By default WordPress leaves it’s footprints on your site for the sake of tracking. That is how we know that WordPress is the World’s largest Blogging platform. But sometimes this footprint might be a security leak on your site if you are not running the most updated version of WordPress. Because you are providing the hacker with the useful information by telling them which version you are running.
If you are running the most up to date version of WordPress, which we recommend you do, then you do not have to worry about this tutorial at all. But if for some reason you are not, then it is in your best interest to follow this tutorial.
There are many ways to get rid of the WordPress version number from your header. But there is only one correct way to do this.
Some sites will recommend that you open your header.php file and get rid of this code:
<meta name="generator" content="WordPress <?php bloginfo('version'); ?>" />
Or others will recommend that you open your functions.php and add the following function:
remove_action('wp_head', 'wp_generator');
But both of these ways are offering you an incomplete solution. These ways will simply remove the WordPress version number from your head area. So if someone views your website source, they will not be able to see the version.
But a smart hacker who knows about WordPress will simply go to your RSS Feeds, and they will find your version number there because neither of the above codes will remove that number.
In order for you to completely remove your WordPress version number from both your head file and RSS feeds, you will need to add the following function to your functions.php file:
function wpbeginner_remove_version() {
return '';
}
add_filter('the_generator', 'wpbeginner_remove_version');
By adding this version, you will remove the WordPress version number from all different areas on your site. Above is the right way to remove WordPress Version number.
Note: We still recommend that you update to the latest version of WordPress because that is the only guaranteed way to keep your blog protected.
It worked like a charm, also for woocommerce version number
it worked, thank you.
i have added this line in functions.php, but wapplyzer can still detect the version
remove_action(‘wp_head’, ‘wp_generator’);
Well Abhi, your code doesn’t remove the version in rss feeds.
hy.. a practice that is still usable ? I want to ask, how to hide the plugin that we use information from view page source and various wordpress detector … thanks alot.
Will this prevent WordPress from auto-detect and notify me about new versions, so that i can update? Thanks
No it won’t. We do not recommend you to disable updates. Keeping your WordPress site up to date protects your site from security vulnerabilities. Please see our guide on why you should always use the latest version of WordPress.
Hello,
The functions.php is in my theme or in wp-includes, I have 2 files.
Tx !!
The functions.php file in your theme is where you can add custom codes. You should never edit files in wp-includes folder.
Tx !
thanks. Great way to do this.
For those like me who have read this to the bottom looking for a definitive answer only to be left wanting despite all the possibilities no one has Identified a solution that works for everyone.
I suggest you load WordPress in Wamp or similar and check every possibility.
How about the editorial staff have a look remove…remove the wheat from the chaff and re-post
The Right Way To Remove WordPress Version Number?
why so complicated? make it easy:
// remove wp version
add_filter(‘the_generator’, ‘__return_false’);
This doesn’t work for me.
If I’m using a a premium theme and the developer who keeps updating it, do I need to worry about this issue?
What do you think to using the following in functions.php?
remove_action(‘wp_head’, ‘wp_generator’);
this does nothing, I can still get the version number using fingerprinting….
Maybe I’m missing something here, but adding the filter does remove the version number but fails to remove it from the end of some of the styles sheets and a few .js files as well from plugins. i.e.
….css?ver=3.8.1′ type=’text/css’ media=’all’ />
Anyway to remove those as well?
Thanks
Hi
none of these methods work with WP 3.8/ RC2
I put the code:
function wpbeginner_remove_version() {
return ”;
}
add_filter(‘the_generator’, ‘wpbeginner_remove_version’);
in the bottom of my functions.php file. No effect.
Here is a sample of the scripts loading when I look at the source code, and you can see the wp ver is still tacked onto the end….
I tried some of the other code suggestions in this thread, and none of them worked either.
Perhaps I am doing something wrong?
Many thank in advance for your suggestions.
As you can see it is still showing at the end of each.
Try switching to a default theme and then try to remove generator meta tag.
thanks this really help me
But still Sucuri shows my WordPress version using the /wp-admin/js/common.js file.
You can password protect WordPress admin directory.
Yes, got it. Thank you so much.
Nope. It’s not working. Still sitecheck.sucuri.net show me that admin file,
Web application version:
WordPress version: WordPress
Wordpress Version 3.6.1 based on: http://www.mydomain.com//wp-admin/js/common.js
One should also delete readme.html in the root of the website because it contains WP version number.
