We always recommend keeping WordPress updated for enhancements and security. WordPress Version 4.9 “Tipton” is the latest release, named after the jazz pianist Billy Tipton. This new version contains updates to improve WordPress usability.
Key features from the enhancements enhancements include:
- Customizer improvements
- Widget updates
- Core improvements
WordPress Customizer Improvements
The new Customizer updates bring a much needed functionality allowing you to now preview, collaborate and schedule custom site updates. Have a widget that you need to go live tomorrow morning but don’t have time to deal with it at that time? Now you can schedule the widget prior to it being published. Making custom changes to the layout or design using the customizer used to mean making them to the live website. Now you can save your changes and send them to your team to review before publishing.
WordPress Customizer allows scheduling and collaboration.
WordPress Widget Updates
WordPress Gallery Widget
The WordPress Gallery Widget
A lot of our clients ask, “How do I add a gallery?”. Often we recommend starting with WordPress’ simple gallery through the Media button. This gallery is now available as a Widget. This is great if you want to add a simple slideshow to your sidebar or feature images in your footer.
WordPress Media Button
WordPress Text Widget with Media Button
Widget improvements from WordPress Version 4.8 Evans gave enhancements to the Text Widget allowing for simple, but desired visual content changes as well as HTML. Now WordPress has added the Media Button. The same Media Button found on the Post and Page edit screens can now be used within the Text Widget. This will allow you to add images, audio and other media files into any Widget area.
Update WordPress
WordPress has added several other improvements behind the scenes including: reliable theme switching, intuitive menu descriptions, coding improvements and more. Whether you are a designer, developer, editor or contributor all will benefit from these recent improvements. You can read about the complete updates over at WordPress.
Not sure how to Update WordPress? We are here to help answer your questions.
