How to Disable @ Mention Functionality

Introduction

BuddyBoss does not provide a built-in option to disable the @ mention functionality. By default, members can mention other users using the @username syntax, which triggers autocomplete suggestions and notifications. You can disable this behavior by adding a small custom function and CSS to your active theme. This guide explains how to fully disable @ mention functionality and hide the autocomplete suggestion popup.

Custom Workaround

Before proceeding, make sure you have a complete site backup.

Disable Mentions Functionality

1. Go to Appearance > Theme Editor in your WordPress admin dashboard.
   
2. Under Select theme to edit, choose your active theme (preferably a BuddyBoss Child Theme), then click Select.
   
3. From the Theme Files list, open Theme Functions (functions.php).
   
4. Add the following code just before the closing PHP tag (?>):
   

add_filter( 'bp_activity_do_mentions', '__return_false' );

5. Click Update File to save the changes.
   

This disables BuddyBoss/BuddyPress mention processing, so @username will no longer trigger mentions or notifications.

Hide the Mentions Autocomplete Dropdown

To completely remove the visual autocomplete popup:

1. Go to BuddyBoss > Theme Options.
   
2. Under Custom Codes, enable CSS.
   
3. Add the following CSS:
   

.atwho-container {

    display: none;

}

4. Click Save Changes.
   

Note: Modifications are typically considered custom work, but we are making an exception in this case. Please review the BuddyBoss Support Policy.

Troubleshooting and FAQs

Q: The @ mention dropdown is still visible.
A: Clear your site cache and browser cache. Also confirm the CSS was added under BuddyBoss > Theme Options > Custom Codes.

Q: Will users still receive mention notifications?
A: No. Mentions are fully disabled and will no longer generate notifications.

Q: Will this affect existing mentions in older content?
A: Existing mentions will remain as plain text but will no longer function.

Q: Can I re-enable mentions later?
A: Yes. Remove or comment out the PHP filter and delete the CSS rule, then save your changes.