WordPress 4.6 to Update Theme Filter Tags in the Admin

The admin themes browser has been updated and modernized in recent years to make it easier to search through the 3,800+ themes available on WordPress.org. One aspect of the interface that has lagged behind, however, is the list of tags for filtering themes. The tags have gone untouched since back in the day when users would search themes by color.

The WordPress Theme Review Team’s proposal to overhaul the outdated tags/filters is making it into WordPress 4.6. All of the color tags will be removed, which makes sense since many modern themes are customizable when it comes to accent colors. The update will also remove fixed, fluid, and responsive layouts and will add ‘Grid Layout’ to the list. In the list of miscellaneous features, Blavatar will be removed and Footer Widgets will be added.

The Subject section will be completely revamped by removing the all the previous tags and replacing them with a new list of general theme categories:

Blog

E-Commerce

Education

Entertainment

Food & Drink

Holiday

News

Photography

Portfolio

The tags will also be updated on the WordPress Theme Directory in cooperation with the meta team.

The WordPress theme landscape has changed so much over the years, especially with the introduction of the customizer, and this update will make it easier for users to narrow down themes they want to use. WordPress.org theme authors will want to be ready to update their themes as soon as the new tags are available so that they can be more easily found via search.