WordPress 6.5 will be released soon!
The newest version of WordPress, 6.5, is expected to be released on April 2, 2024 (a one-week delay from the original release target date of March 26th). You can read more about the WordPress 6.5 update here.
As always, we will have it available for you on the release day. On this day, all sites running WordPress version 6.4.3 will be updated to WordPress 6.5 unless you change your site to use the Previous Version within the My.Pressable.com Dashboard:
If your site is set to Latest Version instead (see screenshot above), it will automatically be updated to 6.5 on the expected release date, currently April 2.
Important: The Previous Version will only be available to select for individual sites in your My.Pressable.com Dashboard a week or two before 6.5 releases. If you don’t see the option while checking in your My.Pressable.com Dashboard, then it isn’t available yet for selection.
How can I help ensure updates go smoothly for my site(s)?
The most important thing you can do is keep your theme and plugins updated to the latest versions. The vast majority of the time when we see WordPress update issues, they’re caused by themes or plugins not being on their most recent versions (this includes not using retired/unsupported themes and plugins).
Please make sure that you first test theme and plugin updates in a staging environment before making the updates on your production site, or at the very least make sure you take an on-demand backup before updating your production site.
Can I test version 6.5 before it’s released?
Yes, you can! We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the update by testing your sites with WordPress 6.5 beta release.
Important: The Beta Version of WordPress 6.5 will be available in your My.Pressable.com Dashboard by the first full week in March. If you switch to a Beta Version and the site remains on the current stable version (6.4), then the Beta version isn’t available yet for selection.
We also highly recommend testing updates in a staging environment before going live with the core update on your production site.
Can I go back to the previous WordPress version if 6.5 causes issues with my site?
Yes, you can, but the previous version – 6.4.3 – will only be available on Pressable until April 30, 2024. If you move back to version 6.4.3, any sites running that version will be automatically updated to WordPress 6.5 on April 30, 2024.
To complete the version downgrade on your production site, simply log into your MyPressable Control Panel, go to the site’s details, and in the Overview tab, change the WordPress version from Current Stable Version to Previous Version:
You can bulk-update the WordPress version for your sites by using our Bulk Operations feature.
To give your sites the best security and performance, we still strongly recommend upgrading your site to the Current Stable Version option of WordPress as soon as possible. Don’t wait until the site is auto-updated on April 30, 2024.
If the update causes issues, where can I see specific details of the problem?
We make reviewing the PHP Error logs for your site as easy as possible, and you can learn more about how to view them within your site’s my.pressable.com panel here:
https://pressable.com/knowledgebase/accessing-wordpress-error-logs/
You will want to check for Status Code – Fatal Error as that should outline the error and cause:
Once you locate the source of the issue, you can either switch back to the previous WordPress version (if this is before April 30, 2024) or deactivate the theme or plugin via WP-CLI or SFTP (rename the theme or plugin folder) to get the site back up.
Can I update versions via the API?
Yes! You can use the Pressable API to update the WordPress version of your site to one of our available versions.
You can also bulk-update the WordPress version for your sites by using our Bulk Operations feature.
Where can I find information about future updates?
We have an Update Calendar that lists important dates related to WordPress & PHP updates. More information here.
Have questions? Feedback? Something else?
Should you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our customer success team.
As always, we are grateful for the trust you place in us to take care of your sites and we thank you for being a Pressable customer!