How to Remove a Specific Page from the Site Map in WordPress: A Step-by-Step Guide

Are you tired of seeing unnecessary pages cluttering up your site map in WordPress? Do you want to know how to remove a specific page from the site map without breaking a sweat? Look no further! In this comprehensive guide, we’ll show you exactly how to do just that.

Why Remove a Page from the Site Map?

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty, let’s talk about why you might want to remove a page from your site map in the first place. Maybe you have a page that’s no longer relevant or outdated, or perhaps you want to hide a page from search engines for SEO purposes. Whatever the reason, removing a specific page from the site map can help improve user experience and streamline your website’s navigation.

Methods for Removing a Page from the Site Map

There are a few different methods you can use to remove a page from the site map in WordPress, depending on your specific needs and preferences. Let’s take a look at a few options:

Method 1: Using the WordPress Built-in Functionality

This method is the most straightforward and doesn’t require any additional plugins or coding knowledge. Here’s how to do it:

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to the page you want to remove from the site map.
2. Click the “Edit” button to open the page editor.
3. In the page editor, click the “Screen Options” tab at the top right of the screen.
4. Check the box next to ” Visibility” to expand the section.
5. Select the “Private” option to remove the page from the site map.
6. Click “Update” to save your changes.

This method will remove the page from the site map, but keep in mind that it will still be accessible to users who have the direct URL.

Method 2: Using the Yoast SEO Plugin

If you’re already using the Yoast SEO plugin, you can use its built-in functionality to remove a page from the site map. Here’s how:

Prerequisites:

• Yoast SEO plugin installed and activated
• Yoast SEO plugin version 11.0 or higher

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to the page you want to remove from the site map.
2. Click the “Edit” button to open the page editor.
3. In the page editor, click the “Yoast SEO” tab at the bottom of the screen.
4. In the “Advanced” section, check the box next to “Allow search engines to follow this page” to toggle it off.
5. Click “Update” to save your changes.

This method will remove the page from the site map and also prevent search engines from crawling and indexing the page.

Method 3: Using a Third-Party Plugin

If you don’t have Yoast SEO installed or prefer not to use its built-in functionality, you can use a third-party plugin like Site Map Generator to remove a page from the site map. Here’s how:

Prerequisites:

• Site Map Generator plugin installed and activated

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to the Site Map Generator settings page.
2. Click the “Exclude URLs” tab.
3. Enter the URL of the page you want to remove from the site map in the “Exclude URL” field.
4. Click “Add URL” to add the URL to the exclusion list.
5. Click “Save Changes” to save your changes.

This method will remove the page from the site map, but keep in mind that you’ll need to configure the plugin to exclude the page from the site map.

Removing a Page from the Site Map using Code

If you’re comfortable with coding, you can use a code snippet to remove a page from the site map. Here’s an example:

<?php
function remove_page_from_sitemap($sitemap) {
  // Get the page ID of the page you want to remove
  $page_id = 123;

  // Remove the page from the site map
  unset($sitemap->posts[$page_id]);

  return $sitemap;
}
add_filter('wp_sitemaps_posts', 'remove_page_from_sitemap');
?>

This code snippet uses the `wp_sitemaps_posts` filter to remove the page from the site map. You’ll need to replace `$page_id` with the actual ID of the page you want to remove.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you’re having trouble removing a page from the site map, here are some common issues to check:

Issue	Solution
The page is still showing up in the site map.	Check that you’ve saved your changes and cleared your browser cache.
The page is still accessible to users with the direct URL.	Use a plugin like Yoast SEO or a code snippet to prevent search engines from crawling and indexing the page.
The Site Map Generator plugin is not excluding the page from the site map.	Check that you’ve entered the correct URL in the exclusion list and saved your changes.

Conclusion

Removing a specific page from the site map in WordPress is a relatively straightforward process, whether you’re using built-in functionality, a plugin, or code. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you should be able to remove unnecessary pages from your site map and improve user experience.

Remember to choose the method that best fits your needs, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need further assistance.

Happy optimizing!

Frequently Asked Question

Getting rid of unwanted pages from your WordPress site map can be a real challenge! But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here are some FAQs to help you remove those pesky pages and keep your site map tidy.