WordPress version 4.4 and above use a filter called pre_get_document_title() for a customzing title for each page, post, tag, category and more. For example, I can change 404 error title using this filter. One can use the wp_title() which was formerly deprecated in version 4.4 but was returned for compatibility reasons.
Let us see how to change or override page title. I am using Twenty Sixteen child theme.
Syntax and examples
The syntax is pretty simple:
// add filter add_filter('pre_get_document_title', 'change_my_title'); // Our function function change_my_title($title) { return 'My new title'; } |
// add filter
add_filter(‘pre_get_document_title’, ‘change_my_title’);
// Our function
function change_my_title($title) {
return ‘My new title’;
}
The above will change title for all pages/posts/tags and more. So you must customize it as per your needs. For example just change 404 page title:
// add filter add_filter('pre_get_document_title', 'change_my_404_title'); // Our function function change_my_404_title($title) { // checks if 404 error is being displayed if ( is_404() ) { return 'Error 404: Oh no. Page note found :('; } // else return default title return $title; } |
// add filter
add_filter(‘pre_get_document_title’, ‘change_my_404_title’);
// Our function
function change_my_404_title($title) {
// checks if 404 error is being displayed
if ( is_404() ) {
return ‘Error 404: Oh no. Page note found :(‘;
}
// else return default title
return $title;
}
The above pre_get_document_title filter allowed me to override any HTTP 404 error page title as per my needs. Here is another example where I am customizing title for my custom taxonomy:
add_filter('pre_get_document_title', 'change_faq_tax_title'); function change_faq_tax_title($title) { global $page, $paged; // if Easy taxonomy if (is_tax('tutoriallevel', 'easy')) { $nix_title = single_term_title( '', false ) . ' to follow Linux/Unix tutorials for new users - nixCraft '; // Add a page number if necessary. if ( ( $paged >= 2 || $page >= 2 ) && ! is_404() ) { $nix_title .= sprintf( __( 'Page %s' ), max( $paged, $page ) ); } return $nix_title; } } |
add_filter(‘pre_get_document_title’, ‘change_faq_tax_title’);
function change_faq_tax_title($title) {
global $page, $paged;
// if Easy taxonomy
if (is_tax(‘tutoriallevel’, ‘easy’)) {
$nix_title = single_term_title( ”, false ) . ‘ to follow Linux/Unix tutorials for new users – nixCraft ‘;
// Add a page number if necessary.
if ( ( $paged >= 2 || $page >= 2 ) && ! is_404() ) {
$nix_title .= sprintf( __( ‘Page %s’ ), max( $paged, $page ) );
}
return $nix_title;
}
}
You must put above code in functions.php located inside your child theme. Passing a non-empty value will short-circuit wp_get_document_title(), returning that value instead. wp_get_document_title() returns document title for the current page/tag/post. Here is an original function is taken from WordPress core file:
function wp_get_document_title() { /** * Filters the document title before it is generated. * * Passing a non-empty value will short-circuit wp_get_document_title(), * returning that value instead. * * @since 4.4.0 * * @param string $title The document title. Default empty string. */ $title = apply_filters( 'pre_get_document_title', '' ); if ( ! empty( $title ) ) { return $title; } global $page, $paged; $title = array( 'title' => '', ); // If it's a 404 page, use a "Page not found" title. if ( is_404() ) { $title['title'] = __( 'Page not found' ); // If it's a search, use a dynamic search results title. } elseif ( is_search() ) { /* translators: %s: search phrase */ $title['title'] = sprintf( __( 'Search Results for “%s”' ), get_search_query() ); // If on the front page, use the site title. } elseif ( is_front_page() ) { $title['title'] = get_bloginfo( 'name', 'display' ); // If on a post type archive, use the post type archive title. } elseif ( is_post_type_archive() ) { $title['title'] = post_type_archive_title( '', false ); // If on a taxonomy archive, use the term title. } elseif ( is_tax() ) { $title['title'] = single_term_title( '', false ); /* * If we're on the blog page that is not the homepage or * a single post of any post type, use the post title. */ } elseif ( is_home() || is_singular() ) { $title['title'] = single_post_title( '', false ); // If on a category or tag archive, use the term title. } elseif ( is_category() || is_tag() ) { $title['title'] = single_term_title( '', false ); // If on an author archive, use the author's display name. } elseif ( is_author() && $author = get_queried_object() ) { $title['title'] = $author->display_name; // If it's a date archive, use the date as the title. } elseif ( is_year() ) { $title['title'] = get_the_date( _x( 'Y', 'yearly archives date format' ) ); } elseif ( is_month() ) { $title['title'] = get_the_date( _x( 'F Y', 'monthly archives date format' ) ); } elseif ( is_day() ) { $title['title'] = get_the_date(); } // Add a page number if necessary. if ( ( $paged >= 2 || $page >= 2 ) && ! is_404() ) { $title['page'] = sprintf( __( 'Page %s' ), max( $paged, $page ) ); } // Append the description or site title to give context. if ( is_front_page() ) { $title['tagline'] = get_bloginfo( 'description', 'display' ); } else { $title['site'] = get_bloginfo( 'name', 'display' ); } /** * Filters the separator for the document title. * * @since 4.4.0 * * @param string $sep Document title separator. Default '-'. */ $sep = apply_filters( 'document_title_separator', '-' ); /** * Filters the parts of the document title. * * @since 4.4.0 * * @param array $title { * The document title parts. * * @type string $title Title of the viewed page. * @type string $page Optional. Page number if paginated. * @type string $tagline Optional. Site description when on home page. * @type string $site Optional. Site title when not on home page. * } */ $title = apply_filters( 'document_title_parts', $title ); $title = implode( " $sep ", array_filter( $title ) ); $title = wptexturize( $title ); $title = convert_chars( $title ); $title = esc_html( $title ); $title = capital_P_dangit( $title ); return $title; } |
function wp_get_document_title() {
/**
* Filters the document title before it is generated.
