How do I remove a taxonomy from Wordpress?

Question

I'm creating different custom post types and taxonomies and I want to remove the 'Post Tags' taxonomy from the default 'Posts' post type. How do I go about doing this?

Thanks.

score 45 · Answer 1 · edited Apr 14 '16 at 14:30

45

I suggest you don't mess with the actual global. Its safer to simply deregister the taxonomy from the post type: register_taxonomy is used for both creation and modification.

function ev_unregister_taxonomy(){
    register_taxonomy('post_tag', array());
}
add_action('init', 'ev_unregister_taxonomy');

To remove the sidebar menu entry:

// Remove menu
function remove_menus(){
    remove_menu_page('edit-tags.php?taxonomy=post_tag'); // Post tags
}

add_action( 'admin_menu', 'remove_menus' );

edited Apr 14 '16 at 14:30

badlydrawnben

3
2

answered Dec 02 '11 at 21:44

Evan

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19

Worked for me! Seems like the most localized impact, as well. – Samuel Hulick Feb 11 '12 at 22:32
This works, but the link in the sidebar is still there! – Lars Ebert Mar 27 '14 at 15:22
Here is how to remove the sidebar menu entry: `function remove_menus(){ remove_menu_page('edit-tags.php?taxonomy=post_tag'); // Post tags } add_action( 'admin_menu', 'remove_menus' );` – pixeline Nov 23 '14 at 16:28
2

This was the simplest solution, also, the menu item was removed for me without the second script. – Ken Prince Dec 22 '14 at 19:51
1

One small bug I've found here: the taxonomy will still be included in the show options page when you edit your menus. To fix this, just pass in an additional args array: `register_taxonomy( 'post_tag', array(), array('show_in_nav_menus' => false) );` – Will Haynes Apr 04 '15 at 16:28
This helped me! I was using `unregister_taxonomy('product_tag')` (for woocommerce) and getting some weird errors in log. Re-registering it as en empty array basically had the same effect and I didn't get any errors – Brad Adams Mar 30 '17 at 18:54
@WillHaynes comment obligates the "Remove menus" action entirely. Its now gone everywhere. – Thomas Fellinger Oct 19 '20 at 02:37

score 21 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 14 '16 at 22:40

21

Perhaps a more technically correct method would be to use unregister_taxonomy_for_object_type

add_action( 'init', 'unregister_tags' );

function unregister_tags() {
    unregister_taxonomy_for_object_type( 'post_tag', 'post' );
}

answered Jun 14 '16 at 22:40

cameronjonesweb

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1

Might not be necessary but you could check if the taxonomy is already associated with the object type before removing it with `if ( is_object_in_taxonomy( 'post', 'post_tag' ) ) { ... }` – martisj Jan 01 '17 at 21:20

score 5 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 21 '17 at 08:34

Total unregister and remove (minimal PHP version 5.4!)

add_action('init', function(){
        global $wp_taxonomies;
        unregister_taxonomy_for_object_type( 'category', 'post' );
        unregister_taxonomy_for_object_type( 'post_tag', 'post' );
        if ( taxonomy_exists( 'category'))
            unset( $wp_taxonomies['category']);
        if ( taxonomy_exists( 'post_tag'))
            unset( $wp_taxonomies['post_tag']);
        unregister_taxonomy('category');
        unregister_taxonomy('post_tag');
    });

score 4 · Answer 4 · answered Jul 10 '11 at 18:54

4

Where it says 'taxonomy_to_remove' is where you'll enter the taxonomy you want to remove. For instance you can replace it with the existing, post_tag or category.

add_action( 'init', 'unregister_taxonomy');
function unregister_taxonomy(){
    global $wp_taxonomies;
    $taxonomy = 'taxonomy_to_remove';
    if ( taxonomy_exists( $taxonomy))
        unset( $wp_taxonomies[$taxonomy]);
}

answered Jul 10 '11 at 18:54

cnotethegr8

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does not answer the question. This just hides it – Jeremy Feb 15 '16 at 20:36

score 2 · Answer 5 · answered Sep 08 '16 at 08:27

2

There is new function to remove taxonomy from WordPress.

Use unregister_taxonomy( string $taxonomy ) function

See details: https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/unregister_taxonomy/

answered Sep 08 '16 at 08:27

Mahfuzul Hasan

172
7

1

This can't be used for built-in taxonomies so presumably this can't be used for 'tags'? – Rick Curran Oct 03 '16 at 11:02
For removing built-in taxonomy like tag we can use this function below: function mh_unregister_tags_for_posts() { unregister_taxonomy_for_object_type( 'post_tag', 'post' ); } add_action( 'init', 'mh_unregister_tags_for_posts' ); – Mahfuzul Hasan Sep 28 '17 at 10:39

score 1 · Answer 6 · answered Dec 18 '14 at 18:57

1

Use it in 'admin_init' hook insetead not 'init'

function unregister_taxonomy(){
    register_taxonomy('post_tag', array());
}
add_action('admin_init', 'unregister_taxonomy');

answered Dec 18 '14 at 18:57

user2957058

270
5
16

score 1 · Answer 7 · answered Apr 07 '17 at 12:12

1

add_action('admin_menu', 'remove_menu_items'); function remove_menu_items() { remove_submenu_page('edit.php','edit-tags.php?taxonomy=post_tag'); }

answered Apr 07 '17 at 12:12

Vlad

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How do I remove a taxonomy from Wordpress?

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