Utilities Module

Custom Excerpt Length

Custom Excerpt Length lets you control how many words appear in post excerpts and customize the Read More link text. WordPress defaults to 55 words which may not fit your theme design. Set any word count that works for your layout, whether shorter for grid displays or longer for magazine-style archives. Also customize the trailing text that appears after truncated excerpts, replacing the default brackets with something more engaging like Continue Reading or an arrow symbol.

Settings
Settings - Custom Excerpt Length module
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excerpt length customization content display

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Key Features

Custom excerpt word count
Custom 'Read More' text
Per post type settings

Why Use This Module?

  • Set excerpt length to match your theme design
  • Customize Read More text for better engagement
  • Shorter excerpts for grid layouts, longer for lists
  • Consistent excerpt appearance across archives
  • No theme file editing required

Real-World Use Cases

Perfect Blog Previews

Set excerpt to exactly 25 words for blog archives instead of WordPress default 55 to match your design layout.

Custom Read More Text

Change '[...]' to 'Continue Reading' or clickable link to improve call-to-action on post previews.

Mobile-Optimized Excerpts

Reduce excerpt length to 15 words for cleaner mobile blog listings without editing theme code.

How to Use

Set excerpt length and 'Read More' text in module settings. Changes apply site-wide.

Benefits & Impact

Time Savings

Automates manual tasks and streamlines your workflow

Performance Boost

Enhances overall site functionality

Better UX

Provides a better user experience

Easy Maintenance

Simple setup with minimal ongoing maintenance

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this affect manually written excerpts?

No, manual excerpts you write in the excerpt box are used as-is. The word limit only applies to auto-generated excerpts from post content.

Can I use HTML in the Read More text?

Basic HTML is supported so you can add icons, arrows, or styling to the Read More link.

Does this work with custom post types?

Yes, the excerpt settings apply to all post types that support excerpts.

What Users Are Saying

"Default excerpts were too long for my grid. Shortened them to 20 words and the design looks much better."

— Theme Customizer

"Changed Read More to Continue Reading with an arrow. Small change but more professional."

— Magazine Site

"Different sites needed different excerpt lengths. This made it adjustable without code."

— Blog Network

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