Plugin Review
AI-ResearchedWhat is WP-Print?
WP-Print is a focused plugin that adds a printer-friendly link to your WordPress posts and pages. Created by Lester Chan, it has been available for 20 years. The plugin currently has 8K+ active installs. It holds a 4.4/5 rating from 41 reviews.
This plugin lets visitors view a clean, printable version of your content. It strips away sidebars, navigation, and ads. The result is a simple text layout ideal for printing or saving as PDF. It is one of the oldest tools for creating a print friendly page WordPress users can rely on.
Key Features of WP-Print
- Print Link Shortcode – Use
[print_link]in any post or page to add a print button only where you want it. - Theme Template Integration – Place a PHP function inside your theme files to show the print link on every post automatically.
- Custom Print Templates – Override the default print-css.css, print-posts.php, and print-comments.php by adding your own files to your theme directory.
- Donotprint Tag – Wrap content in
[donotprint][/donotprint]to hide specific text from the printer-friendly view while keeping it visible on the normal page. - Settings Page – Configure default link text for posts and pages under WP-Admin > Settings > Print without editing code.
- Permalink Refresh – Requires a simple permalink save after activation to ensure print links work correctly.
- Lightweight Codebase – Adds minimal overhead, making it suitable for sites where every millisecond matters.
Who Should Use WP-Print?
WP-Print is ideal for bloggers and site owners who want a best print plugin WordPress option without extra bloat. It suits users comfortable editing theme files. The plugin requires placing a PHP snippet in your theme, so basic knowledge of WordPress template hierarchy helps. It is not a drag-and-drop solution.
Sites with long-form content, recipes, tutorials, or documentation benefit most from this plugin. With 76% 10% one-star ratings, most users find it works as described. The 8K+ install base confirms its niche appeal for those needing a simple add print button WordPress post function.
Installation & Setup
Install WP-Print from the WordPress repository and activate it. Navigate to Settings > Print to configure link text. Then visit Settings > Permalinks and click Save Changes to refresh rewrite rules. Finally, open your theme file and add <?php if(function_exists('wp_print')) { print_link(); } ?> inside the loop to show the print link on each wordpress print post view.
Support & Community
Support data shows 0 open threads and 0 resolved threads over the last 2 months, resulting in a 0% resolution rate. This suggests limited active support from the developer. The plugin was last updated on Aug 9, 2023 and is currently at version 2.58.3. Users report it works with WordPress 6.3.8, but compatibility with newer versions is untested.
The rating breakdown reveals a polarizing user experience. 76% of the 41 ratings are five-star, indicating many users get it working quickly. However, 10% are one-star, likely due to the lack of updates or support. For a plugin this old, community forums and GitHub issues (at github.com/lesterchan/wp-print) are your best resources for troubleshooting.
Pros & Cons
- With 8K+ active installs and a 4.4 rating from 41 reviews, WP-Print is a trusted, lightweight solution for adding print functionality.
- 76% of its 41 ratings are 5-star, indicating high user satisfaction for a plugin that focuses on a single, simple task.
- It offers flexible placement of the print link, allowing use either via template code for all posts or via the [print_link] shortcode for individual posts only.
- The plugin is free and open-source, with its development hosted on GitHub, enabling community contributions and transparency.
- It provides a dedicated settings page under WP-Admin > Settings > Print, making text customization straightforward without editing code.
- The plugin has zero total support threads resolved, suggesting it is either unmaintained or lacks community support for troubleshooting.
- Setup requires manual editing of theme template files (e.g., single.php, page.php), which may be difficult for non-technical users.
- It only provides a basic print link with no options for print preview, page formatting, or removing elements like sidebars or headers.
- With only 41 ratings and no recent update activity visible, the plugin may be abandoned or incompatible with newer WordPress versions.
Technical Details
- Requires WordPress
- 4.0+
- Tested up to WP
- 7.0.2
- First Released
- 2006 (20+ years)
- Support (last 2 months)
- 0 threads
Feature Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, WP-Print is completely free and available on WordPress.org with no paid upgrades or premium versions.
WP-Print has 8K+ active installs, making it a moderately popular plugin for adding print functionality.
WP-Print requires WordPress 4.0 or higher and has been tested up to WordPress 6.3.8, so it works with most modern sites.
WP-Print was last updated on Aug 9, 2023 and has been maintained since its first release in 2006, though recent support threads show 0 total in the last 2 months.
The plugin facts do not specify a minimum PHP version, but since it requires WordPress 4.0+, it should work with the PHP versions supported by that WordPress release.
WP-Print has a rating of 4.4/5 from 41 ratings, but support threads over the last 2 months show 0 total and 0 resolved, indicating limited recent community support.
Yes, beginners can use WP-Print by adding a simple code snippet to their theme files or by inserting the [print_link] shortcode directly into posts or pages.
WP-Print adds a printer-friendly link to your posts and pages, supports custom CSS and templates from your theme directory, and lets you exclude content from printing using [donotprint] tags.