To stop a WordPress post from pinging another post on the same site, use a relative URL for the internal link—for example, /2021/06/16/twitter-widget instead of a full URL. For a site-wide fix, use the No Self Ping plugin or a carefully maintained pre_ping filter. The Discussion setting is broader: it disables pingbacks and trackbacks on new posts, not just self-pings.
Can I stop self-pings?
Yes. WordPress explains that a full URL in an internal link can trigger a self-ping. A relative URL points to the same page without repeating your site’s domain, so it avoids that cause. The WordPress documentation also cautions that the visual editor may add the domain back; inspect the link’s actual href in HTML mode before publishing. See WordPress: Trackbacks and Pingbacks.
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- Edit the post and select the internal link.
- Change the link from a full URL such as
http://example.com/2021/06/16/twitter-widgetto the relative path/2021/06/16/twitter-widget. - Switch to HTML or code view and confirm the link’s
hrefstill contains only the relative path. - Save or publish the post.
Which self-ping solution should you choose?
| Method | Scope | Effort | External pingbacks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Relative internal link | Prevents a self-ping from that link | Low; edit and verify the link | Unaffected |
| No Self Ping plugin | Disables intra-blog pings; supports an optional list of additional domains | Install and maintain a plugin | Intended to target intra-blog pings |
| Discussion setting | Disables pingbacks and trackbacks on new posts, not only self-pings | Change a WordPress setting | Disabled for new posts |
Disable self-pings site-wide with a plugin
The WordPress.org directory lists No Self Ping as a plugin for disabling intra-blog pinging. Its listing describes an optional field under Settings → Discussion for adding domains to exclude. That can help when your site should also avoid pinging another domain, such as another site you operate. Plugin compatibility and maintenance can change, so check the current directory listing before installing or updating it.
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Go to Settings → Discussion and clear Allow link notifications from other blogs (pingbacks and trackbacks). This is not a self-ping-only switch: it turns off those notifications for new posts more broadly. It does not automatically change the setting on posts already published, which may need to be adjusted individually. WordPress Support discusses this distinction in Disable Pingbacks from Own Website?.
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Filter outgoing ping targets with code
WordPress provides the pre_ping hook before it sends outgoing pingbacks. A community support reply illustrates filtering targets by comparing them with the site’s home URL, but the example is not a guarantee that a simple comparison fits every site. Domain matching needs to account for variants such as www versus non-www, HTTP versus HTTPS, aliases, and multisite domains. Review the example and hook context in the WordPress Support discussion and the WordPress pingback() reference before implementing a filter.
Do not confuse self-pings with update-service pings
Update services are notified when your site publishes or updates content; they are separate from a pingback caused by an internal link. Their URIs are managed under Settings → Writing. Removing those URIs stops update-service notifications, but does not fix an internal link that triggers a self-ping. See WordPress: Update Services.
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What changes in WordPress 7.1.0
Starting with WordPress 7.1.0, WordPress disables all pings by default in non-production environments named local, development, and staging. This covers outgoing pingbacks, trackbacks, update-service notifications, and incoming pingbacks and trackbacks. The environment filter can override the behavior. It does not mean pings are automatically disabled on production sites or on older WordPress versions. See the function reference and WordPress Trac changeset 62417, recorded May 26, 2026.
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