Remove Yoast HTML Comments “This site is optimized with the Yoast WordPress SEO plugin”

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);

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);

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.

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

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 );

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' );

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!

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

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

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!

Awesome! Thanks for the code. Much appreciated!

Still works! Thank you.

Still works! Thank you.

Still works in April 2025. 🙂

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.

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

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.