Introducing WPBakery 9.0 Beta release
WPBakery 9.0 is scheduled for release at the end of July 2026, and the beta version is now available for testing.
This is not a routine update. WPBakery 9.0 has been in planning and production for almost a year and is considered one of the biggest WPBakery releases in years. The update introduces significant performance improvements, user interface refinements, developer-focused enhancements, and compatibility improvements across the wider WordPress ecosystem.
Before the official release, we are running our largest WPBakery beta testing program ever. The goal is to make sure WPBakery 9.0 works smoothly across the 6+ million websites that rely on WPBakery, including sites using custom themes, add-ons, integrations, and advanced layouts.
If you are a WPBakery direct license owner, you can download and test the WPBakery 9.0 beta for free through the WPBakery Customer Center.
If you do not have a direct WPBakery license yet, you can still get a WPBakery lifetime license before the WPBakery 9.0 release and join the beta testing program once your license is active.
How to access the WPBakery 9.0 Beta
The WPBakery 9.0 beta is available through the WPBakery Customer Center for direct license owners.
Please install the beta version only on a staging, development, or localhost environment. Do not install the beta on a live production website.
To access and install the beta:
- Go to the WPBakery Customer Center: https://support.wpbakery.com
- Log in with the WPBakery account connected to your direct license.
- In the left menu, open the Beta section.
- Download the latest WPBakery 9.0 beta plugin ZIP file.
- Open your WordPress staging site or localhost installation, then go to Plugins → Add New Plugin → Upload Plugin. Upload the beta ZIP file, install it manually, and activate it.
After installation, review your most important pages, templates, layouts, custom elements, and integrations. If you notice any unexpected behavior, please report it through the beta feedback form.
Important: Test the beta only on staging or localhost. Do not install the beta version on a live production website.
The WPBakery 9.0 beta is a pre-release version. It is intended for testing, validation, and compatibility checks before the final public release.
The purpose of beta testing is to identify potential issues before they can affect production websites after the official WPBakery 9.0 release. A staging or localhost environment gives you a safe place to test the new version against your real site structure, theme, plugins, and custom code without creating risk for visitors or customers.
What to test first
When testing WPBakery 9.0 beta, we recommend reviewing the areas that are most important for your website or product.
Start with existing pages built with WPBakery. Open them in the editor, make small changes, save the page, and check the front-end result. Pay attention to layouts, spacing, responsive behavior, custom styling, and any elements provided by themes or add-ons.
Next, create a new test page. Add rows, columns, standard WPBakery elements, custom elements, and any third-party elements your site depends on. Test both simple and complex layouts.
For more complete WPBakery testing, review:
- Existing WPBakery pages and templates
- Front-end and back-end editing workflows
- Page layout, spacing, and responsive behavior
- Theme compatibility
- Add-on compatibility
- Custom elements and mapped shortcodes
- Custom CSS and JavaScript
- Browser console errors
- PHP warnings or notices
- Caching and optimization plugin behavior
- WooCommerce, multilingual, or other plugin integrations where relevant
The more detailed your testing is, the more useful your feedback will be.
Why WPBakery 9.0 matters
WPBakery is used by a broad WordPress audience: individual site owners, freelancers, agencies, theme authors, add-on developers, and teams managing complex websites.
A major release has to do more than introduce visible improvements. It needs to support real production workflows, preserve compatibility, improve performance, and make everyday editing more reliable.
That is why WPBakery 9.0 has been developed with a strong focus on stability, performance, usability, and ecosystem compatibility. Internal testing is important, but beta testing adds something that cannot be fully recreated in a controlled environment: real websites, real themes, real plugins, real customizations, and real workflows.
The larger and more diverse the WPBakery beta testing program is, the smoother the final update experience can be for everyone.
Significant performance improvements
One of the most important technical improvements in WPBakery 9.0 is the redesigned approach to CSS loading.
In WPBakery 9.0, we have improved how CSS assets are handled by introducing splitting and smart loading. The goal is to load only the necessary assets instead of loading more than a page actually needs.
For website owners, this creates a stronger foundation for cleaner and more efficient front-end output. For agencies and developers, it helps improve maintainability across client websites where performance is often affected by multiple themes, plugins, layouts, and optimization tools.
Because performance can vary depending on site configuration, beta testing is especially important. We encourage users to test different page types, including landing pages, content pages, WooCommerce pages, portfolio layouts, and any pages that use custom WPBakery elements.
Improved user interface and editing experience
WPBakery 9.0 also includes user interface and experience improvements across the builder.
This includes refinements to edit windows, controls, the navigation bar, settings, and attributes. These are areas that affect daily work inside WPBakery, especially for users who build and maintain pages regularly.
