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<p>The third release candidate (“RC3”) for WordPress 6.8 is ready for download and testing!</p>
<p><strong>This version of the WordPress software is under development</strong>.<strong> Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites.</strong> Instead, it’s recommended that you evaluate RC3 on a test server and site.</p>
<p>Reaching this phase of the release cycle is an important milestone. While release candidates are considered ready for release, testing remains crucial to ensure that everything in WordPress 6.8 is the best it can be.</p>
<p>You can test WordPress 6.8 RC3 in four ways:</p>
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<td><strong>Plugin</strong></td>
<td>Install and activate the <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-beta-tester/">WordPress Beta Tester</a> plugin on a WordPress install. (Select the “Bleeding edge” channel and “Beta/RC Only” stream).</td>
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<td><strong>Direct Download</strong></td>
<td>Download the <a href="https://wordpress.org/wordpress-6.8-RC3.zip">RC3 version (zip)</a> and install it on a WordPress website.</td>
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<td><strong>Command Line</strong></td>
<td>Use the following <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/cli/">WP-CLI</a> command: <code>wp core update --version=6.8-RC3</code></td>
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<td><strong>WordPress Playground</strong></td>
<td>Use the <a href="https://playground.wordpress.net/?php=8.0&#038;wp=beta&#038;networking=no&#038;language=&#038;multisite=no&#038;random=y4q1rn88xn">6.8 RC3 WordPress Playground instance</a> (available within 35 minutes after the release is ready) to test the software directly in your browser without the need for a separate site or setup.</td>
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<p>The current target for the WordPress 6.8 release is <strong>April 15, 2025</strong>. Get an overview of the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/6-8/">6.8 release cycle</a>, and check the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/">Make WordPress Core blog</a> for <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/6-8/">6.8-related posts</a> leading up to next week’s release for further details.</p>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What’s in WordPress 6.8 RC3?</h2>
<p>Get a recap of WordPress 6.8’s highlighted features in the <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2025/03/wordpress-6-8-beta-1/">Beta 1 announcement</a>. For more technical information related to issues addressed since <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2025/04/wordpress-6-8-release-candidate-2/">RC2</a>, you can browse the following links:</p>
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<li><a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/commits/wp/6.8?since=2025-04-02&#038;until=2025-04-08">GitHub commits for 6.8</a> since April 1</li>
<li><a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/log/branches/6.8?action=stop_on_copy&#038;mode=stop_on_copy&#038;rev=60145&#038;stop_rev=60125&#038;limit=100&#038;sfp_email=&#038;sfph_mail=">Changes committed</a> since April 1</li>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How you can contribute</h2>
<p>WordPress is open source software made possible by a passionate community that collaborates and contributes to its development. The resources below outline various ways you can help the world’s most popular open source web platform, regardless of your technical expertise.</p>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Get involved in testing</h3>
<p>Testing for issues is critical to ensuring WordPress is performant and stable. It’s also a meaningful way for anyone to contribute. <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2025/03/04/help-test-wordpress-6-8/">This detailed guide</a> will walk you through testing features in WordPress 6.8. For those new to testing, follow <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/handbook/get-setup-for-testing/">this general testing guide</a> for more details on getting set up.</p>
<p>If you encounter an issue, please report it to the <a href="https://wordpress.org/support/forum/alphabeta/">Alpha/Beta area</a> of the support forums or directly to <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/newticket">WordPress Trac</a> if you are comfortable writing a reproducible bug report. You can also check your issue against a list of <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/tickets/major">known bugs</a>.</p>
<p>Curious about testing releases in general? Follow along with the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/">testing initiatives in Make Core</a> and join the <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/messages/core-test/">#core-test channel</a> on <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/">Making WordPress Slack</a>.</p>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Search for vulnerabilities</h3>
<p>From now until the final release of WordPress 6.8 (scheduled for April 15, 2025), the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/testing/reporting-security-vulnerabilities/#enhanced-bounty-rewards-during-beta-and-release-candidate-phases">monetary reward for reporting new, unreleased security vulnerabilities</a> is doubled. Please follow responsible disclosure practices as detailed in the project’s security practices and policies outlined on the <a href="https://hackerone.com/wordpress">HackerOne page</a> and in the <a href="https://wordpress.org/about/security/">security white paper</a>.</p>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Update your theme or plugin</h3>
<p>For plugin and theme authors, your products play an integral role in extending the functionality and value of WordPress for all users. For more details on developer-related changes in 6.8, please review the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/28/wordpress-6-8-field-guide/">WordPress 6.8 Field Guide</a>.</p>
<p>Thanks for continuing to test your themes and plugins with the WordPress 6.8 beta releases. With RC3, you’ll want to conclude your testing and update the <em>“Tested up to”</em> version in your <a href="https://developer.wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-org/how-your-readme-txt-works/">plugin’s readme file</a> to 6.8.</p>
<p>If you find compatibility issues, please post detailed information to the <a href="https://wordpress.org/support/forum/alphabeta/">support forum</a>.</p>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Help translate WordPress</h3>
<p>Do you speak a language other than English? <bdo lang="es" dir="ltr">¿Español?</bdo> <bdo lang="fr" dir="ltr">Français?</bdo> <bdo lang="ru" dir="ltr">Русский?</bdo> <bdo lang="ja" dir="ltr">æ¥æ¬?</bdo> <bdo lang="hi" dir="ltr">हिनà¥à¤¦à¥?</bdo> <bdo lang="mr" dir="ltr">मराठà¥?</bdo> <bdo lang="bn" dir="ltr">বাà¦à¦²à¦¾?</bdo> You can <a href="https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp/dev/">help translate WordPress into more than 100 languages</a>.</p>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">An RC3 haiku</h2>
<p><em>The launch draws closer,</em><em><br /></em><em>Six-eight sings through RC3,</em><em><br /></em><em>Almost time to shine.</em></p>
<p class="has-text-align-right"><em>Thank you to the following contributors for collaborating on this post: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/audrasjb/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>audrasjb</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mamaduka/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>mamaduka</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/krupajnanda/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>krupajnanda</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/benjamin_zekavica/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>benjamin_zekavica</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/narenin/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>narenin</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/joedolson/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>joedolson</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/courane01/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>courane01</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/joemcgill/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>joemcgill</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/marybaum/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>marybaum</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kmgalanakis/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>kmgalanakis</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/umeshsinghin/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>umeshsinghin</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/wildworks/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>wildworks</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mkrndmane/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>mkrndmane</a>.</em></p>
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