There is a plugin for that. Very simple > http://wordpress.org/plugins/db-prefix-change/installation/
That plugin doesn’t remove the version number. It changes the prefix (wp_) for the database tables.
It should also be mentioned that if you want to hide the number, you should also get rid of the readme.html file that accompanies WordPress, as it displays the version in big giant numbers right at the top of the page. Last I read, it also hides in a JavaScript file somewhere as well, but I’m not sure which one.
I use this to remove the WordPress version.
‘remove_action(‘wp_head’, ‘wp_generator’); // Remove WordPress version from site’
A cleaner way is just this:
add_filter( 'the_generator', '__return_null' );WHERE DO I ADD THIS add_filter( ‘the_generator’, ‘__return_null’ ); in functions.php WHERE
WHICH LINE?!
Add it in line 1. As long as it is not part of another function, then it would work.
This is arguably on of the most useful code snippets ever. Plugins break so this is a perfect way to remove the generator meta tag from WordPress.
Why don’t wpbeginner use it ? :p
@mrahmadawais Because we keep the most updated version running.
Sorry to say it is not working with feed, I means it not remove version number from feed, I personally add the function you specified , it remove from my home page source but not from rss page source, you can view my rss page source it is still there http://www.techispot.com/feed
Any one find solution please share
i wanted to keep the generator without the version number, so i’m returning instead of an empty string…
is this correct?
Removing the generator code has nothing to do with security, frankly. If someone is targeting your site in particular, there are other effective ways to determine a version number. If it’s just a malicious script, it’s going to try every exploit that has ever worked regardless of your version. Indeed, we have never seen an exploit script attempting to do version detection.
Also, the statement “While plugins are great, they somewhat slow your site down,” is a bit misleading in this context, I feel. Yes, a lot of plugins that do heavy-lifting will increase drag on a server. But a good amount of core uses the Plugin API to hook into itself, using the same methods as a plugin. And adding this code to functions.php is doing the same thing.
“Also, the statement “While plugins are great, they somewhat slow your site down,” is a bit misleading in this context, I feel. ”
Nice argument! I’m researching on how to remove plugin scripts that are not necessary/not in use to a page but being requested every time in the server.
Thanks dude worked like a charm thanks again keep up the good work
Thats really great tip. Working perfect! Thanks
It still leaves the version in the RSS source
http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1
Do you have a screenshot? Because we activated this function on a few sites and it didn’t show.
The only thing that bothers me about this is that it leaves the line open in the header… not normally an issue but my ocd hates that part
I was using the remove_action method. Can’t thank you enough
Realized that the “Secure WordPress” plugin already does that for you and more. Assuming most people would be interested in securing their WordPress (not just hiding the version number), it would be better to make use of that plugin to do all these for you.
Incidentally, I got to know of the Secure WordPress plugin via wpbeginner. https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/11-vital-tips-and-hacks-to-protect-your-wordpress-admin-area/
Nice work guys! Keep on writing!
While plugins are great, they somewhat slow your site down. Why use a plugin if it can be done with a simple function in your functions.php file. But yes Secure WordPress plugin does that as well on all versions older than 2.4.
Would have to agree with you on that: just modding the functions.php would be more efficient than adding a plugin just to remove the version number.
Ok, I’ve found the error.
You must add the created function in the plugin.php file and not in the function.php file.
The whole idea for this code is so you don’t have to edit any core files. If you edit plugin.php whenever you next update WordPress it will come back.
Ok the error was mine, I was modifying the wrong function.php file.
The correct one is function.php inside the theme directory and not the one in the core.
Thank you!!!
It’s strange, it gives me the error:
Call to undefined function: add_filter()
But I’ve checked the plugin.php file and I have obviously the add_filter() funciont defined.
Any suggestion? Ths.
Did you copy and paste the code exactly from this site? It has to be inside php tags.
It’s a nice tips, thanks a lot ! Probably the best way to remove it !
Great tip! nice to see a complete fix tutorial out there.
I’m sure a lot of bloggers doesn’t know how to remove the wordpress version correctly, this post is a great help.
Will it remove only the version number or the “WordPress” name too?
It will remove both. The entire generator code.