Disable the emoji scripts

add_action( 'init', function() {
    remove_action( 'wp_head', 'print_emoji_detection_script', 7 );
    remove_action( 'admin_print_scripts', 'print_emoji_detection_script' );
    remove_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'wp_enqueue_emoji_styles' );
    remove_action( 'admin_enqueue_scripts', 'wp_enqueue_emoji_styles' );
    remove_action( 'wp_print_styles', 'print_emoji_styles' ); // WordPress before 6.4
    remove_action( 'admin_print_styles', 'print_emoji_styles' ); // WordPress before 6.4
    remove_filter( 'the_content_feed', 'wp_staticize_emoji' );
    remove_filter( 'comment_text_rss', 'wp_staticize_emoji' );
    remove_filter( 'wp_mail', 'wp_staticize_emoji_for_email' );
    add_filter( 'emoji_svg_url', '__return_false' ); // No DNS prefetch to s.w.org
} );

How it works

WordPress adds a small detection script to every page, which loads wp-emoji-release.min.js and swaps emoji for images from s.w.org when a browser can’t draw them. Every current browser can, so the script only costs a request and some parsing. The snippet removes the script and styles on the front end and in wp-admin, stops emoji being turned into images in feeds and emails, and drops the DNS prefetch to s.w.org.

Compatibility

It covers both the current way WordPress loads emoji styles (wp_enqueue_emoji_styles, since 6.4) and the older one, so it works on any recent version.

How to check it works

View the source of any page and search for wp-emoji and s.w.org. Neither should appear. Emoji in your content still show, drawn by the browser.

How to undo it

Remove the code.

How to add this snippet

1. Copy the code above.
2. Paste it at the end of your child theme’s functions.php, in Appearance → Theme File Editor or over FTP.
3. Save, then open the site and check that everything works. If something breaks, remove the code.

Need more than one? Open this snippet in the builder, turn on the others you want and copy them as one functions.php, or download them as a small plugin.