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Is it safe to update to WordPress 6.9 or should I wait
The release of WordPress 6.9 on December 2, 2025, has introduced significant stability risks for specific hosting environments. While the update functions correctly on many installations, isolated cases of severe performance degradation warrant immediate caution. If you manage high-traffic or mission-critical websites, delay this update until the release of a maintenance patch, likely version 6.9.1.
Technical Analysis of the “Freeze” Symptom
Administrators updating from version 6.8.3 have reported intermittent but crippling site hangs. The primary symptom presents as a “cold start” delay, where the initial page load lags between 4 and 20 seconds for both visitors and administrators. Subsequent refreshes often return to standard speeds (under 0.4 seconds), masking the issue during superficial testing.
Diagnostic tools such as Query Monitor reveal that the PHP OPCache nears saturation (94%) during these freeze events. This behavior suggests that the new core update may inefficiently handle script caching in certain server configurations, leading to memory bottlenecks that standard troubleshooting cannot resolve.
Troubleshooting and Resolution
Standard remediation steps failed to rectify the latency. Increasing PHP version limits and selectively deactivating plugins did not stabilize the environment. The only effective solution was a complete reversion to the previous stable build.
Recommended Action Plan:
- Backup immediately: Ensure you have a full database and file backup before attempting any fixes.
- Rollback: Use the “WP Downgrade” or “Core Rollback” tool to revert your installation to WordPress 6.8.3.
- Pause Updates: Disable auto-updates for the WordPress core until the development team addresses these specific performance anomalies.
Community Corroboration and CPU Spikes
External reports reinforce these findings. Hosting infrastructure managers on Reddit have documented instances where updating to WordPress 6.9 triggered continuous 100% CPU usage. While some administrators linked these spikes to the “WoodMart” theme, the issue persists in environments not utilizing that specific theme. This indicates the root cause lies within the WordPress core interaction with specific server resources, rather than a single third-party incompatibility.
Do not assume your site is safe simply because you do not use WoodMart. Test this update on a staging environment before applying it to your production site.