Title: HTML Social Share Buttons
Author: Alimuzzaman Alim
Published: November 10, 2013
Last modified: October 9, 2026
---
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# HTML Social Share Buttons
By [Alimuzzaman Alim](https://profiles.wordpress.org/alimuzzamanalim/)
[Download](https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/html-social-share-buttons.3.4.0.zip)
* [Details](https://en-au.wordpress.org/plugins/html-social-share-buttons/#description)
* [Reviews](https://en-au.wordpress.org/plugins/html-social-share-buttons/#reviews)
* [Installation](https://en-au.wordpress.org/plugins/html-social-share-buttons/#installation)
* [Development](https://en-au.wordpress.org/plugins/html-social-share-buttons/#developers)
[Support](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/html-social-share-buttons/)
## Description
HTML Social Share Buttons adds server-rendered HTML and CSS share buttons and
profile
links to posts, pages, sidebars, and builder layouts. By default, the plugin adds
no frontend JavaScript. Bundled icons load from your own site, and the plugin adds
no tracking scripts.
Use the Social Share or Social Links block, automatic placement, the classic
widget,
Elementor, WPBakery, a shortcode, or PHP. Choose from six bundled icon sets and
square or circle buttons.
**Why this plugin:**
* **HTML + CSS:** Server-rendered share and profile links with no frontend plugin
JavaScript.
* **Private by default:** Bundled icons load from your site; the plugin adds no
tracking scripts.
* **Place anywhere:** Automatic before/after and floating placement, two blocks,
a widget, Elementor, WPBakery, shortcodes, and PHP.
* **Share and follow separately:** Share actions open a composer for the current
page; profile links open the configured profile or email destination.
* **Current destinations:** Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Telegram, Bluesky,
WhatsApp, Reddit, email, and an optional Copy link button.
* **Choose the presentation:** Legacy preserves the existing pack behavior; Minimal,
Framed, and Soft shadow add modern frontend styles.
**Other features:**
* Optional global profile/contact links with per-placement inherit or suppress
controls.
* Audience controls for the content author, other logged-in users, and logged-out
visitors.
* Bootstrap Solid as the default for new installations, plus Flat, Long Shadow,
Prajin, and Tabler Outline.
* Existing content configured with the historical Default pack keeps rendering
it without migration.
* Square buttons in every set; circle buttons in Flat, Long Shadow, Prajin, Bootstrap
Solid, and Tabler Outline.
* Responsive floating rails that become centered, wrapping rows at 600px and below.
* Per-network URL templates and exclusions by post/page ID, slug, or searchable
content.
* Sample share-template previews with helpful diagnostics, without saving or opening
a share service.
* Translation-ready admin and editor strings.
**Shortcode examples:**
```
[zm_sh_btn iconset="long-shadows" iconset_type="square" icons="facebook,x,linkedin,pinterest,mail" class="in_widget"]
[html-social-share-buttons iconset="tabler-outline" iconset_type="circle" profile_links_mode="inherit"]
```
The historical `[zm_sh_btn]` tag remains supported. Use `class="in_widget"`
for
a horizontal row.
### Credits
Original historical-design credit: Hakan Ertan, tonicons.com. Prajin remains
credited
for the historical Prajin pack. Maintainer attestation (2026-08-12): the Flat, Long
Shadow, and Prajin PNG packs are used with authorization from their respective rights
holders. The repository does not archive the written authorizations or license instruments,
so this is a maintainer statement, not independent legal verification.
The Default PNG pack is retained under the release owner’s accepted
compatibility
exception. That decision is not an independent source, license, redistribution,
or clearance claim. Generated Bootstrap Icons and Tabler Icons sources and their
license notices are included with the plugin. See resources/iconsets/ASSET-SOURCES.
md in the source repository for the current provenance record.
## Screenshots
[⌊Inline share buttons and a responsive floating rail on a post.⌉⌊Inline share buttons
and a responsive floating rail on a post.⌉[
Inline share buttons and a responsive floating rail on a post.
[⌊Appearance, placement, and audience controls in Settings.⌉⌊Appearance, placement,
and audience controls in Settings.⌉[
Appearance, placement, and audience controls in Settings.
[⌊Social Share and Social Links blocks in the block editor.⌉⌊Social Share and Social
Links blocks in the block editor.⌉[
Social Share and Social Links blocks in the block editor.
[⌊Separate profile-link destinations and viewer-audience controls.⌉⌊Separate profile-
link destinations and viewer-audience controls.⌉[
Separate profile-link destinations and viewer-audience controls.
## Blocks
This plugin provides 2 blocks.
