Last checked and updated on 12 Jun 2026
What Is New in WordPress 5.5
This release, nicknamed "Eckstine," focuses on three core areas: a smoother site editing experience, faster performance with automatic updates for plugins and themes, and a more powerful search experience in the admin panel.
| Category | Key Changes |
|---|---|
| New Features | Automatic updates for plugins & themes, Lazy-loading images, Inline image editing, XML sitemaps |
| Improvements | Block Editor enhancements, Admin UI & accessibility updates, New Dashboard icons |
| Developer Updates | New PHPMailer library, Updated jQuery, New hooks for updates & sitemaps |
| Bug Fixes | Over 150 tickets closed for the editor and core |
How does auto-update management work now?
WordPress 5.5 introduces a new UI for enabling automatic background updates for plugins and themes directly from the admin screens. This gives site owners more control over maintenance without needing to write code.
You'll find new checkboxes next to each plugin on the 'Plugins' screen and each theme on the 'Themes' screen. In practice, this is a huge time-saver for managing minor updates on client sites, though you might still want to manually test major releases.
What block editor improvements should I know about?
The block editor got a significant usability boost. The most noticeable change is the new block pattern API, which allows for pre-designed layouts that users can insert and customize.
There are also new drag-and-drop block movers and a more intuitive inline image editor. You can now crop, rotate, and scale images right within the editor without opening a separate modal, which drastically speeds up content creation.
Is lazy-loading built into core now?
Yes, native lazy-loading for images is now a core feature. The loading="lazy" attribute is automatically added to images via the wp_get_attachment_image() function and in content.
This matters because it improves page load times and Core Web Vitals out of the box. For developers, it means one less dependency on a separate plugin or custom code to handle this performance optimization.
What's new for developers under the hood?
Core dependencies got a major refresh. The PHPMailer library was updated from version 5.2.27 to 6.1.6, and jQuery was updated to version 3.5.1. Always test your custom code after upgrading to check for any deprecations.
There are also new hooks like wp_sitemaps_add_provider to customize the new XML sitemap feature and auto_update_plugin to programmatically control auto-updates. The new wp_get_environment_type() function helps manage environment-specific configurations.
FAQ
Does the new auto-update feature work for major plugin releases?
No. By default, it only handles minor and patch releases (e.g., 1.0.1 to 1.0.2). Major version updates (e.g., 1.0 to 2.0) still require manual initiation to prevent breaking changes from being applied automatically.
How do I disable the new core XML sitemaps if I use Yoast SEO?
You can filter them out. The core sitemaps can be disabled by adding a filter to your theme's functions.php file: add_filter( 'wp_sitemaps_enabled', '__return_false' );. This prevents any potential conflict or duplicate content issues.
I have a custom lazy-load solution. Will core's feature conflict?
It might. Core uses the native browser loading="lazy" attribute. You should test thoroughly. You may need to disable the core feature using the wp_lazy_loading_enabled filter if your JavaScript solution handles it differently.
What happens if an automatic plugin update fails?
WordPress will attempt to send an email notification to the admin address on record, alerting them of the failure. The plugin will remain on its previous version, and auto-updates for it will be paused until the issue is resolved manually.
Are the new block patterns just for core blocks?
No, the block pattern API is available for developers to register their own custom patterns. This allows theme and plugin authors to create sophisticated pre-built layouts that users can insert, making their products more user-friendly.