The wait is over. WordPress has already launched the WordPress 6.1 version, the 3rd major release of 2022! We bet you were curious about the major updates to this version. Keeping that in mind, we are going to break down the new features and updates of WordPress 6.1 in this post.
First and foremost, this significant update has unveiled the new Twenty Twenty-Three default WordPress theme. Additionally, the update has come up with redesigned blocks, richer font styles, uniform design tools, and so on.
WordPress 6.1 is named “Misa,” which was influenced by the famous jazz pianist Mikhail Misha Alperin.
What Changes Are Made in WordPress 6.1?
Every time a new version of WordPress is released, the newest iterations are updated with fresh features and performance improvements. Along with that, they also work on fixing notable issues, and WordPress 6.1 was no different.
If you are wondering, “What is new in WordPress 6.1?” We will gladly answer that question with the following quick view –
- Default Twenty Twenty-Three Theme
- Fluid Typography
- Enhanced Block Editor with Content-Only Editing
- More Dimensions in Blocks
- Featured Image in Placeholder for Cover Blocks
- More Template Features in Site Editor
- Quick and Easy to Use Template Parts
- Editorial Improvements
Now, we will explain them in detail so that you can understand how the features will work and how they are going to adapt to your website.
#1 Default Twenty Twenty-Three Theme
WordPress 6.1 stands out with the new Twenty Twenty-Three theme that will be saved by default. The theme has a simple design with complete site modification tools. Unlike the previous Twenty Twenty-Two theme, this one differs by not including predetermined pictures. You will mostly notice blank spaces where your own photographs should be.
The variances in style are another significant benefit. The Twenty Twenty-Three theme comes with 10 pre-built iterations for styling along with 4 font types that can be utilized in various styles.
For user customization, the design variants offer more beginning points since they differ in color and content structure.
#2 Fluid Typography
WordPress 6.1 includes necessary CSS functions in the theme.json to enable fluid typography. With this feature, responsiveness is improved since the text will automatically change size depending on the device’s screen. From the Tweets of Brian Gardner,
- Modern websites desire a major improvement like Fluid typography
That’s not all; fluid typography allows users to customize the font sizes. In the settings.typography.fontSizes field, specify the maximum and minimum sizes for the font by pasting the following code –
{
"version": 2,
"settings": {
"typography": {
"fluid": true,
"fontSizes": [
{
"name": "Normal",
"size": "1.125rem",
"fluid": {
"min": "1rem",
"max": "1.5rem"
},
"slug": "normal"
}
]
}
}
}Using the typography.fluid parameter, WordPress 6.1 will enable fluid fonts in themes automatically. However, fluid typography can also be turned off for particular font sizes with the below command lines –
{
"version": 2,
"settings": {
"typography": {
"fluid": false,
}
}
}
You don’t have to bother since WordPress 6.1 can measure the size of any font by utilizing the typography.fontSizes[].fluid and typography.fluid formulas as follows –
--wp--preset--font-size--{slug}: clamp({fluid.min}, {fluid.min} + ((1vw - 0.48rem) * 1.592), {fluid.max});
#3 Enhanced Block Editor with Content-Only Editing
Keeping numerous Gutenberg iterations into one core, WordPress 6.1 will make a ton of modifications and enhancements to the current block styles.
Typically, WordPress users utilize the block editor to create articles and web pages. The Block editor gets a thousand times better with every new WordPress update. Here are a few of the block editor’s more obvious adjustments –
- Improvements in borders
Users may now apply borders to additional blocks in WordPress 6.1. Additionally, they can individually change the borders from every direction. Moreover, Gutenberg 13.8 has made border controls available for the image block. With WordPress 6.1, the modification will become part of the core.
- Improved list and quote blocks
You can use inner blocks for both list and quote blocks. As a result, you can move a specific item up or down in a list without editing it.
This is also the same for quote blocks. Without editing a quote block, you can cite or style them differently.
- Updated navigation blocks
With the redesigned navigation block included in WordPress 6.1, you can quickly choose or construct a menu using the block settings. Additionally, you will be able to decorate submenus differently from the primary menu by using the design tools.
- Better comment blocks
Comment blocks have been updated in WordPress 6.1, giving users access to more sophisticated editing tools. Hence, this has already been effective with the subsequent release of WordPress. The following image will give a better demonstration –
- Enhanced block locking option
Although the block locking function was added to WordPress 6.0, it has been enriched in WordPress 6.1. Users won’t unintentionally move crucial blocks if they have them locked, giving them secure options to design websites.
WordPress 6.1 enhances this capability by allowing users to lock inner blocks. Instead of applying block locking individually, users can simultaneously lock a group of blocks along with the inner blocks.
- Heading blocks font customization
In WordPress 6.1, users can customize the font families for heading blocks. This way, they can design more interactive and appealing headings for their websites.