* Social Links Display links to your social profiles.
* HTML Social Share Display share buttons for the current post or page.
## Installation
1. Install the plugin from the WordPress plugin directory, or upload the release ZIP.
2. Activate **HTML Social Share Buttons**.
3. Open **Settings > HTML Social Share**.
4. Choose networks, icon set, button appearance, button shape, automatic placements,
and viewer audiences.
5. Optionally configure profile/contact links, preview share URL templates, or set
exclusions.
6. Add a block, widget, builder element, shortcode, or generated PHP snippet where
needed.
## FAQ
### Does the plugin track visitors?
The plugin adds no tracking scripts. Legacy Google Social Analytics has been
retired.
Previously stored analytics preferences are retained for compatibility.
### What is the difference between a share button and a profile link?
A share button opens a network composer for the current page. A profile link
opens
your configured social profile or email destination.
### Does a template preview save settings or contact a share service?
No. Preview sample uses fixed sample content and displays the resolved URL as
text.
Diagnostics are advisory and do not block saving. Other plugins may customize the
live URL, and the preview does not verify a sharing service’s availability.
### Does it work with the block editor?
Yes. Use the dynamic **HTML Social Share** block for share actions and the
dynamic**
HTML Social Links** block for profile/contact destinations. The share block resolves
the current post URL on the server.
### Can I use it without the block editor?
Yes. Automatic placement, widgets, Elementor, WPBakery, shortcodes, and a PHP
code
generator are supported. Both `[html-social-share-buttons]` and the historical `[
zm_sh_btn]` shortcode tags are available.
### Can I control who sees the buttons?
Yes. Audience settings independently control the content author viewing their
own
post, other logged-in users, and logged-out visitors. All three are enabled by default
for existing and new installations, and the settings apply to automatic placement,
blocks, widgets, builders, shortcodes, and PHP output.
### Which button shapes are available?
The Default set supports square buttons. Flat, Long Shadow, Prajin, Bootstrap
Solid,
and Tabler Outline support square and circle buttons.
### Which button appearances are available?
Legacy keeps the selected icon set’s existing dimensions, spacing, and hover
behavior.
Minimal uses consistent targets and spacing, Framed adds a subtle shape-aware outline,
and Soft shadow adds a quiet raised surface. Legacy is the default so existing sites
keep their current presentation.
### Which icon set does a new installation use?
Bootstrap Solid. The historical Default pack is hidden from normal selectors
on
a fresh installation. Existing settings and content that already select Default
keep that selection and continue using the retained local assets.
### Are icons loaded from a third-party CDN?
No. Bundled icon assets are served from your WordPress site.
### Is the WPBakery integration tested in the paid editor?
The integration follows WPBakery’s documented `vc_map()`/shortcode model and is
covered by mapping, persistence, compiled-bundle, and public-render contracts. The
current release-candidate evidence does not claim a live run in the paid WPBakery
editor.
## Reviews
### [best Plugin for Social share](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/best-plugin-for-social-share/)
[samowal1201](https://profiles.wordpress.org/samowal1201/) September 3, 2016
best Plugin for Social share – Nice design – Easy to use – And fast on-site
### [Loving this.](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/loving-this-4/)
[inkandfoil](https://profiles.wordpress.org/inkandfoil/) September 3, 2016
This is a great little social share plugin. It is so simple to use, does what it's
supposed to do, and it doesn't add an advertisment to the share. Great work.
### [Great Plugin.](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/great-plugin-7324/)
[Chrissy](https://profiles.wordpress.org/christiena/) September 3, 2016
This plugin does exactly what it promises. It looks great right out of the box and
isn't intrusive. Support is A+.
### [Great little plugin](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/great-little-plugin-81/)
[Gorillo](https://profiles.wordpress.org/gorillo/) September 3, 2016
This is a great little plugin if you just need a way to display social share buttons
on your site. While lots of other plugins generate a ton of javascript, this one
just adds a small amount of html. Since you probably laready have a dozen other
plugins generating a lot of javascript, you don´t need another one that overloads
your site and could cause conflicts with other scripts. Very nice work and a very
good idea! All the essential settings you need to make it do what it´s intended
to do are there, even if I could wish for a couple of more. I can really recommend
this plugin.
[ Read all 15 reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/html-social-share-buttons/reviews/)
## Contributors & Developers
“HTML Social Share Buttons” is open source software. The following people have contributed
to this plugin.
