Description
Header Junk Remover is a lightweight, no-settings plugin that cleans up the <head> section and headers of your WordPress site.
It removes outdated tags, redundant links, bloated scripts, and unnecessary headers that WordPress adds by default. The result: cleaner source code, faster page loads, less information leakage, and fewer HTTP requests.
What gets removed (and why it matters):
-
RSD Link
remove_action(‘wp_head’, ‘rsd_link’);
Used for Really Simple Discovery (old remote editing). Not needed anymore. -
WordPress Generator
remove_action(‘wp_head’, ‘wp_generator’);
Hides your WP version. Avoids advertising it to bots/hackers. -
Feed Links
remove_action(‘wp_head’, ‘feed_links’, 2);
remove_action(‘wp_head’, ‘feed_links_extra’, 3);
Removes auto-added RSS/Atom feed links. If you don’t use feeds, these are pointless. -
Relational Links (index, start, parent, adjacent posts)
remove_action(‘wp_head’, ‘index_rel_link’);
remove_action(‘wp_head’, ‘start_post_rel_link’, 10, 0);
remove_action(‘wp_head’, ‘parent_post_rel_link’, 10, 0);
remove_action(‘wp_head’, ‘adjacent_posts_rel_link’, 10, 0);
remove_action(‘wp_head’, ‘adjacent_posts_rel_link_wp_head’, 10, 0);
Removes old “previous/next” link metadata almost no browsers or crawlers use. -
Windows Live Writer Manifest
remove_action(‘wp_head’, ‘wlwmanifest_link’);
Dead tool support. Safe to remove. -
Shortlink Tags/Headers
remove_action(‘wp_head’, ‘wp_shortlink_wp_head’, 10, 0);
remove_action(‘template_redirect’, ‘wp_shortlink_header’, 11);
Shortlink system is obsolete. Removing reduces clutter. -
REST API Discovery Link
remove_action(‘wp_head’, ‘rest_output_link_wp_head’, 10);
REST API still works, but no longer broadcast in headers. -
oEmbed Discovery + Scripts
remove_action(‘wp_head’, ‘wp_oembed_add_discovery_links’, 10);
remove_action(‘wp_head’, ‘wp_oembed_add_host_js’);
Prevents WordPress from advertising oEmbed endpoints and loading extra JS. -
Resource Hints (dns-prefetch, preconnect)
remove_action(‘wp_head’, ‘wp_resource_hints’, 2);
Stops WP from auto-inserting DNS hints you may not control. -
Emoji Scripts and Styles
remove_action(‘wp_head’, ‘print_emoji_detection_script’, 7);
remove_action(‘wp_print_styles’, ‘print_emoji_styles’);
Removes redundant emoji JS/CSS. Browsers already handle emojis natively. -
Global Styles (Block Editor/Gutenberg)
remove_action(‘wp_head’, ‘wp_enqueue_global_styles’, 1);
Prevents WP from injecting default CSS that bloats your source.
Extra Hardening:
-
Disable XML-RPC
add_filter(‘xmlrpc_enabled’, ‘__return_false’);
Blocks XML-RPC protocol (commonly abused in brute force/DDoS attacks). -
Remove X-Pingback Header
add_filter(‘wp_headers’, function($headers) { unset($headers[‘X-Pingback’]); return $headers; });
Stops WP from advertising its pingback URL. -
Turn off PHP Exposure (optional)
@ini_set(‘expose_php’, ‘off’);
Prevents PHP version disclosure in server headers.
Why this matters:
- Less clutter in your
<head> - Fewer HTTP requests and faster load times
- Less information leakage for bots/hackers
- Cleaner source code when you “View Source”
- Safer defaults without touching your theme files
If you find this plugin useful, consider supporting my work:
👉 Buy Me a Coffee
Installation
- Upload the plugin files to
/wp-content/plugins/header-junk-remover, or install via the WordPress Plugins screen. - Activate the plugin.
- Done — no settings required.
FAQ
-
Will this break my theme or plugins?
-
No. These removals are optional extras. Your site runs fine without them.
-
Can I keep some of these features?
-
Yes. Open the plugin PHP file and comment out any
remove_actionoradd_filterline you want to keep. -
Does this affect RSS feeds?
-
It removes the auto-advertised feed links. If you need feeds, just comment those lines out — feeds themselves still exist.
-
How can I support this plugin?
-
If this plugin saves you time or helps clean up your site, you can support development here:
https://buymeacoffee.com/avocadowebservices
Reviews
There are no reviews for this plugin.
Contributors & Developers
“Header Junk Remover” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.
Contributors
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Interested in development?
Browse the code, check out the SVN repository, or subscribe to the development log by RSS.
Change log
1.0.2
- Added support/donate link (Buy Me a Coffee).
- Documentation updated.
1.0.1
- Initial public release.
- Removed generator, RSD link, WLW manifest, shortlink, REST API link, emoji scripts/styles, relational links, oEmbed, resource hints, global styles.
- Added security hardening: disable XML-RPC, remove X-Pingback, disable PHP expose.