Make it easier to find what version of WordPress you are running

[karmatosed]

If you land on WordPress dashboard it's not that easy without knowing to see what version you are running. This is essential for things like support.

One possible option is to show this in the Help tab, after all there's a support link there. I am sure other places could be super helpful. Little changes like this go a long way to empowering people to know. For example see this issue made by someone wanting to find out: #47847

[Ipstenu]

FWIW, it is also listed on the admin footer of every page, however that can be (and is) filtered by plugins.

But as you can see from Tammy's screenshot, it's also in the 'At a Glance' box. I don't know that putting it in a third place that people have to click on to find would improve anything.

You'll also see it if you go to the "About WordPress" link and Dashboard -> Updates.

[SergeyBiryukov]

This seems to go the opposite direction of #35554 :)

FWIW, it is also listed on the admin footer of every page, however that can be (and is) filtered by plugins.

Not if there's a newer version available, see #15101 and #31046.

[karmatosed]

I agree and I was torn recommending yet another place :) My thinking here is right now the places it is are easy to ignore and filter out. That screenshot is taken from a 13 inch laptop so goes to show how easy to not see it would be in that case. The idea of in help is at least you get it where you need it.

It really does go to show though, we assume a lot of spots are easy to find and turns out they aren't and maybe just noise. Do we need it in the 'at a glance'? Is that a useful card now?

[justinahinon]

I think what @karmatosed means (correct if I'm wrong please) is that it should be somewhere where it's easily accessible for new users or those who are not used to work with the BO.

As you said the version is sometimes filtered or removed by plugins. It may be great then to have in a place where we can be sure it'll not be so.

[karmatosed]

I think what @karmatosed means (correct if I'm wrong please) is that it should be somewhere where it's easily accessible for new users or those who are not used to work with the BO.

You are absolutely correct there @justinahinon, that was my intent. I've been thinking a bit lately about what those of us that are used to WordPress assume and this feels like a tiny point but one to potentially think about.

[SergeyBiryukov]

Replying to SergeyBiryukov:

This seems to go the opposite direction of #35554 :)

Just noting there's a lot of discussion and ideas in that ticket. Could we maybe continue there?

[Ipstenu]

Do we need it in the 'at a glance'? Is that a useful card now?

Anecdotal plugin comment: Yes. That card is hooked into by people regularly for showing 'important' (YMMV on that one) info.

[SergeyBiryukov]

On the other hand, re-reading #35554, it doesn't really have consensus, so perhaps closing that one in favor of this one makes more sense :)

[donmhico]

IMHO users would only intentionally want to know their software's version for specific reasons (know if there are updates, needs support, compatibility with other softwares, and other related stuff). And if they do need to find it out, most of the time they would instinctively look for it in "Settings" or "About". I think at the moment we can find the WP version in

1. "At a glance" meta-box in dashboard - Which I believe can easily be "missed".

2. Dashboard -> Updates - Which can be considered "good enough" location, except that the current version isn't emphasized enough.

3. Tools -> Site Health - Personally I think this can be the best place. But except for just placing the version in the "Info" tab which is not the default tab for that page, the version can also be placed at the top of "Site Health Status". It can state something like

You are current running WP version: X.X

Which is wrapped with a background-colored div.

Red / Error -> Too old. (Version < WP Latest Version - 6) -> from the Auto-Update Proposal ​https://make.wordpress.org/core/2019/08/07/proposal-auto-update-old-versions-to-4-7/

Yellow / Orange / Warning -> (Version is between WP Latest Version and WP Latest Version - 6)

Green -> Latest Version.

[knutsp]

The strategy should be to slowly de-emphasize the version, especially when running the latest. When not, the focus should be on upgrading, but not hiding current version, as in footer.

It's hard to see how it can be even more prominent than being in the "At a glance" widget. Make it bolder? Please don't put it in even more places then it already is!

I can though agree then when visiting Site Health Info tab it could be more visible and have colours, as @donmhico suggests.

[SergeyBiryukov]

In 48709:

Upgrade/Install: Show the installed WordPress version number on WordPress Updates screen if there is a newer version available.

This makes it easier for a user to know how significant of an update the change might be, and helps them make an informed decision about how to proceed.

