Do you want to permanently remove the “Powered By WordPress” from your website’s footer?
If yes, then you have concerned the right place!
So you have spent a lot of time perfecting your website and making sure it works properly and the news of your site going to be published excites you, and then suddenly you notice that there is a text written in the footer section of your site that says “Proudly Powered By WordPress”.
You already know that this footer will make your site look unprofessional and takes away the sense of ownership.
Luckily, it is possible to remove the Powered By WordPress footer but there is not a one-size-fits-all solution, as this process can vary depending on the WordPress theme you are currently using.
In this comprehensive guide, we will show you the ways through which you can easily remove the WordPress copyright footer.
Reasons Behind Removing The “Powered By Wordpress” Footer
There are several reasons why someone might want to remove the “Powered By WordPress” footer link from their WordPress website:
Aesthetic Reasons:
Some website owners may want to remove the footer link to maintain a cleaner and more professional look for their website, without any distractions.
Branding Reasons:
If a website owner wants to establish their own brand identity, they may choose to remove the “Powered By WordPress” footer link to avoid any association with the WordPress brand.
Security Reasons:
By removing the footer link, a website owner can help to reduce the risk of attackers exploiting any known vulnerabilities in the WordPress software.
SEO Reasons:
Removing the footer link can also help to improve the website’s search engine optimization (SEO) by removing any irrelevant links that could dilute the website’s link profile.
It’s important to note, however, that removing the “Powered By WordPress” footer link may be a violation of the WordPress license, depending on how the website owner has installed and configured WordPress.
In most cases, it’s best to consult the WordPress license and seek advice from a legal professional before making any changes to the footer link.
Does Wordpress Allow To Remove The “Powered By Wordpress” Footer?
The legality of removing the “Powered By WordPress” footer link depends on the terms of the WordPress license that you agreed to when you installed and started using the software.
WordPress is released under the GNU General Public License (GPL), which is a free, open-source software license. The GPL grants users the freedom to use, modify, and distribute the software, subject to certain conditions, including the requirement to maintain the copyright and license notices in the software.
Therefore, it is totally legal to remove the “Powered By WordPress” footer link from your website as per the General Public License.
How To Remove The “Powered By Wordpress” Footer Link (4 Methods)
It is highly recommended to take a backup of your website before making any changes to it in order to avoid the loss of crucial data. Let’s have a look at the four easy ways to remove footer credit from your WordPress website.
1. Via Theme Customizer:
The Theme Customizer is a feature in WordPress that allows you to preview and modify various aspects of your website’s appearance and design, including the header, footer, colors, fonts, and more. It is accessed through the Appearance > Customize menu in the WordPress dashboard.
The Theme Customizer provides a live preview of your website, so you can see the changes you make in real time. This makes it an easy and convenient way to customize your site without having to manually edit the code.
The options available in the Theme Customizer will depend on the theme you’re using, but it’s a good place to start for making simple changes to your site’s appearance.
Additionally, many WordPress themes come with built-in customization options specifically for the footer, which can be found within the Theme Customizer.
This makes it easy to add or modify the content of the footer, such as the copyright notice, social media links, or site navigation.
Detailed Process:
The process for removing the “Powered By WordPress” footer link using the theme customizer can vary depending on the theme you are using. However, here are the general steps you can follow:
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
- Go to Appearance > Customize.
- Look for a “Footer” or “Copyright” section in the theme customizer. The location and name of this section may vary depending on your theme.
- In the “Footer” or “Copyright” section, look for an option to disable or remove the “Powered By WordPress” link. Some themes may not have this option.
- If you find the option, simply toggle it off or delete the text to remove the link. If the option is not available, you may need to manually edit the theme files or consider using a different theme that allows for customizing the footer.
It’s important to note that not all themes allow for customizing the footer or removing the “Powered By WordPress” link. Additionally, as I mentioned earlier, removing the footer link may be a violation of the WordPress license, so it’s important to review the license terms before making any changes to the footer.
2. Using A Plugin:
There are many WordPress plugins available that allow you to add or modify the content of your footer, such as the Custom Footer plugin.
The Custom Footer plugin is a WordPress plugin that allows you to add custom content to the footer of your website. The plugin provides a user-friendly interface for creating and editing the content of the footer, without the need to modify any code.
With the Custom Footer plugin, you can add custom text, HTML, images, or even shortcodes to the footer of your website. You can also choose to display the footer on specific pages or posts, or site-wide.
Additionally, the plugin provides various customization options, such as the ability to change the background color, font size, and text alignment.
The Custom Footer plugin can be a useful tool for adding or modifying the content of the footer without having to manually edit the code.
It’s particularly useful for those who are not familiar with HTML or CSS, or for those who want to easily add dynamic content such as a contact form or social media links.
Detailed Process:
There are several plugins available that can help you remove the “Powered By WordPress” footer link from your website. Here’s how to use one of the popular plugins, “Remove “Powered by WordPress” Credit”:
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
- Go to Plugins > Add New.
- Search for “Remove “Powered by WordPress” Credit“.
- Install and activate the plugin.
- Once the plugin is activated, go to Settings > “Remove “Powered by WordPress” Credit“.
