The latest update of WordPress, version 7.1, introduces significant enhancements to the editor, featuring styles adaptable to various screen sizes, the addition of two new blocks, and enriched notes to facilitate better collaboration.
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Three months following the release of version 7.0, which focused on integrating AI, WordPress has launched its version 7.1 on Wednesday, August 19. Codenamed “Mary Lou,” this version pays tribute to the pioneering jazz pianist, arranger, and composer Mary Lou Williams. This update incorporates ten versions of the Gutenberg plugin into the core of the CMS and primarily enhances the editor, media management, and collaboration among writers, building on the groundwork laid by the previous version released in May.
Key Features of WordPress 7.1
An Editor That Finally Adapts to Different Screens
Previously, adapting the appearance of a block for tablet or mobile screens required custom CSS coding. Version 7.1 introduces responsive styles directly within the editor, making it possible to set different appearances according to screen size, both at the global style level and for individual blocks. The preview area is no longer restricted to three predefined formats (desktop, tablet, mobile) and can be resized freely to test intermediate displays.
Additionally, this version introduces a menu dedicated to interaction states, allowing users to visually set different colors or borders for hover or focus states of a button, without needing to use a custom stylesheet.
Two New Blocks and Enhanced Existing Blocks
The Tabs block and the Playlist block move out of experimental status and into the default library. The former provides a way to organize content into clickable panels, useful for FAQs or product descriptions, while the latter adds an audio player complete with album cover, track title, and artist, ideal for podcasts or music collections.
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Several existing blocks also gain increased flexibility:
- a gradient overlay can now be applied to a background image, particularly within the Group block,
- an image can be marked as purely decorative, so screen readers can ignore it,
- the Columns and Gallery blocks can be transformed into grids while retaining their content.
Revamped Media Management
Among other new features, WordPress 7.1 now handles part of the image processing in the browser before uploading to the server: resizing, compressing, and converting are now performed locally. This update also extends support to new formats, including native support for HEIC, the default format for iPhone photos, as well as AVIF and UltraHDR. This feature works fully in Chrome and Edge, is partially supported in Safari, and remains server-handled in Firefox.
Furthermore, the old inline cropping tool is replaced by a modal image editor that allows for free cropping, pre-set ratios, rotation, flipping, and metadata editing all in one place. The media library now automatically uses infinite scrolling by default, with an option to revert to traditional pagination for those who prefer it.
More Comprehensive Notes for Collaboration
Notes, introduced in version 6.9, are now more detailed. They support @mentions to directly tag a collaborator and can now be attached to a specific text segment rather than an entire block, which clarifies comments on lengthy paragraphs. Multiple discussion threads can also exist on a single block, with support for bold, italic, and links within the note text.
The administrative interface also sees some ergonomic adjustments: the toolbar remains visible during editing, and site identity settings (logo, slogan, icon) are now grouped in a dedicated section of the site editor.
What’s Not Included in WordPress 7.1
Real-time collaboration, which would allow multiple users to edit content simultaneously, was extensively tested during the development cycle of WordPress 7.1. However, it is not enabled in this release as the development team continues to work on resolving editing conflicts, with potential integration into the CMS core in a future version.
Explore all the new features of WordPress 7.1
How to Install WordPress 7.1
As with each major new release, WordPress 7.1 can be downloaded from the official CMS website. Updates can also be applied directly from the administration dashboard:
- Go to the Dashboard menu.
- Click on the Updates tab.
- Start the installation by clicking on Update Now.
An update notification banner usually appears at the top of the interface. It is recommended to perform a complete backup of the site and database before installing.
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Jordan Park writes in-depth reviews and editorial opinion pieces for Touch Reviews. With a background in UI/UX design, Jordan offers a unique perspective on device usability and user experience across smartphones, tablets, and mobile software.