diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index d19cac06..5c6669ad 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -174,7 +174,6 @@ endif ()
 
 add_library(spdlog::spdlog ALIAS spdlog)
 
-target_compile_definitions(spdlog PUBLIC SPDLOG_COMPILED_LIB)
 target_include_directories(spdlog PUBLIC "$<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/include>"
         "$<INSTALL_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}>")
 target_link_libraries(spdlog PUBLIC Threads::Threads)
@@ -197,15 +196,12 @@ if (SPDLOG_FMT_EXTERNAL OR SPDLOG_FMT_EXTERNAL_HO)
         find_package(fmt 5.3.0 REQUIRED)
     endif ()
     target_compile_definitions(spdlog PUBLIC SPDLOG_FMT_EXTERNAL)
-    target_compile_definitions(spdlog_header_only INTERFACE SPDLOG_FMT_EXTERNAL)
 
     # use external fmt-header-nly
     if (SPDLOG_FMT_EXTERNAL_HO)
         target_link_libraries(spdlog PUBLIC fmt::fmt-header-only)
-        target_link_libraries(spdlog_header_only INTERFACE fmt::fmt-header-only)
     else () # use external compile fmt
         target_link_libraries(spdlog PUBLIC fmt::fmt)
-        target_link_libraries(spdlog_header_only INTERFACE fmt::fmt)
     endif ()
 
     set(PKG_CONFIG_REQUIRES fmt) # add dependency to pkg-config
@@ -216,19 +212,15 @@ endif ()
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 if (SPDLOG_WCHAR_SUPPORT)
     target_compile_definitions(spdlog PUBLIC SPDLOG_WCHAR_TO_UTF8_SUPPORT)
-    target_compile_definitions(spdlog_header_only INTERFACE SPDLOG_WCHAR_TO_UTF8_SUPPORT)
 endif ()
 
 if (SPDLOG_WCHAR_FILENAMES)
     target_compile_definitions(spdlog PUBLIC SPDLOG_WCHAR_FILENAMES)
-    target_compile_definitions(spdlog_header_only INTERFACE SPDLOG_WCHAR_FILENAMES)
 endif ()
 
 if (SPDLOG_NO_EXCEPTIONS)
     target_compile_definitions(spdlog PUBLIC SPDLOG_NO_EXCEPTIONS)
 
-    target_compile_definitions(spdlog_header_only INTERFACE SPDLOG_NO_EXCEPTIONS)
-
     if (NOT MSVC)
         target_compile_options(spdlog PRIVATE -fno-exceptions)
     endif ()
@@ -236,27 +228,22 @@ endif ()
 
 if (SPDLOG_CLOCK_COARSE)
     target_compile_definitions(spdlog PRIVATE SPDLOG_CLOCK_COARSE)
-    target_compile_definitions(spdlog_header_only INTERFACE SPDLOG_CLOCK_COARSE)
 endif ()
 
 if (SPDLOG_PREVENT_CHILD_FD)
     target_compile_definitions(spdlog PRIVATE SPDLOG_PREVENT_CHILD_FD)
-    target_compile_definitions(spdlog_header_only INTERFACE SPDLOG_PREVENT_CHILD_FD)
 endif ()
 
 if (SPDLOG_NO_THREAD_ID)
     target_compile_definitions(spdlog PRIVATE SPDLOG_NO_THREAD_ID)
-    target_compile_definitions(spdlog_header_only INTERFACE SPDLOG_NO_THREAD_ID)
 endif ()
 
 if (SPDLOG_NO_TLS)
     target_compile_definitions(spdlog PRIVATE SPDLOG_NO_TLS)
-    target_compile_definitions(spdlog_header_only INTERFACE SPDLOG_NO_TLS)
 endif ()
 
 if (SPDLOG_NO_ATOMIC_LEVELS)
     target_compile_definitions(spdlog PUBLIC SPDLOG_NO_ATOMIC_LEVELS)
-    target_compile_definitions(spdlog_header_only INTERFACE SPDLOG_NO_ATOMIC_LEVELS)
 endif ()
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/INSTALL b/INSTALL
index 787bc3fb..5c1260b5 100644
--- a/INSTALL
+++ b/INSTALL
@@ -1,21 +1,11 @@
-Header only version:
-==================================================================
-Just copy the files to your build tree and use a C++11 compiler.
-Or use CMake:
-  add_executable(example_header_only example.cpp)
-  target_link_libraries(example_header_only spdlog::spdlog_header_only)
-
-
 Compiled library version:
 ==================================================================
 CMake:
   add_executable(example example.cpp)
   target_link_libraries(example spdlog::spdlog)
 
-Or copy src/spdlog.cpp to your build tree and pass the -DSPDLOG_COMPILED_LIB to the compiler.
-
 Tested on:
-gcc 4.8.1 and above
+gcc 4.9.1 and above
 clang 3.5
 Visual Studio 2013
 
diff --git a/include/spdlog/async_logger.h b/include/spdlog/async_logger.h
index 6f299672..d8180dae 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/async_logger.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/async_logger.h
@@ -62,7 +62,3 @@ private:
     async_overflow_policy overflow_policy_;
 };
 } // namespace spdlog
-
-#ifdef SPDLOG_HEADER_ONLY
-#include "async_logger-inl.h"
-#endif
diff --git a/include/spdlog/cfg/helpers.h b/include/spdlog/cfg/helpers.h
index 8d750824..8fec6ecb 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/cfg/helpers.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/cfg/helpers.h
@@ -22,7 +22,3 @@ SPDLOG_API log_levels extract_levels(const std::string &txt);
 
