Remove XML-RPC Methods
Remove all WordPress methods from the XML-RPC API to increase security.
Solid choice
Remove XML-RPC Methods is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. It runs on 1K+ sites, is rated 5/5 and was last updated 2 months ago, and scores 73/100 on our health check.
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
- Very few reviews so far
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 Remove XML-RPC Methods stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| security | >100 |
| xml-rpc | #8 |
| xmlrpc | #2 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
Rating breakdown
★★★★★★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews
About Remove XML-RPC Methods
From the official readme · v1.4.2Description
Removes all WordPress methods from the XML-RPC API to increase security. It does more than just using the xmlrpc_enabled hook, because that is only used “To disable XML-RPC methods that require authentication”.
Activating this plugin will also disable pingbacks, trackbacks, and Really Simple Discovery (RSD), because these rely on XML-RPC.
It works with any webserver, because it does not use the .htaccess file.
Testing the plugin
From the command line you can test if the plugin is working correctly using curl. Replace the example.com link to match your website:
curl -d '<?xml version="1.0"?><methodCall><methodName>system.listMethods</methodName><params><param><value><string/></value></param></params></methodCall>' https://example.com/xmlrpc.php
This should only return the following methods:
– system.multicall
– system.listMethods
– system.getCapabilities
Installation
- Download the plugin and unzip it. Copy the files to the
/wp-content/plugins/wee-remove-xmlrpc-methodsdirectory - Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress
Changelog
1.4.2
- Updated description
- Tested WordPress up to version 7.0.
1.4.1
- Updated description and tags
1.4.0
- Tested with PHP 8.0
- Tested WordPress up to version 5.6.
1.3.1
- Correct description
1.3.0
- Replace PHP
headerfunction withhttp_response_code. - Update readme.txt.
- Raise minimal supported WordPress version to 4.6.
- Tested WordPress up to version 5.5.
1.2.0
- Replace pings_open action function with built-in function.
- Increase pings_open action priority.
- Raise minimal supported WordPress version to 4.4.
- Tested WordPress up to version 5.4.
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 Remove XML-RPC Methods alternatives
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FAQ
Remove XML-RPC Methods: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 4, 2026
Is Remove XML-RPC Methods free?
Yes. Remove XML-RPC Methods is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Remove XML-RPC Methods safe to use in 2026?
Remove XML-RPC Methods is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. It runs on 1K+ sites, is rated 5/5 and was last updated 2 months ago, and scores 73/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Remove XML-RPC Methods?
Remove XML-RPC Methods is active on 1K+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 14,724 times since it launched in February 2020. It was downloaded 356 times in the last 30 days.
Does Remove XML-RPC Methods work with WordPress 7.1?
Yes. The developer has tested Remove XML-RPC Methods up to WordPress 7.1.2, the latest release. It requires WordPress 4.6 or newer.
What PHP version does Remove XML-RPC Methods need?
Remove XML-RPC Methods requires PHP 5.4.0 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.
When was Remove XML-RPC Methods last updated?
The latest version, 1.4.2, was released on August 18, 2026 (2 months ago).
Who makes Remove XML-RPC Methods?
Remove XML-RPC Methods is developed and maintained by Walter Ebert.
What are the best alternatives to Remove XML-RPC Methods?
The most popular alternatives to Remove XML-RPC Methods are Wordfence Security (5M+ installs), Really Simple Security (3M+ installs) and Jetpack (3M+ installs).
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