WordPress 6.8 “Cecil”: What’s New?

It seems like yesterday, when WordPress 6.7 “Rollins” came out. In reality, though, it’s 2025 and the first major WordPress release of the year is right around the corner. We are all eagerly anticipating WordPress 6.8, which is named Cecil.

What Does WordPress 6.8 Have to Offer?

Speculative Loading with Speculation Rules API

WordPress 6.8 introduces native support for speculative loading using the Speculation Rules API. This feature prefetches or prerenders URLs based on user interactions, such as hovering over links, resulting in near-instant page loads. 

By default, it applies a conservative prefetching strategy, balancing performance gains with resource efficiency. Developers can customize this behavior using new filters.

Style Book for Classic Themes

The Style Book, previously exclusive to block themes, is now available for classic themes that include a theme.json file or editor-styles.css.

This feature allows users to preview site colors, typography, and block styles more easily, with clearer labels and a structured layout accessible under Appearance→ Design.

New Design and Editing Tools

There are a lot of exciting changes in terms of design and editing options. Let’s review them.

Expanded Global Styles Panel

The Styles tab in the full site editor sidebar now acts as a centralized hub for managing your site’s visual identity. Users can tweak typography, color palettes, and spacing across all templates and template parts from one place.

This update not only reduces the need to hunt through individual blocks for styling, but it also introduces better organization within the styles interface, making it easier to experiment or implement consistent branding.

One-Click Featured Image from Any Image Block

In a move toward simplicity, WordPress 6.8 lets users assign any Image block as a featured image with a single click, directly from the block toolbar.

• No need to manually upload the image twice (once to the content, once to the sidebar).
• Even if the block is deleted from the page, the featured image stays intact in the post’s settings.

This is especially handy for visual creators and publishers who want faster workflows for setting thumbnails.

Image Editing Now Shows Success Message with Undo Option

Previously, if you cropped or rotated an image in the Media Library, there was minimal feedback. In 6.8, you’ll see a clear success notice confirming the change, along with an Undo link that lets you quickly roll back if needed.

This improves usability and cuts down on mistakes, especially when you’re managing media on the fly.

Assign Any Page as the Posts Page (from Site Editor)

Previously, setting a “Posts Page” (for listing blog entries) had to be done in the old Reading Settings screen under Settings > Reading.

Now, you can do this directly in the site editor using the page list view:

• Select any page and assign it as the “Posts page.”
• This gives site editors and theme designers much more flexibility without jumping between the customizer and the classic dashboard.

This update helps bring parity between the classic setup screens and the block-based editor.

Query Loop Block Improvements

The Query Loop block has been enhanced with features such as the ability to ignore sticky posts, filter queries by specific dates or years, and add offset queries. These updates provide greater flexibility in displaying dynamic content.

Data Views and Zoom Out Mode

Improvements to Data Views include an integrated fields layout for streamlined content management, quick-edit options for template fields, and confirmation dialogs to prevent accidental deletions.

This will greatly simplify the entire process, as your posts will automatically appear in both the editor and on the front end without the need for any additional setup.

Additionally, the Zoom Out mode now features a dedicated toolbar button for easier access, aiding in the management of extensive page layouts.

Major Security Improvements

WordPress 6.8 upgrades password hashing from phpass to bcrypt, providing stronger encryption and making passwords more resistant to modern hacking techniques. 

This change also applies to application passwords, user password reset keys, personal data request keys, and recovery mode keys, which now use BLAKE2b hashing via Sodium. Existing sessions remain valid, and users won’t be forced to change passwords. 

What’s more, to improve accessibility and clarity, admin notices will now include prefixes such as “Warning,” “Error,” “Success,” and “Info.” This change benefits users relying on screen readers or those with color vision deficiencies by providing explicit textual indicators of the notice type.

Wrap Up

WordPress 6.8 is here, and it is faster, smarter, more flexible and more secure than ever. What are your thoughts on the new release? Which is your favorite feature? At DevriX, we certainly are excited to test out the new functionalities of WP 6.8

Before you go, don’t forget that our WordPress Retainer Services can help you improve your website, and grow your business, so don’t hesitate to reach out.