Table Of Contents
Introduction
Ever published a blog post and noticed WordPress automatically shortens your content on the homepage or archive page with a “[…]” at the end? That’s the auto excerpt in action. For some users, it’s helpful. But for many others – especially those who want full control over how their posts appear – it can be frustrating.
By default, WordPress generates excerpts automatically by pulling the first 55 words of a post. While this may work for simple blogs, it can disrupt the design, affect SEO, or even harm your user engagement. What if you want to write your own summary or display the entire post instead of a clipped version?
Disabling the auto excerpt can solve those issues and give you full control over how content shows on your site. Whether you’re using a theme that doesn’t offer a setting for this or want to fine-tune your blog layout manually, this guide walks you through exactly how to turn it off.
Let’s explore why WordPress generates auto excerpts, how they affect your site, and the different ways you can disable them for good – without breaking anything.
Why Does WordPress Auto-Generate Excerpts?
WordPress tries to make things easier for users by automatically creating short summaries – called excerpts – of your blog posts. These are shown on your homepage, category pages, search results, and blog archives. Instead of displaying the full post, WordPress shows a quick preview using the first 55 words of your content.
What Triggers Auto Excerpts?
There are two common reasons why WordPress automatically generates excerpts:
- Your theme uses the_excerpt() instead of the_content(): This is common in many themes where post previews are needed. The function the_excerpt() tells WordPress to display a trimmed version of the post.
- You didn’t write a custom excerpt: If you leave the excerpt box empty while writing your post, WordPress takes the first 55 words and creates an automatic one.
Why Auto Excerpts Can Cause Problems
Auto excerpts may seem helpful at first, but they often create issues, especially for users who want full control over how their posts appear.
- No formatting: WordPress strips out HTML tags, images, embedded videos, and shortcodes from auto excerpts. This means important design elements, links, or formatting are lost in the preview.
- Bad for SEO: Because auto excerpts often cut off sentences and remove keywords, search engines might not get the full context of your content.
- Layout issues: If you’re using a custom layout plugin or theme design, automatic excerpts might not fit well, breaking the look of your site.
Due to these reasons, many WordPress users prefer to turn off auto excerpts and decide exactly what content shows where.
Method 1: Edit Theme Files to Stop Auto Excerpts
One of the most effective ways to disable auto excerpts is by changing how your theme displays posts. This involves editing the theme’s code.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Open your WordPress dashboard
Navigate to Appearance > Theme File Editor (or use FTP or a code editor if you’re comfortable). - Find the right file
Look for files like index.php, home.php, or archive.php. These files control how your blog post listings appear. - Locate this line of code:
the_excerpt(); - Replace it with:
the_content(); - Save the file. Refresh your website.
Now, your theme will show the full content instead of the trimmed version.
⚠️ Tip: Always create and use a child theme before editing theme files. This keeps your changes safe when you update your theme later.
Method 2: Use Manual Excerpts to Override Auto Ones
If you don’t want to edit code, there’s a simpler method: write your own custom excerpt.
Here’s how to do it:
- Go to your WordPress dashboard and open any post.
- On the right side, find the Excerpt box. If you don’t see it, click the three-dot menu at the top and enable it under Preferences > Panels > Excerpt.
- Write a custom summary in your own words.
- Save or update the post.
By adding a manual excerpt, WordPress will use your version instead of generating one automatically.
🔍 Note: This doesn’t turn off auto excerpts globally, but it overrides them on each post where you write your own.
Method 3: Use a Plugin to Control or Disable Auto Excerpts
If editing code isn’t your thing, plugins offer a user-friendly solution. You can install a plugin to manage or disable excerpts with just a few clicks.
Popular Plugins for Managing Excerpts:
- Advanced Excerpt
- Disable Excerpts
- Excerpt Editor
How to Use “Advanced Excerpt”:
- Go to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress dashboard.
- Search for Advanced Excerpt, install it, and activate it.
- Navigate to Settings > Excerpt.
- Uncheck the box labeled Automatically generate excerpt or tweak other options as needed.
- Save changes.
This plugin gives you visual control over excerpt settings – without touching any code.
Method 4: Edit functions.php to Stop Auto Excerpt Behavior
For users who prefer a code-based solution but want to avoid editing multiple theme files, editing the functions.php file is a great option.
Basic Code to Remove Auto Excerpts:
Add this line to your theme’s functions.php file:
remove_filter(‘the_excerpt’, ‘wp_trim_excerpt’);
This tells WordPress to stop trimming content automatically.
Optional: Force Full Content Even If the Theme Uses Excerpts
If your theme still uses the_excerpt() and won’t display full content, add this snippet:
function replace_excerpt_with_content($content) {
return get_the_content();
}
remove_all_filters(‘the_excerpt’);
add_filter(‘the_excerpt’, ‘replace_excerpt_with_content’);
Now, even if the theme calls for an excerpt, WordPress will serve up the full post content instead.
⚠️ Reminder: Always back up your site before editing core files.
Method 5: Let Page Builders Handle the Content Display
If you’re using a modern page builder like Elementor, Divi, or WPBakery, you have more flexibility.
For Elementor Users:
- Go to Templates > Theme Builder.
- Edit your blog archive or post template.
- Click on the Posts widget.
- Under the Content settings, switch from Excerpt to Full Content.
- Update the template.
These tools override WordPress defaults, so it’s much easier to manage how your posts appear – no coding required.
When Should You Keep Auto Excerpts Enabled?
Although many users want to disable auto excerpts, sometimes keeping them makes sense depending on your website’s goals.
Consider keeping auto excerpts if:
- Your homepage needs to load quickly: Full posts can slow down archive pages. Excerpts keep things light and fast.
- You prefer a consistent layout: Uniform post previews make your blog or category pages look clean and organized.
- Your SEO strategy benefits from content previews: If your excerpts are well-written, they can improve click-through rates without risking duplicate content.
In these cases, using manual excerpts is the best compromise. You get the benefits of short summaries with the control of custom text.
Conclusion
WordPress auto excerpts can feel limiting, especially if you’re aiming for a more polished and controlled site layout. Fortunately, turning them off is entirely doable – whether you’re editing theme files, using a plugin, or working with a page builder.
The key takeaway? You don’t have to settle for what WordPress gives you out of the box. With a little adjustment, you can choose how your content is presented and create a better user experience.
If you’re building a serious blog, content-driven business site, or portfolio, controlling how posts appear is a small change that can make a big difference.
FAQs
What is an auto excerpt in WordPress?
An auto excerpt is a shortened version of a post, usually the first 55 words, generated by WordPress when no manual excerpt is provided.
Why is WordPress showing only part of my post?
WordPress themes using the the_excerpt() function display auto excerpts by default, showing only a portion of the content.
How can I stop WordPress from generating automatic excerpts?
You can replace the_excerpt() with the_content() in theme files or use a plugin to disable it.
Can I customize the length of auto excerpts in WordPress?
Yes, use the excerpt_length filter in functions.php to adjust the word count of auto excerpts.
Is it better to disable auto excerpts or write manual ones?
Writing manual excerpts offers better control and formatting while still keeping content concise.
Which themes allow easy excerpt customization?
Most modern themes like Astra, GeneratePress, and Kadence offer settings to toggle excerpts or full content.
Can I disable excerpts only on the homepage?
Yes, use conditional tags like is_home() in your theme templates to control where content or excerpts show.
Will disabling auto excerpts affect SEO?
It can – positively or negatively. Showing full content may improve keyword visibility, but also risks duplicate content across archive pages.
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