What’s new features and more in WordPress 6.2

WordPress 6.2 has new to offer – What are the main features and much more

WordPress 6.2 developers have mainly focused from scratch to the top to eradicate complex things. The idea is to make complex elements like settings, styles, steps and easy to navigate to enhance the overall user experience.

Apart from this, WordPress 6.2 accompanies 11 latest features after releasing 4 beta versions, 292 improvements, 354 bug fixes for editors, and 195 plus tickets.

This blog will help you know about what’s new WordPress 6.2 has to offer along with new features & introductions.

Latest Features

1. Inclusion of Distraction-free Mode

This version includes a distraction-free mode for writing where you can view a full-screen editor having content and the title of the page or post you are creating.

WordPress 5.4 is a default full-screen editor, but it doesn’t come with distraction-free mode. Hence, WordPress 6.2 has introduced this sorted interface for editing and writing.

Once you enable this user-friendly mode, it will conceal all elements of editor control. Here, the interface will make the toolbars less visible so that you can pay more attention to the content.

You can also change this mode to ON/OFF to meet your requirements. This mode will help you get a better and clear writing experience.

2. The ‘Beta’ Label eliminated from the Site Editor

The foremost thing you will see is the Editor not having a beta label. Until now, WordPress 6.1 version helped users navigate the editor as – Appearance—Editor(beta).

Now, it is not a name change, but the process comprises indepth discussion and many versions since 5.9. So, you will get a compact and complete editor this time.

Also, you will see different improvements and bug fixes for this release same as other sections of WordPress.

3. Display Template & Template Parts Review

This is yet another interesting feature of this version. Here, it shows a preview of templates & templates parts in the first place. This helps you choose the exact section you wish to edit.

This feature was absent in earlier versions of WordPress. The site editor used to load the home template by default which was difficult for newbies who wish to edit a specific section of templates.

To eradicate such problems, WordPress 6.2 enables the loading of a template preview window to start with and then you browse through different templates to understand the editing process.

Here are the steps you will sail through

• Move to Appearance –> Editor
• Here you will find options for Templates & Template Parts.
• Now, click – The edit button by picking the template
• Drag & Drop the related template parts
• Click Save after editing to get live preview
• Click – WordPress logo which helps you load the template browser’s sidebar.

4. Splitting Block Controls -“Styles” & “Settings”

This release divides the block settings into 2 subpanels which allows you to browse the block settings in two forms –“Settings’ and “Styles.

In earlier versions, the users could only browse single block settings due to which searching for required settings/styles used to consume a lot of time. Also, it was difficult for freshers to understand all settings and style controls.

WordPress 6.2 has separated them. For two separate subpanels, you can view everything properly that a single block could do. It helps save a lot of time you would otherwise invest in scrolling to search for what you want.

So, overall dividing it into 2 different categories will help you customize & manage the block settings accurately.

5. Color-coded Labels introduced for Template Parts & Reusable Blocks

Interestingly, WordPress 6.2 version comprises different color-coded labelsfor reusable blocks and template parts for quick identification.

This feature was not there in an earlier version of WordPress. Hence, it was difficult to know about the exact changes made while navigating after a while.

To simplify understanding and avoid unnecessary changes, WordPress 6.2 introduces the feature- of color-coded labels to assist you.

Colorization aspects will be ideal for:

• Header/footer
• List view (resting, hover active states)
• Canvas (overlays/ outlines / in select mode)
• Inserter
• Inspector (the icon for Block description)
• Block Toolbar

6. Introducing enhanced Navigation for Menus

WordPress 6.2 version has given importance to the menu navigation feature. You will find an enhanced Navigation Menu which helps you create & manage menu items productively.

Earlier, users were asked to include the navigation menus in the full site editor. Now, this process is more convenient as this version introduced a subpanel below the Navigation block.

It will help you add your new menu items, edit them and delete them from the navigation block rather than editing the items on the menu in sequence.

• Head to Appearance → Editor
• Now, for editing choose the Header template
• Select the Navigation block
• Next click – Add block(+) to insert a fresh menu item
• Here you can add custom and page links
• Lay down their properties, rearrange or edit the items
• Now, click the three dots to build a fresh blank menu or to reload earlier one

This excellent menu navigation feature allows you to create/edit/manage via the right block setting of the WordPress taskbar.

7. Easier Block Pattern Addition

Now, block pattern addition is simplified in WordPress 6.2 version. It is one of the amazing features of this version.

