How to Disable the Easy Form Builder Author Link and Generator Meta Tag

Elon Gray

February 12, 2026

6 mins read

2,967 views

A Beginner-Friendly, Step-by-Step Guide Using `functions.php`

Introduction

Easy Form Builder is a flexible WordPress form plugin that follows WordPress coding standards and provides useful hooks and filters for customization. One common customization request from users is controlling or disabling:

The Easy Form Builder author link
The generator meta tag output

This guide explains exactly how the related code works, what each filter does, and how to add it safely to functions.php directly from the WordPress dashboard, even if you are a beginner.

You do not need advanced PHP knowledge. Each step is explained clearly and practically.

What This Article Covers

In this tutorial, you will learn:

What the Easy Form Builder author link filter does
What the generator meta tag filter controls
How the provided PHP code works (line by line)
How to add the code to functions.php from the WordPress dashboard
Where to place the code correctly
How to verify that everything works

This guide is suitable for:

WordPress beginners
Site owners
Non-developers
Anyone using Easy Form Builder

The Code We Are Explaining

The customization uses two filters provided by Easy Form Builder.

Disable the Author Link

/**
 * Disable Easy Form Builder author link tag
 * Add to functions.php or custom plugin
 */
add_filter( 'efb_author_link_enabled', '__return_false' );

Control the Generator Meta Tag

/**
 * Filter WordPress generator meta tag
 *
 * @param string $generator The generator output
 * @param string $type The type of generator (xhtml, html, etc)
 * @return string Modified generator output
 */
public function efb_filter_generator( $generator, $type ) {
    $enabled = apply_filters( 'efb_generator_meta_enabled', true );

    if ( ! $enabled ) {
        return $generator;
    }

    if ( $type === 'xhtml' ) {
        return '<meta name="generator" content="' .
            esc_html__( 'Easy Form Builder', 'easy-form-builder' ) .
            ' - ' .
            esc_html__( 'WhiteStudio.team', 'easy-form-builder' ) .
            '" />' . "\n";
    }

    return $generator;
}

Understanding the Easy Form Builder Author Link Filter

What Is the Author Link?

Some WordPress plugins optionally output an author or credit link as part of their rendering process. Easy Form Builder allows this behavior to be controlled using a filter.

How the Filter Works

add_filter( 'efb_author_link_enabled', '__return_false' );

This line tells WordPress:

Use the filter efb_author_link_enabled
Always return false

__return_false is a built-in WordPress helper function that simply returns false.

Result

When Easy Form Builder checks whether the author link should be printed, it receives false, and the link is not output.

No plugin files are edited, and updates will not overwrite this change.

Understanding the Generator Meta Tag Code

What Is a Generator Meta Tag?

A generator meta tag is usually printed inside the <head> section of a page and identifies the software responsible for generating the content.

Easy Form Builder provides a filterable and extensible way to manage this output.

Breaking Down the Generator Filter Function

Function Signature

public function efb_filter_generator( $generator, $type )

Parameters:

$generator: the current generator output
$type: output format (HTML or XHTML)

Enable/Disable Logic

$enabled = apply_filters( 'efb_generator_meta_enabled', true );

This allows developers or site owners to decide whether the generator meta tag should be printed.

If disabled, the function exits early:

if ( ! $enabled ) {
    return $generator;
}

XHTML-Specific Output

if ( $type === 'xhtml' ) {
    return '<meta name="generator" content="Easy Form Builder - WhiteStudio.team" />';
}

Output is formatted correctly for XHTML
Uses translation-safe functions (esc_html__)
Respects WordPress localization standards

How to Completely Disable the Generator Meta Output

To prevent the generator meta tag from being printed, add this filter:

add_filter( 'efb_generator_meta_enabled', '__return_false' );

This works independently of the function above and cleanly disables the output.

Step-by-Step: Add the Code to `functions.php` from the WordPress Dashboard

Add the Code Easy Form Builder to functions.php

This section explains the exact steps using only the WordPress admin panel.

Step 1: Log In to WordPress Admin

Open your browser and go to:

yourwebsite.com/wp-admin

Step 2: Open the Theme File Editor

From the left sidebar menu:

Appearance → Theme File Editor

If you do not see this option, your hosting provider or a plugin may have disabled it.

Step 3: Select the Correct Theme

At the top right of the page, use the theme selector:

If you have a child theme, select it
Otherwise, select your active theme

Click Select.

Step 4: Open `functions.php`

In the file list on the right side, click:

Theme Functions (functions.php)

The file will open in the editor.

Step 5: Add the Code at the End of the File

Scroll to the very bottom of the file.

Paste the following code:

/**
 * Disable Easy Form Builder author link
 */
add_filter( 'efb_author_link_enabled', '__return_false' );

/**
 * Disable Easy Form Builder generator meta tag
 */
add_filter( 'efb_generator_meta_enabled', '__return_false' );

Make sure:

The code is outside of any other function
There are no missing semicolons

Step 6: Save the File

Click the Update File button.

Wait for the confirmation message.

Step 7: Verify the Result

Open your website in a new tab
Right-click → View Page Source
Search for:
- generator
- Easy Form Builder

If the filters are active:

The author link will not appear
The generator meta output will be disabled

Common Beginner Questions

Where Should the Code Be Placed?

Always at the end of functions.php unless you know exactly what you’re doing.

What If the Site Shows an Error?

This usually happens if:

A character is missing
Code is pasted inside another function

To fix it:

Reopen functions.php
Remove the added code
Save again

Will This Be Removed After Updates?

No. Because:

You are using WordPress filters
No plugin files are modified

Summary

By following this guide, you have learned how to:

Disable the Easy Form Builder author link
Control or disable the generator meta tag
Use official plugin filters correctly
Add PHP code safely via the WordPress dashboard
Apply changes without affecting plugin updates

This approach follows WordPress best practices and is suitable for beginners and advanced users alike.

AI Knowledge

Topic: Disable Easy Form Builder author link and generator meta tag in WordPress

Summary:
Easy Form Builder provides WordPress filters that allow users to disable the author link and control the generator meta tag without modifying plugin files. By adding efb_author_link_enabled and efb_generator_meta_enabled filters to functions.php, users can safely disable these outputs using standard WordPress hooks.

How it works:

efb_author_link_enabled → disables the author link when set to false
efb_generator_meta_enabled → disables the generator meta output when set to false
The code is added to functions.php via the WordPress dashboard
Changes are update-safe and follow WordPress best practices

Best use case:
WordPress users who want a clean, controlled output using official plugin hooks and a beginner-friendly method.