In this WordPress theme tutorial, I am going to show you, How to remove the Powered by WordPress Footer Links from your theme. There are two different ways. you can use CSS display none property or edit your theme’s footer.php file.

Hiding links with CSS display: none is not recommended. First of all, check if your theme allows you to hide footer credits via theme customizer. if you don’t see any option to remove Proudly powered by WordPress, You should create a child theme and edit footer.php file.

In the footer.php file, Find the code and delete it. Save changes and upload your child theme to your website.

In this example, I am going to use Sequential theme by WordPress.com. It is a free business theme and offers a custom home page and grid template feature to display products on a single page.

If you are an absolute beginner, read WordPress child theme tutorial to learn the basics.

After creating a child theme, copy the footer.php file from the parent theme in your child theme’s folder and delete powered by WordPress credits.

For example, Sequential theme has the following code.

<div class="site-info">
	<a href="<?php echo esc_url( __( 'http://wordpress.org/', 'sequential' ) ); ?>"><?php printf( esc_html__( 'Proudly powered by %s', 'sequential' ), 'WordPress' ); ?></a>
	<span class="sep"> — </span>
	<?php printf( esc_html__( 'Theme: %1$s by %2$s.', 'sequential' ), 'Sequential', '<a href="http://wordpress.com/themes/sequential/" rel="designer">WordPress.com</a>' ); ?>
</div><!-- .site-info -->

If you delete this code and save the footer.php file in your child theme. You won’t see powered by WordPress link in the footer area anymore.

## How to Remove the Powered by WordPress Footer Links from Theme Customizer? or show a custom message in the footer section?

This is not a tip for beginners, but If you are learning WordPress theme development, This tip will help you to learn some new skills.

You can also add a feature to WordPress theme customzier to eqasily show or hide footer credits with a checkbox.

Open your child theme’s functions.php file and add the following code in it

// More options to customize Sequential child the via Customizer
// By Tahir Taous https://createwptheme.comm

function justlearnwp_theme_customizer( $wp_customize ) {
    $wp_customize->add_section( 'sequential_child_options', array(
        'title' => 'Sequential Child Options', // The title of section
        'description' => 'Sequential Child Theme allows you to customize footer and featured posts title.', // The description of section
    ) );

    /* Footer Area Content */
    $wp_customize->add_setting( 'sequential_footer_area_content', array(
        'default'           => '',
        'sanitize_callback' => 'wp_kses_post',
    ) );
    $wp_customize->add_control( 'sequential_footer_area_content', array(
        'label'             => esc_html__( 'Footer Area Content', 'sequential' ),
        'section'           => 'sequential_child_options',
        'type'              => 'textarea',
    ) );

    //Hide footer credits
    $wp_customize->add_setting( 'sequentialtcab_hide_footer', array(
        'default' => 0,
    ) );
     
    $wp_customize->add_control( 'sequentialtcab_hide_footer', array(
        'label' => 'Hide footer credits section',
        'type' => 'checkbox',
        'section' => 'sequential_child_options',
    ) );

}
add_action( 'customize_register', 'justlearnwp_theme_customizer', 11 );

Now go to Appearance – Customize and you should see Sequential Child Options feature. You can add a custom message to be displayed in the footer section or click the checkbox to hide the footer credits section.

This code won’t show your message or hide the footer section unless you add the following code in your child themes footer.php file.

Open the footer.php file and add the following code where you want to display your message.

<p><?php echo get_theme_mod( 'sequential_footer_area_content' ); ?></p>

Next, We also need to replace <div id="site-info"> with the following code. After adding this code save changes and reload your page. You should be able to see your custom message and hide/show the footer credits as well.

<div id="site-info" <?php echo ( get_theme_mod( 'sequentialtcab_hide_footer' ) ) ? "style='display:none;'" : "" ?> >

The CSS Method – Hide Powered by WordPress without a child theme

The above menioned PHP method also uses CSS display:none method and lets you easily show or hide the code from customizer. You can add following CSS in your child theme’s style.css file or if you don’t want to create a child theme, Go to Appearance – Customize – Custom CSS and add the following CSS.

.site-info{
	display: none;
}	

Save changes and that’s all. Now you won’t see footer credits in the footer section.