A call for testing has been published for responsive styling, a feature being developed as part of the upcoming WordPress 7.1 release. The feature introduces device-specific block styling in the editor, allowing users to apply different styles for desktop, tablet, and mobile without relying on custom CSS.
Users can now adjust block styles for different devices from the editor
Nikunj Hatkar (one of the Test Team reps and developer at TeamUpdraft) highlighted that block styles currently apply uniformly across all screen sizes, meaning changes such as font size or spacing affect desktop, tablet, and mobile alike. Responsive styling changes that by allowing users to assign different style values for desktop, tablet, and mobile directly within the editor, eliminating the need for custom CSS for those adjustments.
The testing focuses on the new responsive editing workflow introduced by the feature. According to the post, testers should verify that the device preview selector stays synchronized with the resizable editor canvas, while the new Responsive editing option applies style changes only to the selected viewport. Hatkar also asks contributors to confirm that viewport-specific edits are preserved, editor previews match the front end, and the functionality behaves consistently across the Post, Template, Pattern, and Navigation editors.
Earlier this year, Mike McAlister released Responsive controls for Ollie Theme, and back then McAlister had commented, “ Hopefully we see responsive controls in WordPress core soon. That’s the most ideal place for something like this.”
The call for testing also outlines a number of expected behaviors during testing. Responsive editing follows a desktop-first approach, with desktop styles cascading to tablet and mobile until overridden. Only styles configured through the block inspector, such as typography, spacing, and colors, support viewport-specific values, while toolbar controls like alignment continue to apply across all devices. The team notes that the feature remains under active development and that some interface elements, including desktop resize handles, may still have known limitations.
Plugin and theme developers are also encouraged to test their integrations with the updated editor canvas model. While existing code using getDeviceType() and setDeviceType() is expected to continue working, the useResizeCanvas() has been deprecated. Hatkar also stated that responsive styling is supported for custom blocks built with block supports, while blocks that rely on custom controls will not automatically gain the new functionality.
Contributors are encouraged to share feedback and report issues
The team is inviting contributors to share general feedback and user experience impressions in the comments on the testing post, while bugs and regressions should be submitted through the Gutenberg issue tracker with a reference to PR #75121. Questions about potential issues can also be raised in the #core-test Slack channel.
WordPress 7.1 is scheduled to be released on August 19, 2026, coinciding with the final day of WordCamp US 2026.