WordPress 7.1 has been available since 19 August 2026 under the codename “Mary Lou”, in tribute to jazz pianist Mary Lou Williams. This release brings adaptive styles to the editor, a new media editor and richer collaboration notes. Two maintenance releases followed in September 2026, one of which fixes a critical vulnerability.
Here is what changes for a showcase site, a company blog or a WooCommerce shop, along with the method we recommend before updating.
Key points
- WordPress 7.1 “Mary Lou” dates from 19 August 2026 and bundles more than 1,500 improvements and fixes.
- The editor sets block appearance by screen size, without CSS code.
- Version 7.1.2 of 22 September 2026 fixes a critical vulnerability: install it without delay.
- Plugins that manipulate the editor or jQuery UI, however, require testing before the update.
WordPress 7.1: new features for content teams
The official announcement highlights four changes visible in daily use.
- Adaptive styles: you set a block’s appearance for each screen size, in global styles as well as on an individual block.
- Media editor: a single window replaces the former cropping tool. It combines free or preset-ratio cropping, flipping, precise rotation and metadata editing.
- Rich notes: notes now accept bold, italics, code and links. A mention with “@” also notifies a colleague by email.
- Admin bar: it stays visible in all editors.
WordPress 7.1 also adds two blocks. The Tabs block presents related content in panels, while the Playlist block organises audio tracks.
For a marketing team, the gain is concrete. It can adjust a page for mobile without calling a developer, and comment on a draft directly in the editor.
Images and performance: processing moves to the browser
WordPress 7.1 moves part of the image work. Compression, resizing and thumbnail creation now run in the author’s browser, before upload to the server. The release also supports AVIF and HEIC formats, as well as HDR gain maps.
Two practical consequences follow. First, the hosting server receives images already prepared. Second, photos taken on a smartphone, often in HEIC format, enter the media library without manual conversion.
The media library also enables infinite scrolling by default. Each user can, however, turn this setting off for their own account.
What WordPress 7.1 changes for developers and integrators
The technical field guide for the release lists more than 310 tickets, including over 100 enhancements and more than 180 fixes. It also flags several points of attention.
- Editor in an iframe: WordPress now requires the editor to load in an iframe. Plugins that access the editor’s document must therefore revise their JavaScript and CSS.
- jQuery UI 1.14.2: plugins that depend on this library deserve testing.
- Block CSS: the stylesheet of the Cover block loads only on pages that contain this block.
- Breakpoints: a theme defines its own mobile and tablet thresholds in the theme.json file.
- Icons: finally, plugin and theme authors can register their own collections of SVG icons.
The guide also specifies what the release does not include. The team indeed postponed real-time collaborative editing and the move to React 19.
On accessibility, 46 tickets target keyboard navigation, focus management and contrast.
Updates 7.1.1 and 7.1.2: why act quickly
Version 7.1.1 of 17 September 2026 fixes 17 core bugs and 19 block editor bugs, and brings 11 security fixes. Version 7.1.2 of 22 September 2026 addresses a flaw that the team describes as critical.
WordPress recommends immediate updating in both cases. The team also released the fix on older branches, but reminds users that it actively maintains only the latest version.
The lesson goes beyond this release. A site that stays without updates for several months exposes its owner. A clear maintenance contract, with a named person in charge, avoids this risk.
Our method for updating a WordPress site
AISYSNEXT carries out web development projects on WordPress, WooCommerce and PrestaShop. For a release like 7.1, we follow a simple sequence.
- Back up the files and the database, then check the restore.
- Clone the site to a test environment.
- Update the core, then the theme and plugins, on this clone.
- Test the key journeys: forms, payment, customer area, content editor.
- Check PHP: WordPress recommends PHP 8.3 or higher.
- Switch to production at a quiet hour, then monitor the error logs.
This sequence applies to a professional showcase site as much as to an online shop. On a shop, test the checkout process and the payment modules first.
Frequently asked questions
Should you install WordPress 7.1 right away?
Yes for the security fixes, but after testing on a copy of the site. If a critical plugin does not yet announce compatibility, apply at least the corrective version of your current branch.
Does WordPress 7.1 offer real-time collaborative editing?
No. The technical guide indicates that the team postponed this feature to a later release. For now, collaboration happens through rich notes and mentions.
Does my theme need to change to benefit from adaptive styles?
The settings apply to blocks and to the editor’s global styles. Check on a copy of the site how your theme reacts. An audit then indicates whether it is better to adapt the theme or replace it.
Want to move to WordPress 7.1 without risk, or start a redesign? Request a free quote: our team reviews your site, your plugins and your hosting.
