WPBeginner

Beginner's Guide for WordPress

  • Blog
    • Beginners Guide
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Showcase
    • Themes
    • Tutorials
    • WordPress Plugins
  • Start Here
  • Deals
  • Glossary
  • Videos
  • Products
X
☰
Beginner's Guide for WordPress / Start your WordPress Blog in minutes
Choosing the Best
WordPress Hosting
How to Easily
Install WordPress
Recommended
WordPress Plugins
View all Guides

WPBeginner» Blog» Themes» How to Remove Author Name from WordPress Posts

How to Remove Author Name from WordPress Posts

Last updated on October 23rd, 2017 by Editorial Staff
139 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share
Special WordPress Hosting offer for WPBeginner Readers
How to Remove Author Name from WordPress Posts

Do you want to remove the author name from your WordPress posts? By default, WordPress does not have an option to publish articles without an author name. In this article, we will show you few different ways to remove author name from your WordPress posts.

Remove author name from WordPress posts

Method 1: Remove Author Name from WordPress Posts Using a Plugin

This method is easier and recommended for all users. However, it may not work with all WordPress themes.

First thing you need to do is install and activate the Show Hide Author plugin. For more details, see our step by step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Upon activation, you need to visit Plugins » Show/Hide Author page to configure plugin settings.

Show/Hide Author settings

The plugin automatically hides author name for all post types. If you want to display the author name for a specific post type, then you need to select it on this screen.

Below the post types, you can also add custom URLs where you want to hide the author name.

This plugin can hide author name in most cases. However, your WordPress theme may still show accompanying text before the author name. For example, ‘by John Smith’ would now just show ‘by’.

To hide this byline, you need to visit your website and take the mouse over to the text you want to hide. Next, you need to right click and select Inspect tool from your browser menu.

Now you need to locate the div class containing your author byline.

Byline text class

Next, you need to copy the CSS class used here and then paste it in the plugin settings under Advanced options.

Add byline class to hide it

Don’t forget to click on the save changes button to store your settings.

Method 2: Manually Remove Author Name from WordPress Posts

This method requires you to edit WordPress theme files. If you haven’t done this before, then please take a look at our guide on how to copy and paste code in WordPress.

Note: Make sure that you create backup of your theme or child theme before making any changes. If something goes wrong, then this will help you easily revert changes.

WordPress themes use different variations of code to display author name. You will need to locate the code responsible for displaying the author’s name in your theme files and delete it.

Most common locations to find this code are single.php, content.php, archive.php, and index.php files.

In many cases, you will not be able to find the code that outputs author name. Instead, you will find a template tag defined in the functions.php file or template-tags.php file.

For example, the default Twenty Seventeen theme uses the function twentyseventeen_posted_on to display author name and post date / time. This function is defined in template-tags.php file.

function twentyseventeen_posted_on() {
	// Get the author name; wrap it in a link.
	$byline = sprintf(
		_x( 'by %s', 'post author', 'twentyseventeen' ),
		'<span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="' . esc_url( get_author_posts_url( get_the_author_meta( 'ID' ) ) ) . '">' . get_the_author() . '</a></span>'
	);
	// Finally, let's write all of this to the page.
	echo '<span class="posted-on">' . twentyseventeen_time_link() . '</span><span class="byline"> ' . $byline . '</span>'; // WPCS: XSS OK.
}

Now you just need to remove the code that outputs the author name. Take a look at following example:

function twentyseventeen_posted_on() {
	// Finally, let's write all of this to the page.
	echo '<span class="posted-on">' . twentyseventeen_time_link() . '</span><span class="byline"> ' . $byline . '</span>'; // WPCS: XSS OK.
}

Don’t forget to save your changes and upload the files back to your website.

You can now visit your website to see your changes in action:

Author name removed by manually editing theme files

Method 3: Create a Generic Author Name for Publishing WordPress Posts

This method does not remove the author name, but it can be used as a workaround.

Basically you will create a generic author name and use it for all your past and future articles. You will need to change the author name before publishing each post.

