WordPress 3.3 was released yesterday, and I thought I’d take a minute to point out what’s new. There are some really great improvements and it’s already faster and easier to use. Here are the highlights:
Media File Type Detection
You used to have to tell WordPress what format you were uploading. Now instead of clicking on a specific upload icon to determine your file type, WordPress auto-detects it for you.
Drag-and-drop Media Uploader
I’m super excited about this feature, as it’s something I’ve wanted to see happen for a long time. Instead of navigating to a file on your computer, which often means wading through multiple sub-folders to get to the file you want, simply drag files from your desktop and drop them into the uploader. You can upload files one at a time, or a bunch at once. It’s already a huge timesaver for me.
Flyout Menus
I didn’t think this would be a big deal until I saw it in action. Instead of clicking on a section then clicking on the item in the expanded menu, just hover over the section title and the submenu expands automatically. This really saves you from lot of unnecessary clicks and makes everything faster.
Header + Admin Bar = Toolbar
This was done to save space and make things more efficient. Hover over a toolbar item and you’ll see submenus automatically. Again, less clicks + less page reloads = quicker and more efficient workflow.
Feature Pointers
When you see a new feature for the first time, you’ll get a popup tooltip. You can dismiss it by clicking on the “dismiss” link.
Dashboard Welcome
There’s a new welcome area on the dashboard that appears when a new WordPress installation is used for the first time. It includes prompts to complete various setup tasks. Helpful for sure – then once you dismiss it you can always go view it again in the dashboard home screen options tab.
But Wait, There’s More!
There are also other nice improvements, such as improved co-editing, a Tumblr importer, flexible permalinks, simpler post slugs, widget improvements, jQuery improvements,and more.
So go to your site and update WordPress today to see all the new features.
Have fun!
P.S. – If you’re on a Sprout New Media Maintenance Plan, this is already being done for you, so you can expect to see the new features in the next day or so.
If you’re NOT on a maintenance plan, you might want to check it out before the price goes up next month.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Oooh, Tumblr importer
Like you Lisa, I have been waiting patiently for the drag and drop upload. Does it auto detect the file type for those too or does it just detect them in the media area?
Sarah Arrow recently posted..Up periscope – Women now serving on submarines
The drag and drop uploader will detect the type of media you’re using. I’m really loving that feature.
Drag and drop!!! Finally!!! This should make life much easier.
Thanks for the awesome breakdown of the new features!
Yes! So many times I’ve wished this feature existed – I guess they heard me!
Love the drag and drop feature and can you say more about the Tumblr importer? What would you use that for? Do you import images from Tumblr? What about copyright issues?
Lisa recently posted..How Curiosity Leads to Success
Hi Lisa! I haven’t used the importer, but it will import your Tumblr blog into your WordPress blog. As long as you’re using images that you have the right to use and giving credit accordingly, you can import them without any worries.