6 comments

1. The wrapping div is easy. When you use wp_nav_menu(), add this argument: 'container' => false

   For the <ul> element, there’s an argument called 'items_wrap'. See woodchucky’s answer for more info on that one (and upvote it!).

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2. wp_nav_menu() accepts an undocumented parameter

   ‘items_wrap’ => ‘<ul id="%1$s" class="%2$s">%3$s</ul>‘

   This is executed by:
   $nav_menu .= sprintf( $args->items_wrap, esc_attr( $wrap_id ), esc_attr( $wrap_class ), $items );

   you can play around with the sprintf arguments

   ex: ‘items_wrap’ => ‘%3$s’ would remove the wrapping <ul> tag

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3. For outputting only li’s add this to wp_nav_menu array:

   'container'      => '',
   'items_wrap'    => '%3$s',
   

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4. 'container' => false was failing for me because I was specifying a not existing 'theme_location' and 'menu'. It worked as soon as I fixed this.

   Solution from: wordpress.org/support

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5. To filter out the wrapping div:

   add_filter('wp_nav_menu_args', 'prefix_nav_menu_args');
   function prefix_nav_menu_args($args = ''){
       $args['container'] = false;
       return $args;
   }
   

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6. 2021

   Tested and Working ✔

   To remove <div>

   Use container => false or container => '' inside wp_nav_menu.

   wp_nav_menu( 
       array( 
           'container' => false
       ) 
   );
   

   Still not working?

   Do not add theme_location to your wp_nav_menu. If you do you will still see the <div> container.

   wp_nav_menu( 
       array( 
           'container' => false,
           'theme_location' => 'Primary Menu'
       ) 
   ); 
   

   To remove the <ul>

   If you want to remove the <ul> wrapper, use this. Based on @Mill answer.

   wp_nav_menu( 
       array( 
           'container' => '',
           'items_wrap' => '%3$s'
       ) 
   ); 
   

   If you need control on <ul> elements

   If you want to retain all elements inside the <ul> from orignal WordPress id and class use this 'items_wrap' => '<ul id="%1$s" class="%2$s">%3$s</ul>' based on @woodchucky answer.

   wp_nav_menu( 
       array( 
           'container' => '',
           'items_wrap' => '<ul id="%1$s" class="%2$s">%3$s</ul>'
       ) 
   ); 
   

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