Block patterns are about creating blocks to write and make a content layout in WordPress-based websites. These patterns come with a drop-down toggle feature in between the pattern categories. But, this version is transformed to 6.2 version notes.

Well, WordPress 6.2 version has made it easy by adopting a listing format for the patterns.

This helps preview the pattern before you add it to your blog post or page.

Also, you will find 2 fresh categories for the footer and header sections. It helps you click on these categories to see the patterns available. Now, you just need to click to add a pattern to your blog post.

8. Inclusion of a New Style Book

• Go to styles
• Go to Browse styles
• Pick a variation to modify the layout of the site

Here, the main goal of introducing the style book is to assist you to learn about the results of modifications for a block. You will also get a fair idea regarding block styles which helps you decide the style/customization that will match your needs.

Five elements included in Style Book

• Text – Comprise style of content (text-based) such as paragraphs, headings, tablets, etc.
• Theme – displays different styles for your site title blocks, logo, and navigation of the site
• Media – exhibits the preview option for added media files such as audio, videos, and images.
• Widgets – display widget previews such as page lists, calendars, archives, page lists, etc.
• Design – shows the column designs, group designs, and button designs.

The above elements included in the style book feature will help you view an overall style and design pattern for your website. It will help you build a cleaner and neater design and make them more efficient for future use or modifications.

9. Adding Custom CSS for Whole Site/Certain Blocks

WordPress 6.2 release helps you create an impressive and more dynamic design by including custom CSS for the whole site or a certain block.

You can include additional CSS using two different methods through the Styles menu. Firstly, you can include custom CSS for the entire site:

• Just click on the menu item- “More Styles Action”
• Choose “Additional CSS”

Also, you can use custom CSS preferably for pre-blocks to initiate customization:

• Go to Styles -> Blocks
• Choose a block you wish to include customs CSS
• Now, include CSS code by choosing “Additional CSS field”

10. Openverse Integration

Introducing Openverse integration is an excellent feature in WordPress 6.2 version. Ideally, Openverse is about free audio and photos.

With this release, Openverse allows you to add more than 300 million licensed(openly) plus public domain pictures to your site.

Here is how you can add free media files

1. Sign in to WP admin, go to Page/Post — Add New.
2. Now, click – Block Inserter
3. Choose the tab – “Media”
4. Choose – Openverse
5. Now, scroll/search for the media files you want to insert.
6. Choose the file you want to add to your post

These interesting features allow you to show images on your website directly. So, it will help you make your website look elegant and professional while saving a lot of time to find out relevant images.

11. Executing a seamless switch between Widgets & Template

This feature allows you to import widgets in form of template parts in the block themes.

The earlier versions of WordPress didn’t help users to use their old widgets while moving to the block theme. Hence, to overcome this problem, WordPress version 6.2 introduces a smooth way to transform the old widget into parts of themes.

Bring in classic widgets into a section of the Template Part in the Block theme:

1. Go to Appearance–Site Editor—Template Parts block
2. Build a fresh Template Part/select an existing part
3. Choose the block
4. Now, settings & navigate – the “Advanced” section.
5. Go IMPORT WIDGET AREA and choose the widget
6. Now, click on – “Import”

Five Additional Features – WordPress 6.2

Besides the 11 features we discussed above, there are 5 additional features offered by WordPress 6.2. Let us explore them

1. Sticky Positioning

Well, now the position block support comes with a “Sticky” option. This option makes the block noticeable within the frame to help users scroll through their content.

These features will help display status messages, countdowns, or promotions.

Interestingly “Sticky” feature supports the block editor and front end offering what you see is what you get experience.

2. Copy or Paste the Block Styles

In case you wish to apply a similar style for a different block, earlier you would have to duplicate the whole block to copy the styles.

Now, with the 6.2 version, the process is convenient and simple. You can just copy a style via a block and simply paste it into a different block.

3. Global Block Style

The global block style feature for WordPress sites helps you update the blocks with a single click.

To activate this feature

• Go to “Advanced” settings
• Click on Publish

Here you will find an option to publish your styles that were held down. The features help initiate an efficient and easy style updating process.

4. Latest Icon for Block Settings

Now you will find a changed gear icon for the settings panel. You will see a compact icon to depict settings.

• Media Files with new Download Link

It depicts a new download file link on the media screen while going through the list view.

Conclusion

WordPress 6.2 versions come out with efficient improvements and impeccable features to improve user experience. Also, it will help users make their WordPress sites look elegant and easily navigable.