- Better presets for block space
With the present block spacing tools, users have to set the spacing pixels. While this allows for more precise customization, it might be challenging to apply the same spacing across different blocks.
To solve this and to make the procedure quicker, seven new spacing options have been added to WordPress 6.1. By doing this, you can easily remember the presets that you wish to apply to specific blocks.
#4 More Dimensions in Blocks
A greater number of blocks will get the benefit of dimensions in WordPress 6.1. These include more columns, lists, tables, paragraphs, and so on. Thanks to the ability to define padding and margin for additional blocks, users can control the overall design more precisely. As a result, they will have a better understanding of the changes in blocks when they make any modifications.
#5 Featured Image in Placeholder for Cover Blocks
WordPress 6.1 will let users utilize the cover block as the featured picture because many users wish to do so. Users may show featured images wherever they want by using cover blocks.
After setting the featured image, it will begin to show within the cover. This modification will result in a more uniform consumer experience by making the configuration visible to the user.
#6 More Template Features in Site Editor
Users will have the option to utilize the block editor to build templates in WordPress 6.1 without having to write any code. Despite the type of your theme, you will get the following templates in the live WordPress 6.1 –
- Templates for single pages
- Templates for single posts
- Templates for a particular category
- Templates for a particular taxonomy term
- Custom templates for pages and posts
In order to use a template, navigate to the Editor under Appearance. You will have to select your desired template from the sidebar that appears on the left. To find the convenient options, just hit the “Add New” button.
A popup will appear if you select a template that may be used with a single item. The item to which you wish to apply the new template can be selected here.
#7 Quick and Easy to Use Template Parts
With the quick search option, WordPress 6.1 allows you to use template parts (if your theme supports them) on different sections easily. A popup containing the usable template parts will appear after clicking on the replaceable cwontent and selecting Replace under the defined option.
#8 Editorial Improvements
For WordPress 6.1, there are a couple of upgrades and new features in the Editor screen. These changes will likely improve the overall user experience. Here are a few of those improvements –
- The Preview button has changed to View.
The name of the Status & Visibility Panel is now Summary.
- Now, the Summary panel includes the Permalink and Template options.
- There are improvements in the Information panel (such as showing words, characters, time to read, etc).
- The WordPress logo will be replaced by a site icon.
In the Preference panel, there are 2 new choices. One is “Always open list view” which will display the posts in lists while editing them. Another one is “Show button text labels” which will show only text rather than buttons or icons.
# Bonus: Other Improvements in WordPress 6.1 That you Should Know
All in all, the block editor has received more than 350 improvements and 350 bug fixes in WordPress 6.1 beta. In addition to that, there were more than 250 requests for the core. These are some other improvements of WordPress 6.1 –
- Template elements are now available for classic themes.
- Theme designers can change the font sizes on-the-fly with fluid typography.
- Now, post kinds are capable of having unique beginning patterns.
- Hooking filters can be applied by using theme.json data.
WordPress 6.0 vs WordPress 6.1
Based on the comparison table below, we have reached a conclusion between WordPress 6 and WordPress 6.1
| Features/Upgrades | WordPress 6.0 | WordPress 6.1 |
| Style switching feature | A feature that is most anticipated with WordPress 6.0 is global style variations. | WordPress 6.1 does not yet have a style switching feature. |
| Improvement in typography | With WordPress 6.0, web fonts are loaded in a standardized manner with the Webfonts API. | One of the biggest improvements is fluid typography. |
| Block templates | WordPress 6.0 included several block patterns in addition to new core blocks. The current blocks also received upgrades. | Along with new features and enhancements to the block editor, WordPress 6.1 also supports content-only block editing. |
| Editing tools and improvement | For the purpose of creating visual themes, block themes now have a revised template option. | WordPress 6.1 will increase the site builder’s capability with a greater selection of template types. Moreover, additional block patterns will enhance the template editor’s editing capabilities. |
| New theme | WordPress 6.0 did not include any themes. | The Twenty Twenty-Three theme has been introduced in WordPress 6.1 along with other theme improvements. |
| Development tools | In WordPress 6.0, a few changes to the WordPress caching API made it simpler to query taxonomy keywords and enhanced speed for single sites with large user bases. | A new API, as well as several improvements and updates for developers, are also included in WordPress 6.1. |
| Improvement in performance | Improvements to block locking have been made in parallel to list view enhancements. Settings for border and color have been moved to the tools panel. Additionally, multiple selections have been added. | There will be several updates and changes in WordPress 6.1. These include displaying margin and padding, enhancing sidebar settings, adding time to read in the info panel, providing a block spacing control to styles, etc. |
Final Words
To sum up, WordPress 6.1 has shown an extensive number of improvements and features compared to the previous WordPress version 6.0.
In the end, we guess you have a clear idea about the features of the latest WordPress version. So, will you update it on your website or stay in the previous version? We will leave it up to you.
