WordPress 6.8 is officially out today. WPML 4.7 and newer are already fully compatible with this latest major release.
Updating your website to a new WordPress version should always be stress-free. That’s why WPML compatibility with the latest WordPress versions is among our top priorities.
What’s New in WordPress 6.8
WordPress 6.8 doesn’t add many new features but improves the existing ones. Highlights include:
- Enhanced usability in the Block Editor
- Improvements for Query Loop and Navigation blocks
- Theme enhancements, particularly global styles
- Performance optimizations, fixes, and security improvements
WPML and WordPress 6.8: Fully Compatible
Our rigorous testing confirms that WPML 4.7 and later versions are fully compatible with WordPress 6.8.
Just ensure you’re using the latest WPML version.
As always, before updating WordPress, confirm that other plugins on your site are compatible and back up your site and database for complete safety.
How We Ensure WPML Is Ready for New WordPress Releases
We continuously monitor WordPress development and proactively test compatibility.
For WordPress 6.8, we started comprehensive testing the moment the first beta appeared on March 4th.
Coming Next in WPML 4.7.4
We’re now finalizing WPML 4.7.4, which will include:
- Compatibility with the European Accessibility Act
- Bug fixes and enhancements for popular page builders
You can expect WPML 4.7.4 to be released within the next couple of weeks.
How Do You Do WordPress Updates?
Every site has its own update process. For example, we update our websites gradually, testing first in staging environments.
How do you handle your WordPress updates? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below!
I usually click the «WordPress updates» button, when it signals that there is an update available. Or I use the «commercial» tab on the «install new plugin»-page. With the plugin version 4.7.3 I have run into massive errors shutting down four different sites, though. Support has let me know that the sequence for updating the individual parts of WPML (e.g. String Translations) should at any price be updated first.
So as a user of WPML I’d be more than happy to be notified of such important steps in advance. Thank you!
Hi, Olaf! Thanks for the comment and very good points! Yes, for plugins, it’s usually best to just wait for updates to appear directly on the Plugins page. The Commercial tab is great when you want to get a WPML update as soon as it’s available (for example, when it fixes an issue you’re experiencing).
I wasn’t aware of that issue with the right sequence of updating WPML plugins, for example String Translation before core. I will double-check this with my team. In any case, thank you for raising this, that’s a great point and I will make sure to mention such steps (and the best order of steps) in all future announcements where this will apply.
I usually, especially with more complex plugins like WPML, like to do a test run on my local install of websites.
That way I can see if there are ‘odd things’ popping up after a update that needs to be fixed or better tested.
It’s better to do this on a local website and know what to expect when rolling things out online.
Could be too cautious, but once bitten twice shy… 😉
rob