WordPress 7.0 Compatibility & Update Recommendations

May 2026: WordPress 7.0 has officially been released! We've tested all current 17th Avenue themes with WordPress 7.0 and have not seen any compatibility issues so far. The Kadence Theme and Kadence Blocks are also fully compatible. 🎉

However, every WordPress website is unique, and your site may include additional third-party plugins that have not yet been fully tested with WordPress 7.0.

Why We Recommend Waiting to Update

WordPress 7.0 is a major version update (i.e. moving from 6.9 → 7.0), which means larger-scale changes are happening behind the scenes compared to smaller updates such as 7.0.1.

For most users, we recommend waiting for a smaller follow-up release before updating your live site. This gives WordPress and plugin developers time to release compatibility updates and allows early bugs to be discovered and patched first. Let other sites be the guinea pigs, not yours!

Think of it like this:

• 7.0 = the major launch (do not update)
• 7.0.1 or 7.0.2 = smaller maintenance and bug-fix updates (safer to update)

Before You Update

If your site is simple and uses well-maintained plugins, you may be perfectly fine updating immediately. However, if your site relies heavily on multiple plugins, customizations, or WooCommerce, it's usually best to wait for a follow-up release.

Before updating, we always recommend:

• Creating a full backup of your website
• Updating all of your plugins before updating WordPress
• Testing on a staging site first, if your host offers staging

A little patience after a major WordPress release can help ensure a smooth update experience.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns about WordPress 7.0!