How to Hide Tags in WordPress Without Hurting SEO
Tags in WordPress are a helpful way to organize content, improve internal linking, and even boost SEO when used properly. However, in some cases, you might want to hide them—for design reasons, to reduce clutter, or to prevent SEO issues. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to make tags invisible in WordPress using CSS, theme file edits, or plugins—while keeping your site SEO-friendly.
Let’s get started.
What Are WordPress Tags?
WordPress tags are one of the two default taxonomies, alongside categories. While categories group content broadly (e.g., “Recipes”), tags describe specific elements (e.g., “gluten-free” or “quick meals”). By default, WordPress displays tags beneath your post content or titles. Clicking on a tag takes users to an archive page listing all posts with that tag.
Why You Might Want to Hide Tags
Although tags are useful, there are several reasons you might want to hide them:
– Interface Clutter: Too many tags can overwhelm your post layout.
– SEO Concerns: Tag archives can create duplicate or thin content, which may hurt rankings.
– Tag Overuse: Some sites suffer from “tag bloat,” where each post has too many or irrelevant tags.
– Better Navigation Control: You may prefer to guide users through categories or custom menus instead.
Let’s explore three effective methods to hide tags in WordPress.
Method 1: Hide Tags with CSS
This is the simplest and safest way to make tags invisible—perfect for non-developers. Using CSS hides tags from your site’s front-end but keeps them in the backend and source code.
Steps:
1. Identify the Tag Element
– Right-click on a tag on your site and choose “Inspect” to find the class or ID (e.g., .entry-tags, .post-tags).
2. Add Custom CSS
– In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance → Customize → Additional CSS.
– Paste the following code:
.entry-tags {
display: none;
}
3. Save and Preview Your Site
Pros:
– Easy to apply and undo
– Doesn’t affect your site’s structure
Cons:
– Tags remain in the source code
– Search engines can still crawl and index them
Method 2: Remove Tags via Theme Files
If you want to completely remove tag output from your theme, you’ll need to edit your theme’s template files. This method gives you more control but requires basic PHP knowledge.
Important: Always use a child theme to avoid losing changes during theme updates.
Steps:
1. Access Theme Files
– Go to Appearance → Theme File Editor, or use FTP/cPanel.
2. Locate the Template File
– Common files include: single.php, content-single.php, or template-parts/content.php.
3. Find and Remove Tag Code
– Look for code like:
– You can delete it or comment it out:
4. Save Changes and Refresh Your Site
Pros:
– Completely removes tags from the front-end and source code
– Cleaner for SEO
Cons:
– Risk of breaking layout if done incorrectly
– Requires some coding knowledge
Method 3: Use a Plugin to Hide Tags
If you prefer not to touch code, plugins offer a hassle-free way to hide tags.
Recommended Plugins:
– WP Meta and Date Remover: Hides tags, categories, and other meta info.
– Hide Categories and Tags for WordPress: Lets you hide tags from posts and archives.
How to Use:
1. Go to Plugins → Add New
2. Search for and install your chosen plugin
3. Activate and configure its settings to hide tags
4. Save and review your site
Pros:
– Beginner-friendly
– No coding required
Cons:
– May affect site speed
– Potential for plugin conflicts
SEO Considerations When Hiding Tags
Hiding tags can help or hurt your SEO, depending on how you do it.
It Helps When:
– Your tag archives are thin or duplicate
– Tags are used only for internal organization
– You want a cleaner crawl structure
It Hurts When:
– Tags are part of your keyword strategy
– Removing them breaks internal links
– You hide tags visually but allow search engines to index tag archives
Pro Tip: Keep tags but prevent search engines from indexing them using an SEO plugin like Yoast or Rank Math.
In Yoast SEO:
– Go to SEO → Search Appearance → Taxonomies
– Set “Show Tags in search results?” to No
Best Practices for Hiding Tags
No matter which method you choose, follow these guidelines:
– ✅ Back up your site before making changes (use tools like BackupBuddy)
– ✅ Use a child theme for PHP edits
– ✅