This method is irreversible. If you do this and want to revert back, then you will have to edit each post and assign it to the original author manually.

That being said, let’s get started.

First add a new author to your WordPress site and give it a generic username such as editorialteam.

Add new user

Next, you need to visit Users » All Users page and click on the ‘Edit’ link below the username you just added.

Edit user

On the user profile screen, scroll down to the ‘Nickname’ option and enter the name you want to be displayed (for example: Editorial Team).

After that click on the drop down menu next to ‘Display name publicly as’ option and select the nickname you just entered.

Select display name

You can also add a generic bio and even create a gravatar for that user account.

Now go to Posts » All Posts page and click on the screen options menu at the top. Enter 999 for number of items to display.

Show all posts on screen

This will allow you to quickly edit and change author name for a large number of posts.

You need to select all posts using the checkbox and then select edit under the bulk actions drop down menu. After that click on the ‘Apply’ button to continue.

Select all posts for bulk editing

WordPress will now show you the bulk editing options. You need to change the author to the generic author name you added earlier and then click on update button.

Bulk change author name

WordPress will now update all selected posts and change author name. Remember, this process may take some time depending on how fast your WordPress hosting is.

If you have more than 999 posts, then you will need to go to page 2 and repeat the process.

That’s all, you can now visit your website to see it in action.

Team author name

We hope this article helped you learn how to remove author name from WordPress posts. You may also want to see our list of 25 effective ways to monetize your website.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

139 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share
Popular on WPBeginner Right Now!
  • How to Properly Move Your Blog from WordPress.com to WordPress.org

  • Google Analytics in WordPress

    How to Install Google Analytics in WordPress for Beginners

  • Error Establishing a Database Connection in WordPress

    How to Fix the Error Establishing a Database Connection in WordPress

  • Checklist

    Checklist: 15 Things You MUST DO Before Changing WordPress Themes

About the Editorial Staff

Editorial Staff at WPBeginner is a team of WordPress experts led by Syed Balkhi. Page maintained by Syed Balkhi.

The Ultimate WordPress Toolkit

5 Comments

Leave a Reply
  1. Glen Appleton says:
    Mar 29, 2018 at 9:21 pm

    And then there’s the CSS method, which you covered partially in the first (plugin) method. Use the same element inspector to find the CSS class (byline in Twenty Seventeen theme), and use the CSS selector to set the display to “none”. For example:

    article.type-post .byline {
    display: none;
    }

    NOTE: This only removes it from the rendered page, and not the page source. You should create a separate editor account for posting articles on your site, and make sure that account doesn’t have admin privileges.

    Hope this helps.

    Reply
  2. Ngoc Anh says:
    Mar 9, 2018 at 7:39 am

    Hi, How can I hide the author description below the post? Please help me! thanks a lot

    Reply
  3. joe says:
    Feb 26, 2018 at 7:58 pm

    just another security flaw in outdated wordpress. every post shows my login admin name. why someone wont update wordpress to fix the known issues hackers use to hack it just boggles my mind.

    Reply
    • WPBeginner Support says:
      Feb 27, 2018 at 6:21 pm

      Hi Joe,

      Please see our guide on how to add or change your full name in WordPress. By adding a full name and selecting it to display publicly you would be able to stop WordPress form showing the username you use for login.

      Reply
  4. Ireneusz says:
    Dec 8, 2017 at 6:01 am

    Hi,

    I used Show Hide Author plugin, but not working. I removed author, but left “by”. I cannot remove “by” in theme FitWP in posts. There’s no class “byline” in code.

    I try put by in field Regular expressions, but not working.

    Please help me.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Thanks for choosing to leave a comment. Please keep in mind that all comments are moderated according to our comment policy, and your email address will NOT be published. Please Do NOT use keywords in the name field. Let's have a personal and meaningful conversation.

