First published in January 1971 along with the Ensign and the Friend, the New Era's intended audience was the church's youth.

[1][2] The magazine replaced the similarly themed The Improvement Era, a periodical published from 1897 to 1970.

[3] In its first issue, the editor of the New Era explained the rationale for its creation, stating: The New Era regularly included articles written by general authorities of the LDS Church on gospel topics, as well as articles contributed by other church members on topics such as preparing for marriage, media and entertainment, and the family.

Poems, artwork, tips for coping with life's challenges, and true stories of inspiration, are also commonplace.

In August 2020, the LDS Church announced that the New Era would cease publication in at the end of 2020 and would be replaced by a new magazine named For the Strength of Youth.