May 20, 2026
WordPress 7.0 - Louis Armstrong
The current major branch as of June 8, 2026. This release marks the next generation of WordPress core after the long 6.x cycle.
WordPress Version History: Complete Release Timeline from 2003 to 2026
Updated June 8, 2026
WordPress Version History: Every Major Release from 2003 to 2026
WordPress has changed from a small blogging script into the operating system for a large part of the web. This timeline tracks the releases that actually changed how people build, edit, secure, and maintain WordPress sites.
7.0Latest major release checked on June 8, 2026
May 27, 2003First public WordPress release: 0.70
23 yearsFrom b2/cafelog fork to modern block publishing
This page also replaces WPArena's older one-off WordPress version posts. Instead of sending readers through separate notes about WordPress 2.3, 2.5, 2.8, 3.0, 4.8, 5.3, Gutenberg, and 6.9.4, the useful parts are now folded into one maintained reference.
What is the latest WordPress version?
The latest major WordPress version checked for this page is WordPress 7.0 "Louis Armstrong", released on May 20, 2026. The first public WordPress release was WordPress 0.70 on May 27, 2003.
Editor note: For live sites, the important question is not just "what is the newest version?" It is whether your install is on a supported branch, receiving security releases, and running compatible PHP, theme, and plugin code.
Recent WordPress updates to know about
Major releases are the milestones, but maintenance and security releases are what keep real sites stable. These recent updates are the ones site owners are most likely to see in dashboards today.
WordPress 7.0 - May 20, 2026 Current major branch at the time this page was reviewed.
WordPress 6.9.4 - March 11, 2026 Final early-2026 6.9 maintenance point covered by the old WPArena 6.9.4 post.
WordPress 6.9 - December 2, 2025 Major release named for Gene Harris.
WordPress 6.8.3 - September 30, 2025 Security release in the 6.8 branch, published alongside older branch security updates.
WordPress 6.8.2 - July 15, 2025 Maintenance release for 6.8 sites.
WordPress 6.8.1 - April 30, 2025 First maintenance release after WordPress 6.8.
Complete major WordPress release timeline
The timeline below lists every major WordPress release from the first public build to WordPress 7.0. Version names follow the WordPress tradition of honoring jazz musicians, starting with WordPress 1.0.
December 2, 2025
WordPress 6.9 - Gene Harris
A late-2025 major release followed by 6.9.1, 6.9.2, 6.9.3, and 6.9.4 maintenance updates in early 2026.
April 15, 2025
WordPress 6.8 - Cecil
Focused on steady editor, security, and performance refinement for modern WordPress sites.
November 12, 2024
WordPress 6.7 - Rollins
Introduced the Twenty Twenty-Five default theme and continued work on the site editing experience.
July 16, 2024
WordPress 6.6 - Dorsey
Improved design tooling, pattern management, style variations, and Data Views in the admin experience.
April 2, 2024
WordPress 6.5 - Regina
Brought the Font Library, Interactivity API, and Block Bindings API into everyday WordPress workflows.
November 7, 2023
WordPress 6.4 - Shirley
Shipped Twenty Twenty-Four and pushed block patterns deeper into the editing workflow.
August 8, 2023
WordPress 6.3 - Lionel
Made the Site Editor feel more complete, with better navigation, patterns, and the command palette.
March 29, 2023
WordPress 6.2 - Dolphy
Removed the beta label from the Site Editor and made block themes more practical for production sites.
November 1, 2022
WordPress 6.1 - Misha
Expanded style variations and shipped Twenty Twenty-Three as a flexible block theme foundation.
May 24, 2022
WordPress 6.0 - Arturo
Polished full site editing, patterns, writing flow, and block theme controls after the 5.9 jump.
January 25, 2022
WordPress 5.9 - Josephine
Introduced full site editing to mainstream WordPress and shipped the first default block theme, Twenty Twenty-Two.
July 20, 2021
WordPress 5.8 - Tatum
Moved widgets into blocks, added early template editing, and expanded WebP support.
