WordPress 7.1 “Mary Lou” is a major platform release introducing significant improvements to the editor, media handling, accessibility, styling capabilities, developer APIs, and administration experience.

What's new

• Introduces client-side media processing capabilities, allowing supported image operations to be performed in the browser before upload.
• Enables infinite scrolling by default in the Media Library grid, with an option to restore pagination.
• Adds responsive block styles, configurable viewports, additional interaction states, and text-shadow support to Global Styles.
• Introduces a standardized SVG Icon API for registering and rendering custom icons.
• Expands the Abilities API with improved discovery, filtering, validation, lifecycle hooks, and external client integration.
• Adds new block capabilities including background gradients and minimum-width controls.
• Introduces a persistent administration toolbar across supported editor interfaces.
• Includes extensive accessibility improvements across administration screens, navigation, widgets, setup flows, and editor interfaces.
• Updates jQuery UI to version 1.14.2 and includes numerous third-party dependency updates.
• Includes more than 180 WordPress Core bug fixes and over 630 Gutenberg bug fixes.

Compatibility impact

• WordPress 7.1 completes the transition to an iframe-based post editor, including sites using legacy meta boxes.
• Plugin and theme developers should validate editor integrations, custom meta boxes, JavaScript, CSS, and jQuery UI dependencies for compatibility.
• The updated editor, styling APIs, and administration behavior may require adjustments to existing custom integrations.

Recommendation

Organizations should test WordPress 7.1 in a staging environment before production deployment, with particular attention to plugins, themes, custom blocks, legacy meta boxes, editor extensions, and authentication integrations. After compatibility validation, upgrading is recommended to benefit from the extensive bug fixes, accessibility improvements, and new platform capabilities.