Whats New: The WordPress 5.9.1 Update

As of February 22, 2022, WordPress 5.9.1 is now available for download.

In this maintenance release, there are 33 bug fixes in WordPress 5.9.1, as well as 52 bug fixes in the Block Editor.

WordPress 5.9.1 is a short-cycle maintenance release. Version 6.0 will be the next major release.

We receive multiple emails from users asking if it is safe to update their WordPress site whenever a new WordPress update is released. And the answer is always a resounding yes.

WordPress is a free platform that is maintained by a developer community. They correct issues, add new features, improve performance, and enhance current functions with each new release to keep up with emerging industry requirements.

In other words, failing to update your WordPress site puts your website’s security at risk and prevents you from taking advantage of new features and enhancements.

Despite the fact that major versions are thoroughly tested, WordPress issues do occasionally get through the gaps. That’s why minor WordPress updates (those beginning with X.X.X) are released on a regular basis to cater for it.

The following is the changelog of fixes released for WordPress 5.9.1.

The following core tickets from Trac were fixed:

• Twenty Twenty One: Editor Buttons margins incompatible with gap
• Default presets in use by default themes need to be updated
• Unnecessary database queries when a block theme isn’t in use
• Site transients cause DB errors when installing
• FSE Navigation Block Styling Submenu
• “Show hidden updates” button is invisible
• Cannot access ‘Manage menus’ in Navigation block toolbar when running a classic theme
• TT2: Blank screen displayed for custom post type
• PHP warning in `WP_REST_Global_Styles_Controller` if no `styles` exist in theme.json
• Media Library Overlay Drag-and-Drop To Reorder Images Does Not Work In WP 5.9
• Bounce hoverIntent.js version in script-loader to 10.1.2
• Check _get_cron_array type in upgrade_590 routine
• Standard post type UI is exposed for templates and template parts
• Twenty Twenty-Two: Theme Check Plugin issue for the image size
• Normalizing CSS also catches CSS IDs instead of only URLs
• Twenty Twenty-Two: 404 search label should be translated
• Twenty Twenty-Two: Pricing Table pattern header levels should be consistent
• By applying a background color to a group block, it aligns to the left in the editor
• Custom fields issue
• Media Library Dragging Option Isn’t Reflected
• Dashboard welcome banner: fix bug when displayed in certain contexts
• Twenty Twenty-Two – Update theme URI link
• Widgets editor: Widget Group is missing .wp-widget-group__inner-blocks container
• Twenty Twenty-Two: Restore padding for Group blocks with a background color
• Plugins no longer download to tmp folder
• In block themes, styles should load in the head
• View scripts of blocks are loaded in editor
• Full Site Editing: PHP Warning with incomplete presets
• Normalizing relative CSS links should skip data URIs
• Allow fully extending WP_Theme_JSON and WP_Theme_JSON_Resolver classes
• Backport bugfixes from Gutenberg into Core for WP 5.9.1
• Block styles should load after global styles in the editor
• Global styles duotone not rendering in post editor

The following block editor issues from GitHub were fixed:

• Fix for late static binding in the resolver
• Block Editor: Add settings to enable/disable auto anchor generation
• Load block support styles in the head for block themes
• Fix global styles loading logic
• Site Editor: Limit template part slugs to Latin chars
• Allow extending the WP_Theme_JSON_Gutenberg class
• Edit Site: Add template check to ‘setPage’ action
• Add site editor initial redirect error handling
• Fix search block html handling for label and button text
• Gallery block: copy all attributes when transforming to Image blocks
• Allow child classes to use the private methods and constants
• Only apply the social links block migration if there’s a need for a migration
• Block preview: fix resize listener
• Duotone: Allow users to specify custom filters
• Remove the aria-label from the site title block
• Images: Try moving responsive rule to common.scss.
• Cover block: Add back missing styles
• Gallery block: fix bug with link destination default option not being set
• Gallery: Ensure the last image takes up all available space
• Post Editor: Fix template queries
• Tree Grid: Fix keyboard navigation for expand/collapse table rows in Firefox
• Fix duotone render in non-fse themes
• Unset inherited backgrounds on Posts Lists
• Site Editor: Fix broken ‘Redo’ by removing faulty logic for discarding unsaved Logo changes
• Load the global styles before the theme styles in the editor
• Block.json schema: update fontSize and lineHeight props
• [History]: Fix redo after update/publish with transient edits
• Update core/archive block schema to reflect no block-level settings support
• Spacer: Fix unit settings filter
• Schema: Fix appearanceTools in theme.json schema
• Site Editor: Add keyboard shortcut help modal
• Site Editor: Add the “Help” link to the tools menu
• Fix: Colouring panel is unusable in RTL
• Docs: Add automated theme.json reference documentation
• Update: make color style labels simpler
• Show UI warning if Pages cannot be retrieved in Page List block
• Fix empty gray circle when a site has no logo on the template list page
• Update: Allow color gradient popover to be above the color toggle
• Border panel: Collapse color controls
• Site editor – try redirecting to homepage before the react render
• Remove versioning in theme schema descriptions
• Update: PanelColorGradientSettings to use dropdowns
• Block Editor: Handle the absence of href attrib in links
• Update theme.json version
• Update theme.json schema to allow for per-block management of settings
• Post Featured Image: Move width and height controls into the Dimensions panel via SlotFill
• Schemas: Allow custom blocks in theme.json styles
• Add pattern to name key in block.json Schema
• Schema: Allow block.json attribute type to be an array
• Fix duotone theme cache
• Spacer: add custom units for height and width
• Focus save button when entities save states panel is opened

It’s simple to upgrade your WordPress core, plugins, and themes anytime there’s a new version available. WordPress has an update notification mechanism built in. When you connect into your WordPress dashboard, it displays the number of available updates.

All you have to do now is go to Dashboard » Updates and apply the updates. This is a one-button operation.

However, because many website owners do not check their WordPress dashboard on a daily basis, they may be unaware that an update is available for days. You do, however, have a few options.

Automatic updates for minor releases are enabled if you’re using WordPress 3.7 or above (which are reserved for security and bug fixes). For major releases, plugins, and themes, you can enable automatic upgrades.

WordPress plugins are available to help you stay on top of core, plugin and theme updates. All you need to do is download a plugin like the Easy Updates Manager plugin and configure it.

wordpress.org/support/wordpress-version/version-5-9-1/