March 9, 2021
WordPress 5.7 - Esperanza
Added an HTTP-to-HTTPS migration tool and continued the block editor cleanup work.
December 8, 2020
WordPress 5.6 - Simone
Introduced application passwords, Twenty Twenty-One, and more automatic update control.
August 11, 2020
WordPress 5.5 - Eckstine
Added native XML sitemaps, lazy loading for images, and built-in plugin/theme auto-updates.
March 31, 2020
WordPress 5.4 - Adderley
Improved block editor performance, navigation, embeds, and social blocks.
November 12, 2019
WordPress 5.3 - Kirk
Shipped Twenty Twenty, refined large-image handling, and folded in many block editor improvements.
May 7, 2019
WordPress 5.2 - Jaco
Made Site Health visible to everyday site owners and added fatal error protection.
February 21, 2019
WordPress 5.1 - Betty
Improved performance after 5.0 and laid more groundwork for Site Health checks.
December 6, 2018
WordPress 5.0 - Bebo
Replaced the classic editor as the default writing experience with the block editor, then known widely as Gutenberg.
November 15, 2017
WordPress 4.9 - Tipton
Improved Customizer workflows, scheduled design changes, and code-editing safeguards.
June 8, 2017
WordPress 4.8 - Evans
Added image, video, audio, and rich text widgets, which is why older widget guides from WPArena now belong in this single timeline.
December 6, 2016
WordPress 4.7 - Vaughan
Shipped Twenty Seventeen, custom CSS in the Customizer, and REST API endpoints for posts, users, comments, terms, and settings.
August 16, 2016
WordPress 4.6 - Pepper
Used native system fonts in the admin, improved updates, and made editor recovery smoother.
April 12, 2016
WordPress 4.5 - Coleman
Added inline links, responsive preview controls, and faster image generation.
December 8, 2015
WordPress 4.4 - Clifford
Introduced responsive images and the REST API infrastructure that later made headless WordPress common.
August 18, 2015
WordPress 4.3 - Billie
Moved menus into the Customizer, added site icons, and pushed stronger password behavior.
April 23, 2015
WordPress 4.2 - Powell
Improved character support, including emoji, and cleaned up plugin installation.
December 18, 2014
WordPress 4.1 - Dinah
Added Twenty Fifteen and a cleaner writing mode for long-form publishing.
September 4, 2014
WordPress 4.0 - Benny
Brought a stronger media grid, better embed previews, and smoother plugin discovery.
April 16, 2014
WordPress 3.9 - Smith
Improved the visual editor, media handling, galleries, and widget previews.
December 12, 2013
WordPress 3.8 - Parker
Gave the WordPress admin its modern responsive design and introduced Twenty Fourteen.
October 24, 2013
WordPress 3.7 - Basie
Added automatic background updates for maintenance and security releases.
August 1, 2013
WordPress 3.6 - Oscar
Improved revisions, autosaves, post locking, and native audio/video support.
December 11, 2012
WordPress 3.5 - Elvin
Introduced the media manager and the Twenty Twelve default theme.
June 13, 2012
WordPress 3.4 - Green
Made theme previews and the early Customizer part of normal WordPress management.
December 12, 2011
WordPress 3.3 - Sonny
Improved the uploader, navigation, admin pointers, and tablet support.
July 4, 2011
WordPress 3.2 - Gershwin
Made the admin faster, introduced distraction-free writing, and raised old browser/server expectations.
February 23, 2011
WordPress 3.1 - Reinhardt
Added the admin bar, post formats, internal linking, and archive improvements.
June 17, 2010
WordPress 3.0 - Thelonious
A landmark release: custom post types, custom menus, multisite merge, and the Twenty Ten theme.
December 18, 2009
WordPress 2.9 - Carmen
Added image editing, post trash, easier embeds, and batch plugin updates.
June 10, 2009
WordPress 2.8 - Baker
Improved widgets, theme/plugin browsing, and admin speed; several WPArena 2.8 update posts are now folded into this entry.
