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Last active May 12, 2025 03:57
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Remove Yoast HTML Comments “This site is optimized with the Yoast WordPress SEO plugin”
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functions.php
// For Yoast SEO Plugin Version: 14.1+ add to your Wordpress Theme's functions.php...
// Remove All Yoast HTML Comments
// https://gist.github.com/paulcollett/4c81c4f6eb85334ba076
// Credit @devendrabhandari (https://gist.github.com/paulcollett/4c81c4f6eb85334ba076#gistcomment-3303423)
add_filter( 'wpseo_debug_markers', '__return_false' );
// For Yoast SEO Plugin Version: < 14.1 add to your Wordpress Theme's functions.php...
// Remove All Yoast HTML Comments
// https://gist.github.com/paulcollett/4c81c4f6eb85334ba076
// Credit @maxyudin (https://gist.github.com/paulcollett/4c81c4f6eb85334ba076#gistcomment-2937964)
add_action('wp_head',function() { ob_start(function($o) {
return preg_replace('/\n?<.*?yoast seo plugin.*?>/mi','',$o);
}); },~PHP_INT_MAX);
@carlitoescobar
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Yoast SEO plugin v5.8
WP 4.9

Not working for me.

@ghub2015
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ghub2015 commented Nov 27, 2017 •
edited
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It works (WP 4.9 + plugin v5.8) if you get rid of the check on 'WPSEO_VERSION' but I am not sure of any performance or reliability implications.
Specifically:

//if (defined('WPSEO_VERSION')) {
  add_action('wp_head',function() { ob_start(function($o) {
  return preg_replace('/^\n?\<\!\-\-.*?[Y]oast.*?\-\-\>\n?$/mi','',$o);
  }); },~PHP_INT_MAX);
//}

Edit: I just looked through the code and the check for WPSEO_VERSION should really work, so I am a bit puzzled myself. Anyway, consider this a drive-by comment as I wasn't specifically here for this, but just stumbled upon it. But, this is truly a wake up call for me to scrutinize these WordPress plugins more thoroughly.

@paulcollett
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Performance wise, it would be exactly same. I'll update the code above

@PaulRayden
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Nice, thx u

@TomasHurtz
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This snippet works fine but my functions file complains that the code is not valid!
yoast-snippet

@paulcollett
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@TomasHurtz, should be valid PHP5+, maybe your code editor is reporting for earlier versions of PHP.

Glad to hear it's still working for the community!

@wpplayer
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Thanks. Works great with Yoast v8.2.

@jamaluddinrumi
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jamaluddinrumi commented Sep 30, 2018 •
edited
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It works (WP 4.9 + plugin v5.8) if you get rid of the check on 'WPSEO_VERSION' but I am not sure of any performance or reliability implications.
Specifically:

//if (defined('WPSEO_VERSION')) {
  add_action('wp_head',function() { ob_start(function($o) {
  return preg_replace('/^\n?\<\!\-\-.*?[Y]oast.*?\-\-\>\n?$/mi','',$o);
  }); },~PHP_INT_MAX);
//}

Edit: I just looked through the code and the check for WPSEO_VERSION should really work, so I am a bit puzzled myself. Anyway, consider this a drive-by comment as I wasn't specifically here for this, but just stumbled upon it. But, this is truly a wake up call for me to scrutinize these WordPress plugins more thoroughly.

+1

i use yoast 8.3 and wp 4.9

@dankedigital
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I tried, and it happened. I cited my source in a paper, thank you.
https://mertsabuncu.com/wordpress-sayfa-kodlarindan-yoast-seo-yorumlarini-kaldirin/

@cormartur
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thanks for the information
I tried it

https://www.paktogel.com/data-keluaran-singapura-live-result-sgp-prize/

@cormartur
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thanks for the information
I tried it

http://datapengeluarantoto.com/nomor-pengeluaran-togel-hongkong-result-hk-live/

@solucionesuno
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since last update of yoast 11 there is a problem with this cause it is printing code on header

@maxyudin
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maxyudin commented Jun 7, 2019 •
edited
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Since plugin version 11 the original code breaks the Knowledge Graph & Schema.org contents (opening <script type='application/ld+json' tag disappears).
So, change preg_replace() pattern as follows. May be somebody have more elegant solution.

preg_replace('/\n?<.*?yoast seo plugin.*?>/mi','',$o);

