WordPress 6.9.3 and 7.0 beta 4
WordPress 6.9.2 was released earlier today and addressed 10 security issues.
A few users have subsequently reported an issue where the front end of their site was appearing blank after updating to 6.9.2. The issue has been narrowed down to some themes using an unusual approach to loading template files via “stringable objects” instead of primitive strings for file paths.
Although this is is not an officially supported approach to loading template files in WordPress (the template_include filter only accepts a string), it nevertheless caused some sites to break. As a result, the Security Team has decided to address this in a fast follow 6.9.3 release.
As always, it is recommended that you update your sites to the latest version of WordPress immediately. This ensures your site is protected by all available security fixes in 6.9.2 and that you will not be affected by the bug fixed in 6.9.3.
Many thanks to those who reported the issue, assisted in narrowing down the problem, and helped with the fix.
You can download WordPress 6.9.3 from WordPress.org, or visit your WordPress Dashboard, click “Updates”, and then click “Update Now”. If you have sites that support automatic background updates, the update process will begin shortly. You don’t have to do a thing!
For more information on WordPress 6.9.3, please visit the version page on the HelpHub site.
WordPress 7.0 beta 4
The next major release of WordPress will be version 7.0, which is planned for April 9, 2026. The Security Team has decided to package a new beta release (7.0 beta 4) to keep everyone protected from the patched vulnerabilities, including the dedicated members of the community focusing their time and effort on testing the upcoming release.
This will be an additional beta release in the 7.0 release cycle. The schedule will remain the same going forward, but with five total beta releases instead of the previously planned four. The next 7.0 beta release is still scheduled for Thursday, March 12th.
This beta version of the WordPress software is still under development. Please do not install, run, or test WordPress 7.0 beta versions on production or mission-critical websites. Instead, you should evaluate Beta 4 on a test server and site.
| Plugin | Install and activate the WordPress Beta Tester plugin on a WordPress install. (Select the “Bleeding edge” channel and “Beta/RC Only” stream.) |
| Direct Download | Download the Beta 4 version (zip) and install it on a WordPress website. |
| Command Line | Use this WP-CLI command: wp core update --version=7.0-beta4 |
| WordPress Playground | Use the WordPress Playground instance to test the software directly in your browser. No setup is required – just click and go! |
Beta 4 updates and highlights
WordPress 7.0 Beta 4 contains the ten security patches shipped in WordPress 6.9.2, and more than 49 updates and fixes since the Beta 3 release, including 14 in the Editor and 35 in Core.
Each beta cycle focuses on bug fixes. More are on the way, thanks to your help with testing. You can browse the technical details for all issues addressed since Beta 3 at these links:
- GitHub commits for 7.0 since March 5, 2026
- Closed Trac tickets for 7.0 since March 5, 2026
As always, a successful release depends on your confirmation during testing. So please download and test!
Props @peterwilson, @desrosj, @marybaum, @amykamala for peer reviewing.