changes that the update brings.

In this blog, we’ll elaborate on what Nathan highlighted and also discuss a few other important features coming (hopefully) with this latest WordPress update.

The new WordPress 7.0 features at a glance

There are many exciting things to discuss in the 7.0 release. Major WordPress releases usually focus on refining existing systems and adding new features, but this update introduces several changes that could be genuinely significant.

Without further ado, here’s what Nathan showed off during the livestream, as well as several other important features. Feel free to scan this list or read on; we’ll dive deeper into the major changes later in the blog.

• Major additions and changes

  • New admin look and feel: The administrative dashboard has been refreshed with a new default color scheme, and using it is smoother.

  • Minimum PHP version: WordPress 7.0 requires PHP 7.4, unlike previous releases, which required PHP 7.2.

  • Real-time collaboration: Multiple users can now work on the same post simultaneously. This feature is currently in active development and not set in stone for 7.0, but the team will certainly try.

  • Abilities API: The Abilities API expands to include a foundation for generative AI models, in preparation for future major features.

• Other (still important) changes:

  • Visual revisions for pages: You can now see exactly what has changed to a page when in the Revisions menu, instead of having to look through the code. You’ll see a side-by-side of the page version, with the edits highlighted.

  • Cover block video embeds: The Cover Block’s functionalities are growing with the ability to embed videos via URL, while WordPress handles the looping.

  • Navigation block visibility by screen size: Users can now set the navigation block menus to hide or show based on specific breakpoints or screen sizes.

  • Pattern editing modes: You can now edit reusable patterns with the help of two modes:

    • Spotlight: Isolates the pattern's content, dimming everything else.

    • Isolated Editor: Used for editing template parts and synced patterns.

  • Font library for all themes: The font library is now available for all themes and not just block ones.

If you’d like to see all of these things in action, WordPress actually has a demo site set up to show off the changes. It uses the latest 7.0 beta version, and you can explore it directly from your browser.

Alternatively, you can use the WordPress Beta Tester plugin, but don’t install it on your live site! Instead, create a staging site and use the plugin there. With all of this said, let’s take a deeper look at the most significant features coming with WordPress 7.0.

New admin look and feel

When Nathan showed off that live demo site (the WordPress Playground), we thought that’d be enough to have a look at the new features. But then he scrolled through the admin dashboard, and it looked so smooth we had to try it for ourselves.

At first glance, it looks almost the same as before, but the updated color scheme and typography give it a crisper appearance. The true upgrade shows when you start browsing through the menus.

The page no longer refreshes when you navigate to a new menu. Instead, the transition is smooth and less jarring. It still loads the specific page (as you can see in the URL changing), but it just feels better now.

This is the first step in modernizing the WordPress dashboard and making it more accessible.

PHP versions

WordPress 7.0 will require at least PHP version 7.4. That won’t be a problem for many, since over 70% of people are using PHP 8.0 or newer.

For those still relying on older PHP versions, we strongly recommend upgrading to the latest viable version for your site. We discussed the risks of using an outdated PHP version in a previous Office Hours Q&A blog, if you’d like to learn more.

If you are unable to use a newer version, then your WordPress site will remain on version 6.9 but still receive security updates.

Real-time collaboration

The first steps towards real-time collaboration were taken with WordPress 6.9, when Notes were introduced (more on them in the next section).

While it's not officially confirmed that it’s arriving with WordPress 7.0 (we are crossing our fingers it does), real-time collaboration will be a game-changer for teams.

As you can see in the screenshot above, the top of the post shows who is currently editing it alongside you and where their cursor is. At the bottom, you can even see who’s joined or left.

Finally, the Notes system is also expected to see a few improvements in the coming update.

• Inline Comments: Previously, Notes were only available for entire blocks. Now, editors can leave comments on any selected text.

• Mentions: Users can now notify each other by simply mentioning them, using @.

• Suggestions mode: Finally, those without proper edit access can leave suggestions that editors can accept or deny.

If all of this sounds familiar, it’s because these features are very similar to what is currently possible in Google Drive. And that’s a good thing, because that system works perfectly well.

Abilities API

The final major feature we want to take a look at is an addition to the Abilities API introduced in WordPress 6.9.

“The WordPress Abilities API provides a standardized way to register and discover distinct units of functionality within a WordPress site.”

In other words, these units, called “Abilities,” are all the functionalities, actions, and capabilities a plugin or system has. They have clearly defined inputs, outputs, and permissions, making it easy for third-party plugins, themes, and external systems to interact with them.

And, speaking of external systems, WordPress 7.0 introduces the Web Client AI API. It will serve as the nexus for all generative AI models within your site’s backend.

​This is important for two reasons:

1. Clutter: This new API will reduce the clutter of multiple plugins vying for space on your screen and dashboard. The API will keep everything organized in a single place.

2. AI features by default: AI features will be available directly from your dashboard or block editor.

At the moment, the Web Client AI API is in its foundational stage. It’s the groundwork for future updates that will expand on what’s possible with AI inside your WordPress website. For now, it’s a standard and a hub for all future implementations.

Final thoughts

The next WordPress update will be exciting. Not that the previous ones weren’t, but this one feels even more promising.

The real-time collaboration feature will put an end to that dreaded “Do you want to take over?” pop-up, while the Web Client AI API opens the door to many new possibilities, and the dashboard introduces a smoother feel overall.

And the best part is, we don’t have to wait too long. WordPress 7.0 is scheduled to be released on April 9th, 2026. In the meantime, if you have any questions about it, WordPress itself, or websites and hosting in general, register for our Office Hours livestreams. Nathan Ingram and the rest of our community will be glad to help.