- AMP is no longer a priority for Google, and its relevance has diminished significantly.
- Disabling AMP on WordPress involves steps like optimizing site speed, setting redirects, and deactivating the AMP plugin.
- Monitoring traffic and fixing search console errors ensures a smooth transition.
If you’ve been using Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) on your WordPress website, you’ve probably noticed the shift in its importance. Google no longer prioritizes AMP, and the project has been quietly fading into obscurity. While AMP was once touted as a game-changer for mobile performance, its limitations—such as requiring two versions of your site and restricting customization—have made it less appealing over time.
In this blog post, I’ll share why AMP is no longer worth keeping and walk you through how to safely disable it on your WordPress site. If you’re worried about losing traffic or breaking your site during the process, don’t fret. I’ve been through this journey myself and will guide you step-by-step.
Why Disable AMP?
AMP was designed to improve mobile browsing by serving stripped-down versions of web pages. However, times have changed. Modern web technologies and faster hosting solutions have rendered AMP’s benefits nearly obsolete. Here are some key reasons to remove it:
- Limited Customization: AMP restricts design flexibility, which can hurt branding efforts.
- Dual Maintenance: Managing both AMP and non-AMP versions of your site doubles your workload.
- Google’s Shift: Google no longer prioritizes AMP in search rankings, making it less relevant for SEO.
- Analytics Issues: Google Analytics 4 (GA4) doesn’t fully support AMP pages, limiting your ability to track user behavior effectively.
If any of these resonate with you, it’s time to move on from AMP.
Steps to Disable AMP in WordPress
Disabling AMP isn’t as simple as deactivating a plugin; there are additional steps to ensure a seamless transition without losing traffic or creating errors.
1. Optimize Your Website for Speed
Before removing AMP, ensure your site is fast enough to deliver a great user experience without it. Here are some quick tips:
- Use a reliable hosting provider (learn more here).
- Enable caching with plugins like WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache.
- Compress images using tools like TinyPNG or Smush.
- Implement a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to reduce latency.
For advanced optimization techniques, check out this guide on making WordPress faster.
2. Add Redirects for AMP Pages
Once you disable AMP, users visiting your old AMP URLs need to be redirected to their corresponding non-AMP pages. This prevents 404 errors and ensures a smooth user experience.
Here’s how to set up redirects:
- Install a redirection plugin like RankMath or Redirection.
- Create a new redirect rule:
- Source URL:
^(.*)/amp$ - Destination URL:
https://yourdomain.com/$1 - Use regex (regular expression) mode for this rule.
Test the redirects by visiting an old AMP page (e.g., https://yourdomain.com/post-title/amp). If it redirects correctly to the non-AMP version, you’re good to go.
3. Wait for Google to Update
After setting up redirects, give Google some time to recognize the changes. You might see errors like “Reference URL is not an AMP” in Google Search Console—this is normal. Over the next few weeks, Google will gradually remove AMP pages from its index.
During this waiting period:
- Monitor traffic using tools like Google Analytics.
- Keep an eye on Search Console for any anomalies.
4. Deactivate the AMP Plugin
Once Google has updated its index and most of your traffic is coming through non-AMP pages, it’s safe to deactivate the AMP plugin:
- Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins in your WordPress dashboard.
- Find the AMP plugin and click “Deactivate.”
- Optionally, delete the plugin entirely to clean up your site.
Make sure none of your site’s features rely on the plugin before removing it completely.
5. Fix Search Console Errors
Even after deactivating the plugin, some residual errors might appear in Search Console. To resolve these:
- Navigate to the “Coverage” section in Search Console.
- Locate errors related to AMP pages (e.g., “Reference URL is not an AMP”).
- Click “Validate Fix” to prompt Google to re-crawl affected URLs.
This process typically takes a few days but ensures that all traces of AMP are removed from search results.
What Happens After Disabling AMP?
From my experience, disabling AMP doesn’t negatively impact website traffic if done correctly. In fact, you might notice improvements in engagement metrics like time on page and conversions since users will now interact with fully-featured versions of your site.
However, there are a few things you’ll want to monitor post-transition:
- Traffic Trends: Check if there’s any significant dip in traffic during the transition period.
- Page Speed: Without AMP, your site speed becomes entirely dependent on your optimization efforts (learn how here).
- User Experience: Test your site on various devices to ensure it performs well across all screen sizes.
FAQs About Disabling AMP
Will my search rankings drop?
Not necessarily. As long as your site remains fast and mobile-friendly, disabling AMP shouldn’t harm SEO performance.
How long does the transition take?
It varies but typically ranges from two weeks to two months for Google to fully update its index.
Do I need technical expertise?
While some steps require basic technical knowledge (like setting up redirects), most tasks can be handled using plugins and guides like this one.
Final Thoughts
AMP had its moment in the spotlight but has since become more of a burden than a benefit for many website owners. By following these steps—optimizing speed, setting up redirects, deactivating plugins—you can safely transition away from AMP without losing traffic or functionality.
If you’re looking for ways to further improve your WordPress site after disabling AMP, consider exploring topics like reducing plugin reliance or creating responsive designs. These strategies can help you maintain a fast and user-friendly website in today’s competitive digital landscape.
Ready to take control of your website? Let me know how your transition goes!
