WordPress 6.9 adds block-level Notes, dashboard-wide Command Palette, and Abilities API

WordPress 6.9 “Gene” has been released with several functional upgrades, starting with Notes, a new block-level commenting system that lets editors leave feedback directly on individual text, layout, media, or design blocks without leaving the editor. The Command Palette is now available across the full dashboard, giving users the ability to trigger actions, switch views, and open tools through keyboard commands from any screen.

Paragraph and Heading blocks add a “fit text to container” option that automatically adjusts typography to fill available space, which helps when creating banners or other prominent text sections. For developers, the update introduces the Abilities API, a unified permissions system that standardizes capability handling across PHP, REST endpoints, and AI driven tools. More than 30 accessibility fixes also refine screen reader behavior, input cursor placement, CSS content visibility, and focus consistency.

Performance improvements cover both classic and block themes through optimized block styles, reduced inline CSS, and adjusted script prioritization. Backend changes include more efficient database queries, refined caching, enhanced WP Cron spawning, and a new output buffer for template handling.