- In the plugin settings, you can choose to remove the “Powered by WordPress” credit from the footer, RSS feed, and login page.
- Save the changes and check your website to confirm that the footer link has been removed.
It’s important to note that using a plugin to remove the “Powered by WordPress” credit may not be allowed under the terms of the WordPress license, depending on how the plugin modifies the software.
It’s always a good idea to review the plugin’s documentation and the WordPress license before using the plugin to make sure you are in compliance with the license terms.
3. Using Coding In A Php File:
To remove the “Powered by WordPress” footer link from your website via a PHP file, you’ll need to follow these steps:
- Log in to your website’s hosting account and access the files for your website. You can usually do this using an FTP client or through your hosting account’s file manager.
- Navigate to the WordPress theme that you are using. This is typically located in the wp-content/themes directory.
- Look for the PHP file within the theme’s directory.
- Open the footer.php file using a text editor.
- Locate the code that outputs the “Powered by WordPress” link, which is typically in the form of an HTML anchor tag with the WordPress logo and a link to the WordPress website.
- Delete the code that outputs the “Powered by WordPress” link. Make sure to save the changes to the file.
- Reload your website to confirm that the footer link has been removed.
It’s important to note that modifying the PHP files for your WordPress theme can be risky, especially if you’re not familiar with coding. Make sure to create a backup of the file before making any changes and proceed with caution.
4. Using The Block Editor:
The Block Editor, also known as Gutenberg, is the default WordPress editor that allows you to create and edit pages and posts using a block-based approach.
Each block represents a specific type of content, such as paragraphs, headings, images, videos, buttons, and more. You can customize each block’s settings, layout, and style to create a rich and engaging content layout for your website.
The Block Editor also includes features such as reusable blocks, block patterns, and custom blocks, which allow you to save time by reusing commonly used content and layouts across your website.
Detailed Process:
To remove the “Powered by WordPress” footer link using the Block Editor, you’ll need to follow these steps:
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
- Go to Pages or Posts > All Pages or All Posts.
- Click on the page or post where you want to remove the “Powered by WordPress” footer link.
- Click on the “+” icon to add a new block.
- Search for the “HTML” block and add it to your page or post.
- In the HTML block, enter the following code:
<footer>
<!– Your footer content here –>
</footer>
- Replace “Your footer content here” with the HTML code for your footer, without including the “Powered by WordPress” link.
- Save the changes and preview your page or post to confirm that the footer link has been removed.
It’s important to note that this method requires some knowledge of HTML and may not work for all themes.
Why Is It A Good Idea To Avoid CSS While Removing Wordpress Copyright Footer?
Some WordPress tutorial sites may show you a CSS method that uses display: none to hide the footer credit links.
Although it looks simple in reality, it badly affects your WordPress SEO.
In the hope of getting higher rankings, many spammers use this technique to hide links from visitors while still showing them to Google.
You will be marked as a spammer by Google if you do hide the footer credit with CSS and your site will probably lose search engine rankings. In the worst condition, Google may even delete you from their index so you never appear in the search results.
So it is a good idea to avoid this technique and follow the above-mentioned methods to get rid of the “Powered By WordPress” footer link permanently.
If you can’t use any of these methods, the last option remaining is hiring a professional developer to remove the footer credit for you. Or you might change your WordPress theme.
Final Thoughts:
In conclusion, removing the “Powered By WordPress” footer link can be a personal preference or business decision. However, it’s important to consider the potential impact on your website’s credibility, trustworthiness, and compliance with the WordPress license before making any modifications.
There are several ways to remove the footer link, including using a plugin, editing the theme files, or using the Block Editor. It’s recommended to review the license terms, consult with legal or technical experts if necessary, and use ethical and transparent practices when modifying the code.
We hope that you found this article super helpful while removing your WordPress site footer credit. Feel free to ask us if you need any further assistance. All the best!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
1. Is it legal to Remove the “Powered By WordPress” Footer link?
It depends on the specific terms of the WordPress license and how you are using the software. Generally, the WordPress license requires that the footer credit be maintained, but there may be exceptions in some cases. It’s important to review the license terms and consult with a legal expert before removing the footer link.
2. Why do People want to Remove the “Powered By WordPress” Footer link?
Some people may want to remove the footer link for aesthetic reasons, to make their website look more professional or custom. However, it’s important to consider the potential impact on your website’s reputation and compliance with the WordPress license before removing the link.
3. How Can I Remove the “Powered By WordPress” footer link without violating the license?
There are several ways to remove the footer link without violating the license, such as using a plugin or editing the footer.php file in your theme. However, it’s important to review the license terms and consult with a legal expert if you’re unsure about how to proceed.
4. Will Removing the “Powered By WordPress” footer link affect my website’s SEO?
No, removing the footer link will not affect your website’s SEO directly. However, it may affect your website’s credibility and trustworthiness, which can indirectly impact your SEO. Additionally, hiding or removing the link through deceptive or manipulative practices may violate search engine guidelines and harm your SEO.
5. Can I Customize the “Powered By WordPress” Footer link?
Yes, you can customize the footer link by modifying the HTML and CSS code. However, it’s important to consider the license terms and avoid deceptive or manipulative practices. Additionally, modifying the code can be risky and may require technical expertise.