Props tmdesigned, dd32, circlecube, dkarfa, hakre, scribu, MadtownLems, markshep, nbachiyski, dmchale, miqrogroove, ovann86, danieltj, sterndata, seanpaulrasmussen, mrgrt, Commeuneimage, dpacks, puneetsahalot, jonoaldersonwp, SergeyBiryukov.
Fixes #15101. See #35554, #47848.

[marybaum]

Replying to SergeyBiryukov:

In 48709:

Upgrade/Install: Show the installed WordPress version number on WordPress Updates screen if there is a newer version available.

This makes it easier for a user to know how significant of an update the change might be, and helps them make an informed decision about how to proceed.

Props tmdesigned, dd32, circlecube, dkarfa, hakre, scribu, MadtownLems, markshep, nbachiyski, dmchale, miqrogroove, ovann86, danieltj, sterndata, seanpaulrasmussen, mrgrt, Commeuneimage, dpacks, puneetsahalot, jonoaldersonwp, SergeyBiryukov.
Fixes #15101. See #35554, #47848.

Trac ticket: https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/47848

[audrasjb]

Testing @costdev’s PR: works fine

[audrasjb]

The PR looks good to me 👍 (see screenshot above)

[audrasjb]

Maybe we could add a link to the version’s changelog on HelpHub (just like we do in the about page screen)… thoughts?

[marybaum]

Replying to audrasjb:

Maybe we could add a link to the version’s changelog on HelpHub (just like we do in the about page screen)… thoughts?

I think that's a fine idea! In which case we can also break up the Help tab copy a bit.

Current:

Welcome to your WordPress Dashboard! This is the screen you will see when you log in to your site, and gives you access to all the site management features of WordPress. You can get help for any screen by clicking the Help tab above the screen title.

How about:

Welcome to your WordPress Dashboard!

You will see this screen every time you log in to your site. From here you can get to every site-management feature WordPress includes, and you can get help for any screen — just click on the Help tab above the screen title.

[webcommsat]

Following the bug scrub today, new #54321 for this text change.

Replying to marybaum:

Replying to audrasjb:

Maybe we could add a link to the version’s changelog on HelpHub (just like we do in the about page screen)… thoughts?

I think that's a fine idea! In which case we can also break up the Help tab copy a bit.

Current:

Welcome to your WordPress Dashboard! This is the screen you will see when you log in to your site, and gives you access to all the site management features of WordPress. You can get help for any screen by clicking the Help tab above the screen title.

How about:

Welcome to your WordPress Dashboard!

You will see this screen every time you log in to your site. From here you can get to every site-management feature WordPress includes, and you can get help for any screen — just click on the Help tab above the screen title.

[costdev]

The PR has been updated with @audrasjb's suggestion of linking non-development versions to their changelog.

[audrasjb]

Given the patch was proposed by someone from Design team, I think we can go ahead with this PR.

[audrasjb]

I removed the needs-copy-review keyword since the ticket is about "Make it easier to find what version of WordPress you are running", not changing the dashboard widget text. Let's open a new ticket for this change if needed :)

[johnjamesjacoby]

In 51985:

Help/About: add WordPress version to contextual "Help" sidebar area.

This change adds a new way for users to quickly identify what version of WordPress they are looking at, directly from the "Help" sidebar on the main "Dashboard" page.

• Stable versions will link to their respective support documents.
• Development versions (alpha/beta/RC) will not link anywhere.

Props audrasjb, costdev, donmhico, hellofromtonya, ipstenu, justinahinon, karmatosed, knutsp, marybaum, sergeybiryukov, webcommsat.

Fixes #47848.

[SergeyBiryukov]

The changelog URL is translatable in a few other places in core:

$version_url = sprintf(
	/* translators: %s: WordPress version. */
	esc_url( __( 'https://wordpress.org/support/wordpress-version/version-%s/' ) ),
	sanitize_title( $wp_version )
);

Some locales do translate it, at least partially, see the one in ​Japanese, for example.

I think we'd want to do the same here. 47848.diff​ does that and simplifies the logic a bit.

[hellofromTonya]

In 51991:

Help/About: Simplifies WordPress version in "Help" sidebar.

Simplifies the logic for when not in alpha/beta/RC.

The changelog URL is translatable in a few other places in core. This commit uses the same pattern for consistency.

Follow-up to [51985].

Props sergeybiryukov.
Fixes #47848.

[hellofromTonya]

Thank you everyone for your contribution!

Committed via https://core.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/51985.