How to Remove Powered By WordPress Link from Footer
So, you’ve worked so hard to knock out an awesome WordPress Website. It’s beautiful, functions as it should – everything looks fine. Then, you noticed a text link right in the theme footer in WordPress which reads “Proudly Powered by WordPress”. In this guide, we will show you how to remove powered by WordPress link from the footer in WordPress.
Well you love your WordPress site, and you would gladly admit that your site is WP based if someone asks, but you likely do not want that WordPress credit plastered on your site.
Thankfully, powered by WordPress credit link in the footer of your website can be removed. While this footer message won’t hurt your website in any way, it could make your website come across as unprofessional. If you run a business website, this link can make your business appear less credible.
In this tutorial, you will learn the different techniques for removing WordPress footer credit.
In this article:
- Are there legal consequences for removing powered by WordPress text link?
- Techniques for removing powered by WordPress footer link
Are there Legal Consequences if you Remove Powered By WordPress?
The short answer is no. WordPress, being a free and open technology, permits users to edit the code as they please. WordPress is backed up by GPL (General Public License) license. This license permits just about anybody to edit and redistribute WordPress.
Additionally, all themes from WordPress repository are also covered by GPL. So, removing the footer credit won’t get you in legal troubles.
Now we have settled the legal part, let’s see how to remove this powered by WordPress text link from the footer of your website.
How To Remove Powered By WordPress Footer Link
It’s always a good idea to back up your website before editing the code to the core files. Things could go wrong when you least expect, and so having a backup is a wise thing to do. So, before we proceed with this tutorial, create a backup of your website.
There are a couple of ways to go about removing powered by WordPress footer link. For this tutorial, we would be considering two easy to use techniques.
Technique #1: Customizing the website’s theme
Most themes make room for removing powered by WordPress footer link. To do this, log into your admin dashboard, navigate to Appearance >> Customize.
Now, the next step to removing WordPress footer credit will largely depend on the WordPress theme you are using. You can either navigate to:
- Appearance >> Customize >> Footer Area and then disabling footer credit
- Appearance >> Customize >> Site Identity and then hiding the footer credit
Technique #2: Editing the footer.php file
Right in your admin dashboard, navigate to Appearance >> Editor Appearance >> Editor
Next, scroll down to the footer.php file.
Locate the line that reads “Proudly powered by WordPress” and delete it starting from the opening php tag.
Finally, update file. After removing the footer credit, you should have something like this:
Note: Another popular technique for removing powered by WordPress footer message is by making edits to the website’s CSS. This involves setting the display of site-info to none. That is:
.site-info{display: none;}
The problem, however, is that this technique might hurt your website’s SEO. Google seriously frowns at hiding links in CSS. For this reason, we left out mentioning this technique in this tutorial.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I remove the ‘Powered by WordPress’ link from my website footer?
Removing the ‘Powered by WordPress’ link can help give your website a more professional look and feel, while also ensuring that your site’s branding is consistent. This can be particularly important for businesses or individuals who want to create a strong online presence.
Is it legal to remove the ‘Powered by WordPress’ link?
Yes, it is legal to remove the ‘Powered by WordPress’ link. WordPress is open-source software, and you are free to customize your website as you see fit, including removing the credit link from the footer.
Can removing the ‘Powered by WordPress’ link negatively affect my website’s SEO?
No, removing the ‘Powered by WordPress’ link will not have a negative impact on your website’s SEO. In fact, it may even help improve your site’s overall appearance and user experience, which could positively impact your SEO performance.
How can I remove the ‘Powered by WordPress’ link from my footer using the theme customizer?
To remove the ‘Powered by WordPress’ link using the theme customizer, follow these steps:
- Go to your WordPress dashboard.
- Navigate to Appearance > Customize.
- Open the ‘Footer’ or ‘Footer Credits’ section (this may vary depending on your theme).
- Edit or delete the ‘Powered by WordPress’ text.
- Click ‘Publish’ to save your changes.
How can I remove the ‘Powered by WordPress’ link using CSS?
To remove the ‘Powered by WordPress’ link using CSS, follow these steps:
- Go to your WordPress dashboard.
- Navigate to Appearance > Customize.
- Open the ‘Additional CSS’ section.
- Add the following code snippet:
.site-info { display: none; }
- Click ‘Publish’ to save your changes.
How can I remove the ‘Powered by WordPress’ link by modifying the footer.php file?
To remove the ‘Powered by WordPress’ link by modifying the footer.php file, follow these steps:
- Go to your WordPress dashboard.
- Navigate to Appearance > Theme Editor.
- Select the ‘footer.php’ file from the list of theme files.
- Locate the ‘Powered by WordPress’ link in the code.
- Delete the corresponding line of code or edit it to your preference.
- Click ‘Update File’ to save your changes.
Note: Be sure to create a backup of the footer.php file before making any changes, as modifying the file directly can cause issues if not done correctly.
Can I remove the ‘Powered by WordPress’ link from my footer if I am using a third-party theme?
Yes, you can remove the ‘Powered by WordPress’ link even if you are using a third-party theme. The process will be similar to the methods mentioned above, but the specific steps may vary depending on the theme. Be sure to consult your theme’s documentation for guidance.
Conclusion
We hope that, in this tutorial, you’ve learned the two simple techniques for removing Powered By WordPress footer code. The techniques shared here are certainly effective and recommended as they would not harm SEO. We advise that as much as possible you should avoid hiding the powered by text link via CSS.
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