Removing shortlinks from WordPress is a crucial step for optimizing a website’s performance and user experience. Shortlinks, which are typically created by WordPress for easy sharing of posts, can clutter your site’s code and potentially impact SEO. They are often embedded in meta tags and can contribute to unnecessary HTTP requests. By removing these shortlinks, you streamline your site’s backend, reduce potential security vulnerabilities, and improve loading times. This process involves editing theme files, using plugins, or adding custom code to ensure that shortlinks are no longer generated or displayed. Properly handling shortlinks is essential for maintaining an efficient and optimized WordPress site.
Removing Shortlink from WordPress: Editing Theme Files
One method to remove shortlinks from WordPress involves editing your theme files. You can access these files via the WordPress admin dashboard by navigating to Appearance > Theme Editor. Locate the header.php file, where shortlinks are often added via meta tags. Look for code snippets like <link rel="shortlink" ... /> and remove them. Save the changes to update your theme. This approach ensures that shortlinks are not included in the HTML output of your site, but requires some familiarity with PHP and HTML coding.
Removing Shortlink from WordPress: Using a Plugin
If you prefer a plugin-based approach, several plugins can help remove shortlinks from your WordPress site. For example, the "Remove Shortlink" plugin is specifically designed to eliminate shortlinks from your site’s metadata. Install and activate the plugin via the WordPress admin dashboard by going to Plugins > Add New, searching for the plugin, and clicking Install Now. After activation, the plugin will automatically remove shortlinks from your site’s HTML code. This method is straightforward and doesn’t require manual code edits.
Removing Shortlink from WordPress: Adding Custom Code
Another method to remove shortlinks is by adding custom code to your WordPress theme’s functions.php file. This method involves inserting a code snippet that removes shortlinks from the header. For instance, you can add the following code to your functions.php file:
remove_action('wp_head', 'wp_shortlink_wp_head');This code disables the shortlink generation function, preventing it from appearing in your site’s meta tags. Ensure you back up your functions.php file before making changes to avoid potential issues.
Removing Shortlink from WordPress: Using a Custom Plugin
Creating a custom plugin is another effective way to remove shortlinks from WordPress. This approach allows you to maintain a clean and organized site without modifying core theme files. To create a custom plugin, follow these steps:
- Create a new folder in the
wp-content/pluginsdirectory. - Inside the folder, create a PHP file (e.g.,
remove-shortlink.php). - Add the following code to the file:
<?php
/*
Plugin Name: Remove Shortlink
Description: Removes shortlinks from WordPress.
Version: 1.0
Author: Your Name
*/
add_action('init', function() {
remove_action('wp_head', 'wp_shortlink_wp_head');
});- Save the file and activate the plugin from the WordPress admin dashboard under Plugins > Installed Plugins.
This method ensures that shortlinks are removed without affecting other theme functions.
Removing Shortlink from WordPress: Modifying Functions.php in a Child Theme
If you’re using a child theme, you can modify the functions.php file in your child theme instead of the parent theme. This approach preserves your customizations when the parent theme is updated. Simply add the following code to the functions.php file of your child theme:
remove_action('wp_head', 'wp_shortlink_wp_head');This code removes the shortlink action from the head section of your site. Editing a child theme’s functions.php file is a good practice to ensure that your changes are not lost during theme updates.
Removing Shortlink from WordPress: Disabling Shortlink Generation with Filters
Using filters in WordPress is another technique to remove shortlinks. Add the following code to your theme’s functions.php file or a custom plugin:
add_filter('pre_get_shortlink', '__return_empty_string');This filter modifies the shortlink output to return an empty string, effectively removing it from the site’s metadata. Filters are a powerful way to modify WordPress functionality without altering core files.
Removing Shortlink from WordPress: Leveraging Security Plugins
Some security plugins offer features to remove or disable shortlinks as part of their suite of tools. For example, plugins like Wordfence or Sucuri Security may provide options to manage meta tags and enhance site security. After installing such a plugin, navigate to its settings and look for options related to shortlinks or meta tags. By configuring these settings, you can remove shortlinks and benefit from additional security features.
Removing Shortlink from WordPress: Cleaning Up Existing Shortlinks
In addition to preventing new shortlinks, it’s important to clean up existing ones. Use tools like the "Database Cleaner" plugin to remove shortlink-related entries from your site’s database. This cleanup process helps ensure that no residual shortlink data affects your site’s performance. After installing and activating the plugin, follow its instructions to scan and delete unwanted shortlink records from your database.
Removing Shortlink from WordPress: Verifying Removal
After implementing any of the methods to remove shortlinks, verify that they have been successfully removed. Inspect your site’s source code by right-clicking on a page and selecting “View Page Source” or using browser developer tools. Search for <link rel="shortlink" to ensure that no shortlink meta tags are present. Additionally, use online tools or SEO audit plugins to check if shortlinks are being generated and confirm that your optimization efforts have been effective.
Removing Shortlink from WordPress: Testing for Site Functionality
It’s crucial to test your site’s functionality after removing shortlinks to ensure that no other features are inadvertently affected. Check your site’s performance, including page loading times and SEO metrics, to confirm that removing shortlinks has not introduced any issues. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to monitor site performance and ensure that the changes have positively impacted your site’s optimization. Regular testing helps maintain a well-functioning and optimized WordPress site.