*
* Passing a non-empty value will short-circuit wp_get_document_title(),
* returning that value instead.
*
* @since 4.4.0
*
* @param string $title The document title. Default empty string.
*/
$title = apply_filters( ‘pre_get_document_title’, ” );
if ( ! empty( $title ) ) {
return $title;
}
global $page, $paged;
$title = array(
‘title’ => ”,
);
// If it’s a 404 page, use a “Page not found” title.
if ( is_404() ) {
$title[‘title’] = __( ‘Page not found’ );
// If it’s a search, use a dynamic search results title.
} elseif ( is_search() ) {
/* translators: %s: search phrase */
$title[‘title’] = sprintf( __( ‘Search Results for “%s”’ ), get_search_query() );
// If on the front page, use the site title.
} elseif ( is_front_page() ) {
$title[‘title’] = get_bloginfo( ‘name’, ‘display’ );
// If on a post type archive, use the post type archive title.
} elseif ( is_post_type_archive() ) {
$title[‘title’] = post_type_archive_title( ”, false );
// If on a taxonomy archive, use the term title.
} elseif ( is_tax() ) {
$title[‘title’] = single_term_title( ”, false );
/*
* If we’re on the blog page that is not the homepage or
* a single post of any post type, use the post title.
*/
} elseif ( is_home() || is_singular() ) {
$title[‘title’] = single_post_title( ”, false );
// If on a category or tag archive, use the term title.
} elseif ( is_category() || is_tag() ) {
$title[‘title’] = single_term_title( ”, false );
// If on an author archive, use the author’s display name.
} elseif ( is_author() && $author = get_queried_object() ) {
$title[‘title’] = $author->display_name;
// If it’s a date archive, use the date as the title.
} elseif ( is_year() ) {
$title[‘title’] = get_the_date( _x( ‘Y’, ‘yearly archives date format’ ) );
} elseif ( is_month() ) {
$title[‘title’] = get_the_date( _x( ‘F Y’, ‘monthly archives date format’ ) );
} elseif ( is_day() ) {
$title[‘title’] = get_the_date();
}
// Add a page number if necessary.
if ( ( $paged >= 2 || $page >= 2 ) && ! is_404() ) {
$title[‘page’] = sprintf( __( ‘Page %s’ ), max( $paged, $page ) );
}
// Append the description or site title to give context.
if ( is_front_page() ) {
$title[‘tagline’] = get_bloginfo( ‘description’, ‘display’ );
} else {
$title[‘site’] = get_bloginfo( ‘name’, ‘display’ );
}
/**
* Filters the separator for the document title.
*
* @since 4.4.0
*
* @param string $sep Document title separator. Default ‘-‘.
*/
$sep = apply_filters( ‘document_title_separator’, ‘-‘ );
/**
* Filters the parts of the document title.
*
* @since 4.4.0
*
* @param array $title {
* The document title parts.
*
* @type string $title Title of the viewed page.
* @type string $page Optional. Page number if paginated.
* @type string $tagline Optional. Site description when on home page.
* @type string $site Optional. Site title when not on home page.
* }
*/
$title = apply_filters( ‘document_title_parts’, $title );
$title = implode( ” $sep “, array_filter( $title ) );
$title = wptexturize( $title );
$title = convert_chars( $title );
$title = esc_html( $title );
$title = capital_P_dangit( $title );
return $title;
}
I hope someone will find this useful as I spent an hour to figure out new changes. Most forum posts are outdated or talk about modifying core files. Hence I wrote a quick blog post.