WordPress 6.9 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 6.9 Beta 2 in any of the following ways:
| Plugin | Install and activate the 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) and install it on a WordPress website. |
| Command Line | Use this WP-CLI command: wp core update --version=6.9-beta2 |
| WordPress Playground | Use the 6.9 Beta 2 WordPress Playground instance to test the software directly in your browser. No setup is required–just click and go! |
The scheduled final release date for WordPress 6.9 is December 2, 2025. The full release schedule can be found here. Your help testing Beta and RC versions is vital to making this release as stable and powerful as possible. Do check the Make WordPress Core blog for 6.9-related posts in the coming weeks for more information. Thank you to everyone who contributes by testing!
Catch up on what’s new in WordPress 6.9: Read the Beta 1 announcement for details and highlights.
How to test this release
Your help testing the WordPress 6.9 Beta 2 version 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 detailed guide will walk you through testing features in WordPress 6.9.
If you encounter an issue, please report it to the Alpha/Beta area of the support forums or directly to WordPress Trac if you are comfortable writing a reproducible bug report. You can also check your issue against a list of known bugs.
Curious about testing releases in general? Follow along with the testing initiatives in Make Core and join the #core-test channel on Making WordPress Slack.
Beta 2 updates and highlights
WordPress 6.9 Beta 2 contains more than 33 Editor updates and fixes since the Beta 1 release, including 28 tickets for WordPress core.
Each beta cycle focuses on bug fixes; 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:
- GitHub commits for 6.9 since October 21, 2025
- Closed Trac tickets since October 21, 2025
A Beta 2 haiku
Morning dew returns,
Small fixes bloom in silence—
Code finds its balance.
Props to @davidbaumwald, @wildworks , @krupajnanda & @mosescursor for proofreading and review.
Source: Community