How to Remove Powered by WordPress from Footer Links?
So, Are you looking for removing the default footer message of WordPress that links back to the WordPress.org site?
All the Default WordPress Themes including Twenty Seventeen comes with a Footer Message “Proudly Powered by WordPress” that links back to WordPress.org.
The link gives earned credit to the Volunteer Team that took the lead at WordPress Project. While it makes no issue keeping this link on your Blog or Site, it makes sense to remove it from your Business Website.
Is it Fair to Remove the WordPress Footer Credit Link?
Yes, it’s Legal to remove these link from your Website because WordPress is an Open Source Project licensed under GPL. The GPL License gives you the freedom to use, the power to modify and even redistribute WordPress.
It also covers all the Themes at the Official WordPress Project Directory. So, You have full rights to edit links.
Methods for Removing WordPress Footer Link
Method 1) Using Theme Customizer
The simple and easy method to remove Footer link is to add CSS method to Theme Customizer:
1. Login to your WordPress Dashboard.
2. Click on Appearance » Customize.
3. In the bottom, Click on Additional CSS.
4. Paste the below code:
.site-info
{
display: none;
} After paste the code in additional CSS, Click on the Save button and refresh your site. The footer link will disappear.
Avoid using the CSS method to remove proudly powered by WordPress from Footer Link
While this method is easy and simple but could affect your SEO. Google doesn’t prefer those sites that hide links because it’s a technique used by spammers to hide links from the users. If you use this method on your site, it might get flagged and lose search engine ranking.
Method 2) Editing Footer File (Twenty Seventeen)
Editing Theme’s footer.php file also removes “Proudly Powered by WordPress” footer link from your site. This file includes the code that your site needs to display in the footer.
1. Go to Appearance » Editor.
2. On the right-hand side, there is a footer.php file, open it.
3. Delete the following single line of code and save the file.
get_template_part( 'template-parts/footer/site', 'info' );
Once you delete the same code, refresh the site, and the Footer Link should disappear.
Editing Footer.php file(Twenty Sixteen)
In Twenty Sixteen Theme, there is a different code we need to delete for the removal of footer link.
1. Go to Appearance » Editor.
2. On the right-hand side, there is a footer.php file, open it.
3. Delete the following lines of code
Once you delete the same code, refresh the site, and the Footer Link should disappear.
You should use or create a child theme rather than the direct theme because
1. When you update the theme to the latest release then you’ll lose all the manual changes that you have made in the theme’s code.
2. And, if you think that you’ll directly change or delete the code, and by chance, you delete the wrong code then it might crash your site.
Method 3) Using Plugin (Remove Footer Credit)
As I told earlier, It’s not a good idea to change or delete the code such as a footer.php file because updating the theme will lose all your manual changes.
Using this Plugin, you can remove Proudly Powered by WordPress from Footer link without deleting the code.
How to add Custom Footer Message?
You can also replace the WordPress default footer message with a custom message like “Proudly Powered by Tech Banker”
We hope this article helped you to remove proudly powered by WordPress footer links.