Contributors
* [ Alimuzzaman Alim ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/alimuzzamanalim/)
[Translate “HTML Social Share Buttons” into your language.](https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp-plugins/html-social-share-buttons)
### Interested in development?
[Browse the code](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/html-social-share-buttons/),
check out the [SVN repository](https://plugins.svn.wordpress.org/html-social-share-buttons/),
or subscribe to the [development log](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/html-social-share-buttons/)
by [RSS](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/html-social-share-buttons/?limit=100&mode=stop_on_copy&format=rss).
## Changelog
#### 3.4.0 – 2026-10-09
* **FEATURE**: Added WhatsApp and Reddit share buttons. Both are off by default.
* **FEATURE**: Added an optional Copy link button. It copies the shared URL to
the clipboard and announces the result to screen readers. Without JavaScript
it stays a plain link to the page.
* **IMPROVEMENT**: Frontend scripts now load per feature. Copy link and browser-
URL sharing each load only on pages that render them.
* **IMPROVEMENT**: Added WhatsApp, Reddit, and Copy link icons to all six bundled
icon sets.
* **TEST**: Added Copy link smoke coverage and contracts for the new share templates
and icons.
#### 3.3.0 – 2026-09-21
* **FEATURE**: Added optional browser-URL sharing for eligible automatic links,
preserving query strings and fragments at click time.
* **IMPROVEMENT**: Added a shared admin badge that clearly marks settings which
add frontend JavaScript.
* **FIX**: Preserved server-generated destinations when custom templates, legacy
URL filters, secondary queries, or archive contexts require them.
* **FIX**: Hardened browser-URL descriptors, repeated permalink replacement, keyboard
dismissal, and no-JavaScript fallbacks.
* **TEST**: Added browser-URL smoke coverage and expanded descriptor, eligibility,
and shared-control regression contracts.
#### 3.2.0
* **FEATURE**: Preview share templates with fixed sample content and advisory diagnostics,
without saving or contacting a share service.
* **FIX**: The first settings screen now matches the effective sharing defaults.
* **FIX**: Floating auto-hide works with every bundled icon set and appearance,
reveals on keyboard focus, and stays visible on mobile and for reduced motion.
* **FIX**: Supported description placeholders survive saving and preview sanitation.
* **COMPATIBILITY**: Retired the obsolete Google Social Analytics script and port
controls. Existing stored values are retained; sharing uses WordPress canonical
URLs.
* **MAINTENANCE**: Updated build tooling and added exact-archive validation before
manual publication.
#### 3.1.0
* **FEATURE**: Added a global Button appearance selector with Legacy, Minimal,
Framed, and Soft shadow options.
* **FEATURE**: Added modern CSS-only presentation styles with consistent targets,
spacing, shape-aware framing, and restrained motion.
* **IMPROVEMENT**: Kept Legacy as the default and fallback so existing sites retain
their selected icon-set presentation.
* **IMPROVEMENT**: Added appearance previews and applied the selected presentation
consistently across automatic placement, blocks, widgets, shortcodes, PHP, and
builder integrations.
* **FIX**: Modern floating rails now reveal on hover and keyboard focus while remaining
inside the viewport on mobile.
* **FIX**: Modern profile separators no longer inherit historical pack margins.
See `changelog.txt` for the 3.0.0 and earlier release history.
## Meta
* Version **3.4.0**
* Last updated **7 days ago**
* Active installations **30+**
* WordPress Version ** 5.3 or higher **
* Tested up to **7.1.3**
* PHP Version ** 7.0 or higher **
* Language
* [English (US)](https://wordpress.org/plugins/html-social-share-buttons/)
* Tags
* [Gutenberg block](https://en-au.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/gutenberg-block/)[share icons](https://en-au.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/share-icons/)
[social media](https://en-au.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/social-media/)[Social Share Buttons](https://en-au.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/social-share-buttons/)
[social sharing](https://en-au.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/social-sharing/)
* [Advanced View](https://en-au.wordpress.org/plugins/html-social-share-buttons/advanced/)
## Ratings
4.7 out of 5 stars.
* [ 12 5-star reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/html-social-share-buttons/reviews/?filter=5)
* [ 2 4-star reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/html-social-share-buttons/reviews/?filter=4)
* [ 1 3-star review ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/html-social-share-buttons/reviews/?filter=3)
* [ 0 2-star reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/html-social-share-buttons/reviews/?filter=2)
* [ 0 1-star reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/html-social-share-buttons/reviews/?filter=1)
[Your review](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/html-social-share-buttons/reviews/#new-post)
[See all reviews](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/html-social-share-buttons/reviews/)
## Contributors
* [ Alimuzzaman Alim ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/alimuzzamanalim/)
## Support
Got something to say? Need help?
[View support forum](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/html-social-share-buttons/)