@DennysDionigi
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DennysDionigi commented Aug 21, 2019 •
edited
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Hi all, I found this function which seems lighter than a "heavy" replace:

/**
 * Disable Yoast's Mark and its version.
 */
add_action( 'template_redirect', function () {
     if ( ! class_exists( 'WPSEO_Frontend' ) ) {
        return;
    }
    $instance = WPSEO_Frontend::get_instance();
     // make sure, future version of the plugin does not break our site.
    if ( ! method_exists( $instance, 'debug_love') ) {
        return ;
    }
    // ok, let us remove the love letter.
     remove_action( 'wpseo_head', array( $instance, 'debug_love' ), 2 );
}, 9999 );

Also please note that as said by @maxyudin , the previous code breaks the script tag, adding the printed code in the body.

@kangmis77
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Looks good.. thanks dude... I'll try... http://ideunik.com/

@jeremypetrequin
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jeremypetrequin commented Jan 2, 2020 •
edited
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The method seems to be called "debug_mark" in the latest version of Yoast,
So the adapted code of @DennysDionigi working for me on the last version is

/**
 * Disable Yoast's Mark and its version.
 */
add_action( 'template_redirect', function () {
	if ( ! class_exists( '\WPSEO_Frontend' ) ) {
		return;
	}
	$instance = \WPSEO_Frontend::get_instance();
	// make sure, future version of the plugin does not break our site.
	if ( ! method_exists( $instance, 'debug_mark') ) {
		return ;
	}
	// ok, let us remove the love letter.
	remove_action( 'wpseo_head', [ $instance, 'debug_mark' ], 2 );
}, 9999 );

@Ridys
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Ridys commented Feb 27, 2020

Thanks

@devendrabhandari
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devendrabhandari commented May 14, 2020 •
edited
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Now use the below code to remove Yoast HTML Comments from version 14.1
Yoast SEO Plugin Version: 14.1

add_filter( 'wpseo_debug_markers', '__return_false' );

@mohsinr
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mohsinr commented Jun 19, 2020

Now use the below code to remove Yoast HTML Comments from version 14.1
Yoast SEO Plugin Version: 14.1

add_filter( 'wpseo_debug_markers', '__return_false' );

Thank you! It works!

@f0rtisyy2019
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Now use the below code to remove Yoast HTML Comments from version 14.1
Yoast SEO Plugin Version: 14.1
add_filter( 'wpseo_debug_markers', '__return_false' );

Thank you! It works!

Also works for me. Thanks

@ulissse
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ulissse commented Sep 6, 2020

Hello,
It work but is it possible to get rid of all the spaces and tabulations?
Thank you.

@eduardsantamaria
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Now use the below code to remove Yoast HTML Comments from version 14.1
Yoast SEO Plugin Version: 14.1
add_filter( 'wpseo_debug_markers', '__return_false' );

Thank you! It works!

Also works for me. Thanks

Now use the below code to remove Yoast HTML Comments from version 14.1
Yoast SEO Plugin Version: 14.1

add_filter( 'wpseo_debug_markers', '__return_false' );

It Works! Thank you!

@justinrains
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Awesome! Thanks for the code. Much appreciated!

@jenkinstm
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Still works! Thank you.

@ikiyamay
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Still works! Thank you.

@freschstudio
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Still works in April 2025. 🙂

@nucklearproject
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Still works in April 2025. 🙂

In the latest versions of Yoast, the setting already includes the functionality to remove comments and other elements from the header.

@freschstudio
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Still works in April 2025. 🙂

In the latest versions of Yoast, the setting already includes the functionality to remove comments and other elements from the header.

Where is the setting exactly? Remove powered by HTTP header option under Crawl optimization doesn't remove this.

I'm on Yoast 24.8.1

@nucklearproject
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Still works in April 2025. 🙂

In the latest versions of Yoast, the setting already includes the functionality to remove comments and other elements from the header.

Where is the setting exactly? Remove powered by HTTP header option under Crawl optimization doesn't remove this.

I'm on Yoast 24.8.1

Sorry, I was wrong 😞 — there’s no option to remove comments, but I could swear it was there at some point 🤔. Now I’m left with doubts. I use Autoptimize and WP Super Cache; they remove all comments, including the “Powered by Yoast” one. Cheers.

@popoo123321
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popoo123321 commented May 12, 2025 •
edited
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add_filter( 'wpseo_debug_markers', '__return_false' );This method is the most direct.I'll try... https://www.peonyceramics.com/

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