Remove WordPress Generator META Tags and Version Numbers with WP Ghost
June 6, 2019
This tutorial has moved to the new WP Ghost Knowledge Base where each feature is presented in detail.
- What Are Generator META Tags?
- How to Remove Generator META and Version Parameters
- Troubleshooting
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Does this hide plugin and theme versions too?
- Does this also remove the WordPress meta generator tag?
- Should I always enable Random Static Number?
- Will removing version parameters affect SEO?
- A specific plugin’s generator tag is not being removed. What should I do?
- Does WP Ghost modify WordPress core files?
- Related Tutorials
Remove WordPress generator META tags and version parameters from your source code with one toggle in WP Ghost (formerly Hide My WP Ghost). The generator tag reveals your exact WordPress version. Version parameters on CSS and JS files expose plugin and theme versions. Both tell attackers exactly what exploits to use against your site.
When Patchstack reports a vulnerability in a specific plugin version, attackers scan for that exact version number in the source code. WordPress and its plugins helpfully provide this information through generator META tags and ?ver= parameters appended to every stylesheet and script URL. Removing these fingerprints forces attackers to guess instead of knowing.
What Are Generator META Tags?
Generator META tags identify the software used to build a website. WordPress adds this to every page’s HTML head:
<meta name="generator" content="WordPress 6.*.*" />This is not just a WordPress problem. Many plugins add their own generator tags: WPML, Slider Revolution, Visual Composer / WPBakery Page Builder, Yoast SEO, and others. Each one adds another CMS fingerprint to your source code.
On top of generator tags, WordPress appends version numbers to every CSS and JS file as query parameters (e.g., ?ver=6.5.2). These appear dozens of times in every page’s source code and reveal your exact WordPress version, plugin versions, and theme version.
How to Remove Generator META and Version Parameters
Go to WP Ghost > Tweaks > Hide Options. Switch on Hide WordPress Version. Click Save.
This single toggle removes all of the following:
| What it removes | Where it appears |
|---|---|
| WordPress generator META tag | HTML <head> |
| WPML generator META | HTML <head> |
| Slider Revolution generator META | HTML <head> |
| Visual Composer / WPBakery generator META | HTML <head> |
| Version parameters from CSS files (?ver=) | Every <link> stylesheet tag |
| Version parameters from JS files (?ver=) | Every <script> tag |
| DNS prefetch link to s.w.org | HTML <head> |
| Jetpack analytics WordPress trails | HTML <head> |
After enabling, clear your cache and test in a private browser window. If you use a caching plugin, also enable Change Paths in Cached Files in WP Ghost > Tweaks so cached files are updated too.
Enable Random Static Number
When version parameters are removed, browsers may cache old CSS and JS files indefinitely since there is no parameter to signal that a file changed. The Random Static Number option replaces the version with a non-informative random number. This keeps cache-busting functional while hiding actual version information.
In WP Ghost > Tweaks > Hide Options, switch on Random Static Number. Click Save.
Troubleshooting
Generator tags still appear in source code
Clear your WordPress caching plugin cache, CDN cache, and browser cache. Cached pages still contain old META tags until refreshed. If you use a caching plugin, enable Change Paths in Cached Files so cached HTML is updated too.
CSS or layout breaks after hiding versions
This happens when browsers serve cached CSS files without version parameters to trigger a refresh. Enable the Random Static Number option. The random parameter forces browsers to fetch the latest file while keeping actual version numbers hidden.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this hide plugin and theme versions too?
Yes. WP Ghost strips the ?ver= parameter from all enqueued assets, not just WordPress core files. That includes every plugin stylesheet, every plugin script, and your theme’s CSS and JavaScript files. All version numbers are removed in one action.
Does this also remove the WordPress meta generator tag?
Yes. The Hide WordPress Version feature removes the <meta name=”generator”> tag from the HTML head along with version parameters on all stylesheets, scripts, and images. It also removes generator tags added by WPML, Slider Revolution, and WPBakery.
Should I always enable Random Static Number?
Yes, unless you have a specific reason not to. Without it, browsers may cache old CSS and JavaScript files indefinitely. The random number replaces the version with a non-informative identifier, keeping cache-busting functional while hiding actual version information.
Will removing version parameters affect SEO?
No. Search engines do not use version parameters or generator meta tags for ranking. Removing them has zero impact on indexing, crawling, or search visibility.
A specific plugin’s generator tag is not being removed. What should I do?
WP Ghost removes the most common generator tags (WordPress, WPML, Slider Revolution, WPBakery). Some less common plugins may add their own generator tags using non-standard methods. Use WP Ghost > Mapping > Text Mapping to search for and replace the specific tag text in your source code. Or check if the plugin has its own option to disable the generator tag.
Does WP Ghost modify WordPress core files?
No. WP Ghost strips version parameters and META tags from the HTML output at runtime through WordPress filters. The actual files on disk are untouched. Disabling restores all original tags and parameters instantly.
Related Tutorials
Hide WordPress Version – the full tutorial covering version hiding, random static numbers, and cached file handling.
Hide IDs from META Tags – remove style IDs and other meta identifiers from source code.
Activate Security Tweaks – all hide options including DNS prefetch, HTML comments, and RSD.
Hide from WordPress Theme Detectors – complete guide to defeating CMS scanners.
Website Security Check – verify generator tags are removed after configuration.