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Remove Customize.php From Wordpress Admin Menu

8 min read Oct 15, 2024
Remove Customize.php From Wordpress Admin Menu

How to Remove customize.php from the WordPress Admin Menu

Do you want to declutter your WordPress admin menu and remove the "Customize" option? While the "Customize" feature is handy for making basic visual tweaks, it might not be necessary for all WordPress users. Removing it can streamline your admin experience and make it easier to navigate. This article will guide you through the process of removing the customize.php option from your WordPress admin menu.

Understanding customize.php

The customize.php file in WordPress is responsible for the "Customize" option in the admin menu. This option allows you to customize your site's appearance using the WordPress Customizer, without needing to know any code. The Customizer lets you modify elements like the header, footer, menus, and widgets. However, if you prefer to manage these settings elsewhere or want to simplify your admin menu, you can remove the customize.php option.

Method 1: Using a Plugin

One of the easiest ways to remove the "Customize" option is by using a plugin. There are various plugins available that let you control the appearance of your admin menu. Here are some popular options:

1. Adminimize: This powerful plugin allows you to hide or show specific admin menu items, including the "Customize" option. It offers a wide range of customization options and is user-friendly.

2. WP Hide & Show: This plugin provides similar functionality to Adminimize, allowing you to selectively hide or show menu items, including the "Customize" option.

3. Disable Customize: This plugin specifically targets the "Customize" option, allowing you to completely disable it from the admin menu.

How to Use a Plugin:

  1. Install and activate the chosen plugin from the WordPress plugin repository.
  2. Navigate to the plugin settings and find the option to disable or hide the "Customize" option.
  3. Enable the settings and save the changes.

Method 2: Using a Code Snippet

If you are comfortable with adding code snippets to your WordPress theme's functions.php file, you can directly remove the customize.php option using the following code:

add_action( 'admin_menu', 'remove_customize_option' );
function remove_customize_option() {
  remove_submenu_page( 'themes.php', 'customize.php' ); 
}

Explanation:

  • The add_action() function adds a hook to the admin_menu action, which is triggered when the WordPress admin menu is loaded.
  • The remove_customize_option() function is called when the admin_menu action is triggered.
  • Inside the remove_customize_option() function, the remove_submenu_page() function is used to remove the "Customize" option (represented by customize.php) from the "Themes" menu (represented by themes.php).

How to Implement:

  1. Access your theme's functions.php file: Navigate to Appearance > Theme Editor in your WordPress dashboard.
  2. Paste the code snippet: Add the code snippet to the end of your functions.php file.
  3. Save the changes: Click the "Update File" button to save the changes.

Method 3: Using a Child Theme

If you are using a child theme, you can add the code snippet directly to your child theme's functions.php file. This is a recommended approach for keeping your customizations separate from your parent theme, allowing for easier updates.

How to Create a Child Theme:

  1. Navigate to Appearance > Themes: In your WordPress dashboard.
  2. Click the "Add New" button: Then select "Upload Theme" and upload your child theme's zip file.
  3. Activate the child theme: Once uploaded, activate the child theme.

Add the Code Snippet:

  1. Access the child theme's functions.php file: Navigate to Appearance > Theme Editor and select the child theme's functions.php file.
  2. Paste the code snippet: Add the code snippet to the end of your child theme's functions.php file.
  3. Save the changes: Click the "Update File" button to save the changes.

Removing the "Customize" Option in the Customizer

If you want to remove the "Customize" option within the Customizer itself (making it unavailable to users even if they navigate to the Customizer settings), you can use the following code snippet in your theme's functions.php file:

add_filter( 'customize_save_response', 'remove_customize_save_response', 10, 2 );
function remove_customize_save_response( $response, $wp_customize ) {
  unset( $response['customize_theme'] );
  return $response;
}

Explanation:

  • This code uses the customize_save_response filter to modify the response received after saving Customizer settings.
  • The remove_customize_save_response() function removes the customize_theme key from the response array, effectively preventing the Customizer from loading.

Considerations

  • Backup Your Site: Before implementing any changes, it's crucial to back up your WordPress site to avoid data loss.
  • Use a Child Theme: When modifying your theme's files, always use a child theme to maintain your customizations during theme updates.
  • Reverting the Changes: If you decide to bring back the "Customize" option, simply remove the code snippet or disable the plugin you used to remove it.

Conclusion

Removing the customize.php option from your WordPress admin menu can simplify your dashboard and streamline your workflow. Using a plugin, code snippet, or child theme allows you to achieve this with ease. Remember to backup your site before making any changes and consider the potential implications before implementing this modification.

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