# Stop Dashboard Browser and PHP Version Lookups

> Prevents the dashboard from sending your browser's user agent and your server's PHP version to WordPress.org to decide whether to show upgrade warnings.

- Type: PHP
- Runs: Admin only
- Category: [Privacy & Cookies](https://wpide.com/library/category/privacy/)
- Tags: dashboard, telemetry, wordpress-org
- Author: WPIDE Team
- Installs: 0
- Updated: 2026-10-28
- Page: https://wpide.com/library/privacy-block-browser-php-checks/

## Code

```php
add_filter( 'pre_http_request', function ( $response, $args, $url ) {
    if ( false !== strpos( $url, 'api.wordpress.org/core/browse-happy/' ) || false !== strpos( $url, 'api.wordpress.org/core/serve-happy/' ) ) {
        return new WP_Error( 'wpide_blocked', 'Version check disabled.' );
    }

    return $response;
}, 10, 3 );
```

## Notes

You will no longer see "Your browser is out of date" or "PHP update required" boxes; keep an eye on Site Health instead.

## How to use it

Install the free WPIDE plugin (https://wordpress.org/plugins/wpide/), find "Stop Dashboard Browser and PHP Version Lookups" in its snippet library and add it in one click; or create a new PHP snippet in WPIDE (or any code snippets plugin) and paste the code above. More snippets: https://wpide.com/library/