Over 600,000+ Readers

Get fresh content from WPBeginner

Featured WordPress Plugin
MonsterInsights
MonsterInsights
Google Analytics made easy for WordPress. Learn More »
How to Start a Blog How to Start a Blog
I need help with ...
Starting a
Blog
WordPress
Performance
WordPress
Security
WordPress
SEO
WordPress
Errors
Building an
Online Store
Useful WordPress Guides
    • 7 Best WordPress Backup Plugins Compared (Pros and Cons)
    • How to Fix the Error Establishing a Database Connection in WordPress
    • Why You Need a CDN for your WordPress Blog? [Infographic]
    • 25 Legit Ways to Make Money Online Blogging with WordPress
    • Self Hosted WordPress.org vs. Free WordPress.com [Infograph]
    • Free Recording: WordPress Workshop for Beginners
    • 24 Must Have WordPress Plugins for Business Websites
    • How to Properly Move Your Blog from WordPress.com to WordPress.org
    • 5 Best Contact Form Plugins for WordPress Compared
    • Which is the Best WordPress Popup Plugin? (Comparison)
    • Best WooCommerce Hosting in 2018 (Comparison)
    • How to Fix the Internal Server Error in WordPress
    • How to Install WordPress - Complete WordPress Installation Tutorial
    • Why You Should Start Building an Email List Right Away
    • How to Properly Move WordPress to a New Domain Without Losing SEO
    • How to Choose the Best WordPress Hosting for Your Website
    • How to Choose the Best Blogging Platform (Comparison)
    • WordPress Tutorials - 200+ Step by Step WordPress Tutorials
    • 5 Best WordPress Ecommerce Plugins Compared
    • 5 Best WordPress Membership Plugins (Compared)
    • 7 Best Email Marketing Services for Small Business (2018)
    • Which is the Best WordPress Slider? Performance + Quality Compared
    • The Truth About Shared WordPress Web Hosting
    • When Do You Really Need Managed WordPress Hosting?
    • 5 Best Drag and Drop WordPress Page Builders Compared
    • How to Switch from Blogger to WordPress without Losing Google Rankings
    • How to Properly Switch From Wix to WordPress (Step by Step)
    • How to Properly Move from Weebly to WordPress (Step by Step)
    • Do You Really Need a VPS? Best WordPress VPS Hosting Compared
    • How to Properly Move from Squarespace to WordPress
    • 5 Best VPN Services for WordPress Users (Compared)
    • HostGator Review - An Honest Look at Speed & Uptime (2018)
    • SiteGround Reviews from 1032 Users & Our Experts (2018)
    • Bluehost Review from Real Users + Performance Stats (2018)
    • How Much Does It Really Cost to Build a WordPress Website?
    • How to Start a Podcast with WordPress (Step by Step)
    • How to Choose the Best Domain Name (8 Tips and Tools)
    • How to Setup a Professional Email Address with Google Apps and Gmail
    • How to Install Google Analytics in WordPress for Beginners
    • How to Move WordPress to a New Host or Server With No Downtime
    • Why is WordPress Free? What are the Costs? What is the Catch?
    • How to Make a Website in 2018 – Step by Step Guide
Deals & Coupons (view all)
OptinMonster
OptinMonster Coupon
Save 10% off on OptinMonster, the best lead generation plugin for WordPress.
Godaddy Pro
Godaddy WordPress Hosting Coupon
Get Godaddy Managed WordPress Hosting for $1 per month and a Free Domain.
Featured In
About WPBeginner®

WPBeginner is a free WordPress resource site for Beginners. WPBeginner was founded in July 2009 by Syed Balkhi. The main goal of this site is to provide quality tips, tricks, hacks, and other WordPress resources that allows WordPress beginners to improve their site(s).

Site Links
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • FTC Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Free Blog Setup
Our Sites
  • OptinMonster
  • MonsterInsights
  • WPForms
  • List25
  • Awesome Motive
  •  

Copyright © 2009 - 2018 WPBeginner LLC. All Rights Reserved. WPBeginner® is a registered trademark.

WordPress hosting by HostGator | WordPress CDN by MaxCDN | WordPress Security by Sucuri.