WordPress 7.0 Beta 2 ![rw-book-cover](https://readwise-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/static/images/article1.be68295a7e40.png) WordPress 7.0 Beta 2 is now ready for testing! **This beta version of the WordPress software is under development**. Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites. Instead, you should evaluate Beta 2 on a test server and site. You can test WordPress 7.0 Beta 2 in any of the following ways: | | | | --- | --- | | **Plugin** | Install and activate the [WordPress Beta Tester](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-beta-tester/) plugin on a WordPress install. (Select the “Bleeding edge” channel and “Beta/RC Only” stream.) | | **Direct Download** | Download the [Beta 2 version (zip)](https://wordpress.org/wordpress-7.0-beta2.zip) and install it on a WordPress website. | | **Command Line** | Use this [WP-CLI](https://make.wordpress.org/cli/) command: `wp core update --version=7.0-beta2` | | **WordPress Playground** | Use the [WordPress Playground instance](https://playground.wordpress.net/?php=8.0&wp=beta&networking=no&language=&multisite=no&random=y4q1rn88xn) to test the software directly in your browser. No setup required – just click and go! | The scheduled final release date for WordPress 7.0 is **April 9, 2026**. The full [release schedule can be found here](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2026/02/12/wordpress-7-0-release-party-schedule/). Your help testing Beta and RC versions is vital to making this release as stable and powerful as possible. Make sure to check the [Make WordPress Core blog](https://make.wordpress.org/core/) for [7.0-related posts](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/7-0) in the coming weeks for more information. Thank you to everyone who contributes by testing! **Catch up on what’s new in WordPress 7.0**: Read the [Beta 1 announcement](https://wordpress.org/news/2026/02/wordpress-7-0-beta-1/) for details and highlights. Your help testing WordPress 7.0 Beta 2 is key to ensuring everything in the release is the best it can be. While testing the upgrade process is essential, trying out new features is equally important. This [guide on what to test in WordPress 7.0](https://make.wordpress.org/test/2026/02/20/help-test-wordpress-7-0/) will walk you through testing features in WordPress 7.0. If you encounter an issue, please report it to the [Alpha/Beta area](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/alphabeta/) of the support forums or directly to [WordPress Trac](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/newticket) if you are comfortable writing a reproducible bug report. You can also check your issue against a list of [known bugs](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/tickets/major). Curious about testing releases in general? Follow along with the [testing initiatives in Make Core](https://make.wordpress.org/test/) and join the [#core-test channel](https://wordpress.slack.com/messages/core-test/) on [Making WordPress Slack](https://wordpress.slack.com/). WordPress 7.0 Beta 2 contains more than 70 updates and fixes across the Editor and Core since the Beta 1 release. Each beta cycle focuses on bug fixes; and more are on the way with your help through testing. You can browse the technical details for all issues addressed since Beta 1 using these links: **Beta 2 also contains a new feature**! AI provider management is more intuitive in 7.0 Beta 2 with a new Connectors UI dashboard page. WordPress users can now manage external AI connections in a central place in wp-admin, under Settings > Connectors. The new UI enables users to add, delete, and update external connections. It is powered by an extensible, route-based architecture that allows plugins and themes to hook into the page and expand its functionality. The new Connectors page builds on PHP-based script and menu infrastructure, and adds route components powered by `@wordpress/components` and `@wordpress/admin-ui`. A new `connections-wp-admin-init` hook and registration APIs allow plugins to integrate cleanly. This makes managing external connections easier while giving developers a clearer path to extend the experience. *New, and fresh as dew* *Crafted and refined for you:* *Beta 2 breaks through.*, WordPress 7.0 Beta 2, wordpress.org, 01kjg3ty3yt5manpdt3hetv52a.