The release of WordPress 6.9 brings updates that will allow you to add notes to a page or post directly in the Block Editor, add a “time to read” or word count to your posts, enhance Video and Cover blocks with poster images, and more.
Block Editor updates
Add block-level notes in the editor
You no longer need to toggle between your word processor and Newspack to provide feedback. Now you can add notes, write replies, and resolve conversations right in the Block Editor, similar to how you’d add notes in Google Docs.
You can add notes using the Block Toolbar. You can also click the icon in the top-right corner to view all notes that have been added to a post or page.
These notes are not visible on the front-end, so you don’t need to worry about them appearing anywhere but in the editor! They’re meant to facilitate internal collaboration on posts and pages.
Visual drag and drop
WordPress 6.9 has an improved drag-and-drop experience so you can see a live preview of blocks moving when you drag and drop them in the editor. This makes adjusting layouts feel more intuitive and natural.
A new interface for allowed blocks
Imagine you’ve made a nice pattern or campaign that other people can edit, but you want to make sure they follow certain design parameters. In WordPress 6.9, blocks like Group, Column, Cover, etc. now let you limit what blocks can be added inside of them. This feature lets you maintain control over what blocks can be added on a case-by-case basis, without locking things down completely.
To limit what can be used inside of a block, select it, then click on Manage Allowed Blocks in the Advanced panel in the sidebar.
Block updates
Brand new blocks
Accordion block
The Accordion block allows you to create a list of blocks that expand when your reader clicks on an icon, like a down arrow or plus sign, to expand the block.
Time to Read block
When creating a post, you can add a block that shows readers the estimated time it takes to read the article. It also includes a variation with the post’s word count — you can combine the two to show readers both.
Updates to existing blocks
Stretchy Header and Paragraph blocks
Now you can set the text in the Paragraph and Header blocks to stretch and fill all of the block’s available space. This can be handy for building creative layouts, like for campaigns — you can create a block of text, and it grows and shrinks depending on the screen size, and still maintains its line breaks.
You can add the stretchy options for these blocks directly from the block picker, or by inserting a regular Header or Paragraph block and switching it to the stretchy variation.
Cover and Video blocks poster images
Both the Cover and Video blocks now support poster images for videos. This lets you set an image that displays when the video isn’t showing, like if a reader has a slow internet connection, or if they’re viewing your site on mobile.
Other block updates
- The Gallery block now has an option to set a “block-wide” aspect ratio, so you can change the shape of of all the images in the block, from square to 16:9 and back, with one click.
- The RSS block, which lets you display posts from an RSS feed, now has an option to set all links generated by that block to open in a new tab or window.
- The Details block supports block formatting tools in the summary, which means you can apply text and background colors, add inline images, and more in the top level of this block.
If you have any questions as you explore these new features, please don’t hesitate to reach out in the #newspack-help Slack channel!
