Photo: Mateusz Dach / Pexels. Illustrative photograph. Photo source · Pexels licence
Hiding a WordPress version tag can remove an unnecessary detail from page source, but it does not patch vulnerable software or prevent an attacker from probing known routes. Treat it as modest housekeeping within a broader maintenance process.
Understand what the change actually does
WordPress themes and plugins can expose software information in several places. Removing a generator tag affects that output; it does not erase every clue about the platform. The public structure of a site may still make WordPress easy to recognise.
Do not confuse “less visible” with “up to date.” An old plugin remains old even if its version string is hidden. Keep an inventory of the installed software and a way to assess legitimate updates.
Prioritise controls that change the risk
Use appropriate access, maintained software and recoverable backups. Remove genuinely unused components through a considered process after checking dependencies. Keep configuration and backup files out of public downloads.
On my own blog, removing the generator tag was paired with checks of the live page source. That verified the requested output change. It was not described as a complete security audit or a guarantee against compromise.
Avoid breaking caching while hiding details
Asset version parameters can help browsers fetch a changed script or stylesheet. Removing every version from every asset without understanding caching may leave visitors using stale files. A targeted change is preferable to a blanket search-and-replace.
After a change, check the rendered page, navigation and important scripts. Keep a recoverable copy of the theme or custom code so a mistaken edit can be reversed.
I offer WordPress support and can review a specific concern. Explore selected work before enquiring. Read A WordPress update broke my website. What should I do first? for safe update recovery and What should I do first if I suspect my WordPress site was hacked? if you already see suspicious behaviour.
A useful security discussion should state exactly what was checked and the limits of that check. A missing version tag is one observable result, not evidence that all security issues have been removed.