December 10, 2008
WordPress 2.7 - Coltrane
Introduced the modern left-side admin navigation, automatic core upgrades, threaded comments, and quick editing.
July 15, 2008
WordPress 2.6 - Tyner
Added post revisions, Press This, theme previews, and better publishing control.
March 29, 2008
WordPress 2.5 - Brecker
Redesigned the dashboard, improved media handling, and renamed Blogroll to Links in the admin.
September 24, 2007
WordPress 2.3 - Dexter
Added native tags, update notifications, and database changes that made upgrading important for site owners.
May 16, 2007
WordPress 2.2 - Getz
Moved widgets into core and improved Atom feed support.
January 22, 2007
WordPress 2.1 - Ella
Added autosave, privacy options, spell checking, and a cleaner editing workflow.
December 26, 2005
WordPress 2.0 - Duke
Brought a redesigned admin, user roles, rich editing, and image uploading into the core experience.
February 17, 2005
WordPress 1.5 - Strayhorn
Introduced themes, pages, and template improvements that shaped WordPress as a full website platform.
May 22, 2004
WordPress 1.2 - Mingus
Added plugin architecture, turning WordPress into a platform that site owners could extend.
January 3, 2004
WordPress 1.0 - Davis
The first named major release, with friendlier permalinks, multiple categories, and installation improvements.
May 27, 2003
WordPress 0.70 - First public release
The public starting point of WordPress, forked from b2/cafelog and built around simple publishing.
What was merged from the old WPArena posts?
WPArena had many short posts written around individual WordPress releases. Those were useful at the time, but most no longer deserve separate URLs. Their substance now lives here in context.
Version notes merged
- WordPress 2.3, 2.3.2, and the older upgrade warnings around native tags and update notifications.
- WordPress 2.5 and 2.5.1, including dashboard changes, the Blogroll-to-Links rename, and security update notes.
- WordPress 2.6, 2.7, and 2.8 posts covering post revisions, automatic upgrades, dashboard changes, widgets, and 2.8 security releases.
- WordPress 3.0 and 3.1 posts covering custom menus, custom post types, multisite, and the admin bar.
- WordPress 4.3, 4.8, 5.3 release-candidate coverage, Gutenberg update coverage, and the WordPress 6.9.4 release note.
Update guides merged
- How to check which WordPress version a site is running.
- How to handle manual WordPress core upgrades when automatic updates are not enough.
- Older automatic-upgrade troubleshooting posts, rewritten as practical update advice.
- Why WordPress core updates matter for security, stability, compatibility, and search visibility.
How to check your WordPress version
If you manage the site, the safest place to check is inside WordPress itself. Publicly exposing the exact version is not a security strategy; keeping the site patched is.
Related guide: The older How to Check WordPress Version article is now consolidated into this checklist, and its URL points directly to this section.
- Dashboard: Go to Dashboard, then Updates. WordPress will show the installed version and whether an update is available.
- At a Glance: Many installs show the current version in the Dashboard overview widget.
- Site Health: Tools > Site Health can flag outdated PHP, inactive updates, and other maintenance issues.
- WP-CLI: On servers with command-line access, run
wp core version.
How to update WordPress safely
A WordPress update should be routine, not dramatic. The sites that run into trouble usually skip backups, staging checks, or plugin compatibility review.
Before updating
- Create a full database and file backup.
- Check the PHP and database requirements for the target release.
- Update abandoned plugins or replace them before touching core.
- Test the update on staging if the site handles revenue, memberships, forms, or client work.
After updating
- Check the homepage, menus, forms, checkout, login, editor, and search.
- Clear page, object, CDN, and browser caches.
- Review error logs for PHP warnings or fatal errors.
- Leave automatic minor and security updates enabled unless you have a managed release workflow.
Why this timeline is now the canonical WPArena page
Old release-day posts age quickly. A single maintained page is better for readers because it keeps the full release story in one place: what changed, why it mattered, and what site owners should do with that information now.
When WordPress publishes a new major, maintenance, or security release, this page should be updated instead of creating another thin announcement post.