The goal is not to change the editing experience for the sake of change. The goal is to make WPBakery clearer, smoother, and easier to work with.
Small improvements in editing windows, controls, and navigation can reduce friction for new users while helping experienced users work faster. During beta testing, we are especially interested in feedback about real editing workflows: how settings are opened, how controls behave, how quickly users can move between elements, and whether the editing experience feels consistent.
New attributes for developers
WPBakery 9.0 introduces new attributes for developers to make custom element development easier.
This is important for agencies, theme authors, and add-on developers who extend WPBakery for client projects, commercial themes, or custom integrations. Many websites depend on custom elements, mapped shortcodes, theme-specific components, and add-on functionality.
The new developer-focused improvements are designed to create a more flexible and practical foundation for building with WPBakery. Updated developer documentation will be published soon to support these changes.
If you are a theme author, add-on author, or developer maintaining custom WPBakery elements, we strongly encourage you to test the beta version before the official release. This is the right time to confirm compatibility, review your integrations, and report anything that needs attention.
Compatibility improvements and refinements
WPBakery 9.0 also includes smaller fixes, refinements, and compatibility improvements with many of our partners.
These updates are important because WordPress websites rarely operate in isolation. A typical website include a theme, multiple plugins, custom CSS, custom JavaScript, third-party WPBakery add-ons, optimization tools, multilingual functionality, WooCommerce, and hosting-specific configurations.
The beta program helps us validate WPBakery 9.0 across more real-world combinations before the final version is released.
Who should I test WPBakery 9.0 beta?
The WPBakery 9.0 beta is especially relevant for:
- WPBakery direct license owners
- Agencies managing client websites
- Freelancers building WordPress sites
- Developers using custom WPBakery elements
- Theme authors
- Add-on authors
- Advanced users with staging environments
- Partners who need to validate compatibility before release
If your website, theme, add-on, or client workflow depends on WPBakery, beta testing gives you an opportunity to prepare before the official WPBakery 9.0 release.
Share feedback and help improve the final release
The WPBakery 9.0 beta is not only a preview. It is an opportunity for customers and partners to help shape the final release.
If you find an issue, notice unexpected behavior, or have feedback about the new editing experience, please let us know through the beta feedback form.
When submitting feedback, include as much detail as possible:
- WordPress version
- PHP version
- WPBakery beta version
- Active theme
- Active plugins
- Browser and operating system
- Screenshots or screen recordings
- Error messages
- Steps needed to reproduce the issue
Clear feedback helps our team investigate faster and prepare a stronger final release.
FAQ: WPBakery 9.0 beta testing
What is the WPBakery 9.0 beta?
The WPBakery 9.0 beta is a pre-release version of the upcoming WPBakery 9.0 update. It allows eligible users to test new performance, interface, developer, and compatibility improvements before the official release.
Who can access the WPBakery beta?
The beta version is available for free to WPBakery direct license owners through the WPBakery Customer Center.
Where can I download the WPBakery 9.0 beta?
Direct license owners can download the beta from the WPBakery Customer Center at https://support.wpbakery.com by logging in and opening the Beta section in the left menu.
Can I get access if I do not have a WPBakery license yet?
Yes. You can get a WPBakery lifetime license before the WPBakery 9.0 release and access the beta through the Customer Center once your license is active.
Can I install WPBakery 9.0 beta on a live website?
Yes and no. The beta version should only be installed on staging, development, or localhost environments. It should not be installed on live production websites. Installing beta version on a live site can cause damage to your website and business, including financial loss.
When will WPBakery 9.0 be released?
WPBakery 9.0 is scheduled for release at the end of July 2026. The price date will be announced prior to the release and depends on testing results.
What are the main improvements in WPBakery 9.0?
WPBakery 9.0 includes significant performance improvements, redesigned CSS loading with splitting and smart loading, user interface improvements, new developer attributes, compatibility updates, and smaller refinements.
What should developers test in WPBakery 9.0 beta?
Developers should test custom elements, mapped shortcodes, new attributes, theme integrations, add-ons, custom CSS, custom JavaScript, and compatibility with existing development workflows.
How do I report WPBakery beta feedback?
Use the beta feedback form and include clear reproduction steps, environment details, screenshots, browser information, active theme, active plugins, and any visible errors.
Test WPBakery 9.0 before the official release
WPBakery 9.0 represents almost a year of planning and production. It is one of the most important WPBakery releases in years, and we want the final version to be stable, performant, and ready for the full diversity of WordPress websites using WPBakery.
If you are a direct license owner, log in to the WPBakery Customer Center, download the WPBakery 9.0 beta, install it on a staging or localhost environment, and share your feedback with us. If you don’t have a license yet – it is the best time to get your WPBakery lifetime license.
Your testing helps make WPBakery 9.0 stronger before the official release.
