Disable Author Archives
Disable Author Archives completely removes author archives and makes the web server return status code 404 ('Not Found') instead.
Solid choice
Disable Author Archives is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. It runs on 10K+ sites, is rated 4.4/5 and was last updated 1 month ago, and scores 79/100 on our health check.
- Proven at scale on 10K+ active sites
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & support
Daily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where Disable Author Archives stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| archives | #1 |
| author | #6 |
| disable | #22 |
| links | >100 |
| pages | >100 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
Rating breakdown
★★★★★★★★★★ 4.4 from 7 reviews
About Disable Author Archives
From the official readme · v1.3.5Description
A simple, lightweight WordPress plugin to completely disable author archives/pages (regardless of whether the corresponding author really exists) and make the web server return status code 404 (‘Not Found’) instead. Related links will also be either disabled or completely removed.
The plugin does not require any configuration. Once activated, it will start doing its job.
Installation
- Upload the plugin files to the
/wp-content/plugins/disable-author-archivesdirectory, or install the plugin through the WordPress plugins screen directly. - Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ screen in WordPress
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find the plugin’s configuration settings?
The plugin does not require any kind of configuration. Author archives are disabled as soon as the plugin is activated.
Changelog
Fixes a redirection issue which might cause instabilities. Upgrade immediately.
1.3.5
- Fixed malformed URLs by restoring a previous author link filter.
1.3.4
- Leaving comment author link untouched.
- Restored priority of template_redirect action.
1.3.3
- Added removal of author links in comments.
- No longer remove author name, just the link to the author archive.
- Removed needless loading of plugin text domain.
1.3.2
- Removed users section from WordPress built-in sitemap. Suggested by @constracti. Thanks!
1.3.1
- Removed View link from admin’s Users list. Suggested by @khaiknievel. Thanks!
1.3.0
- Opened plugin for translations.
- Set filter callback priorities to lowest possible value.
For developers
Is this your plugin? Show off the numbers.
Add a live badge to your site, docs or GitHub README. It updates on its own — no account needed.
Best Disable Author Archives alternatives
All archives plugins →
FAQ
Disable Author Archives: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Sep 27, 2026
Is Disable Author Archives free?
Yes. Disable Author Archives is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Disable Author Archives safe to use in 2026?
Disable Author Archives is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. It runs on 10K+ sites, is rated 4.4/5 and was last updated 1 month ago, and scores 79/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Disable Author Archives?
Disable Author Archives is active on 10K+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 78,726 times since it launched in July 2018. It was downloaded 1,018 times in the last 30 days.
Does Disable Author Archives work with WordPress 7.1?
Yes. The developer has tested Disable Author Archives up to WordPress 7.1.2, the latest release. It requires WordPress 2.9 or newer.
When was Disable Author Archives last updated?
The latest version, 1.3.5, was released on August 21, 2026 (1 month ago).
Who makes Disable Author Archives?
Disable Author Archives is developed and maintained by freemp.
What are the best alternatives to Disable Author Archives?
The most popular alternatives to Disable Author Archives are Simple Yearly Archive (6K+ installs), Advanced Posts/Page (3K+ installs) and Collapsing Archives (3K+ installs).
Powered by PageForge
Want thousands of pages that rank like these? Build them in an afternoon.
This directory runs on the same engine as PageForge. Turn any spreadsheet, CSV or API into thousands of fast, SEO-ready WordPress pages — with schema, internal links and AI-written copy baked in.
- CSV, Google Sheets & API data sources
- AI content, schema & internal links per page
- Works with Elementor, Gutenberg, Yoast & Rank Math
- Free on WordPress.org — no credit card