 } // namespace cfg
 } // namespace spdlog
-
-#ifdef SPDLOG_HEADER_ONLY
-#include "helpers-inl.h"
-#endif // SPDLOG_HEADER_ONLY
diff --git a/include/spdlog/details/backtracer.h b/include/spdlog/details/backtracer.h
index 55a97b69..d295f88e 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/details/backtracer.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/details/backtracer.h
@@ -39,7 +39,3 @@ public:
 
 } // namespace details
 } // namespace spdlog
-
-#ifdef SPDLOG_HEADER_ONLY
-#include "backtracer-inl.h"
-#endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/include/spdlog/details/file_helper.h b/include/spdlog/details/file_helper.h
index 5395d9cb..ce4d745c 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/details/file_helper.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/details/file_helper.h
@@ -53,7 +53,3 @@ private:
 };
 } // namespace details
 } // namespace spdlog
-
-#ifdef SPDLOG_HEADER_ONLY
-#include "file_helper-inl.h"
-#endif
diff --git a/include/spdlog/details/log_msg.h b/include/spdlog/details/log_msg.h
index 834ca4df..ce82066b 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/details/log_msg.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/details/log_msg.h
@@ -30,7 +30,3 @@ struct SPDLOG_API log_msg
 };
 } // namespace details
 } // namespace spdlog
-
-#ifdef SPDLOG_HEADER_ONLY
-#include "log_msg-inl.h"
-#endif
diff --git a/include/spdlog/details/log_msg_buffer.h b/include/spdlog/details/log_msg_buffer.h
index 46eed2c1..762f4ff6 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/details/log_msg_buffer.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/details/log_msg_buffer.h
@@ -27,7 +27,3 @@ public:
 
 } // namespace details
 } // namespace spdlog
-
-#ifdef SPDLOG_HEADER_ONLY
-#include "log_msg_buffer-inl.h"
-#endif
diff --git a/include/spdlog/details/os.h b/include/spdlog/details/os.h
index fc8eefe8..0a0f8ba1 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/details/os.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/details/os.h
@@ -105,7 +105,3 @@ SPDLOG_API std::string getenv(const char *field);
 } // namespace os
 } // namespace details
 } // namespace spdlog
-
-#ifdef SPDLOG_HEADER_ONLY
-#include "os-inl.h"
-#endif
diff --git a/include/spdlog/details/periodic_worker.h b/include/spdlog/details/periodic_worker.h
index e948b5b4..518b5a81 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/details/periodic_worker.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/details/periodic_worker.h
@@ -35,7 +35,3 @@ private:
 };
 } // namespace details
 } // namespace spdlog
-
-#ifdef SPDLOG_HEADER_ONLY
-#include "periodic_worker-inl.h"
-#endif
diff --git a/include/spdlog/details/registry.h b/include/spdlog/details/registry.h
index 8be109ed..c6a012a0 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/details/registry.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/details/registry.h
@@ -106,7 +106,3 @@ private:
 
 } // namespace details
 } // namespace spdlog
-
-#ifdef SPDLOG_HEADER_ONLY
-#include "registry-inl.h"
-#endif
diff --git a/include/spdlog/details/thread_pool.h b/include/spdlog/details/thread_pool.h
index 8de07ded..be9d366f 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/details/thread_pool.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/details/thread_pool.h
@@ -115,7 +115,3 @@ private:
 
 } // namespace details
 } // namespace spdlog
-
-#ifdef SPDLOG_HEADER_ONLY
-#include "thread_pool-inl.h"
-#endif
diff --git a/include/spdlog/fmt/fmt.h b/include/spdlog/fmt/fmt.h
index b853fd5e..0687e441 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/fmt/fmt.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/fmt/fmt.h
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 //
 
 #if !defined(SPDLOG_FMT_EXTERNAL)
-#if !defined(SPDLOG_COMPILED_LIB) && !defined(FMT_HEADER_ONLY)
+#if !defined(FMT_HEADER_ONLY)
 #define FMT_HEADER_ONLY
 #endif
 #ifndef FMT_USE_WINDOWS_H
diff --git a/include/spdlog/fmt/ostr.h b/include/spdlog/fmt/ostr.h
index f82eb679..4090d94e 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/fmt/ostr.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/fmt/ostr.h
@@ -9,11 +9,9 @@
 //
 
 #if !defined(SPDLOG_FMT_EXTERNAL)
-#ifdef SPDLOG_HEADER_ONLY
 #ifndef FMT_HEADER_ONLY
 #define FMT_HEADER_ONLY
 #endif
-#endif
 #include <spdlog/fmt/bundled/ostream.h>
 #else
 #include <fmt/ostream.h>
diff --git a/include/spdlog/logger.h b/include/spdlog/logger.h
index 11ea3d74..92c82b11 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/logger.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/logger.h
@@ -362,7 +362,3 @@ protected:
 void swap(logger &a, logger &b);
 
 } // namespace spdlog
-
-#ifdef SPDLOG_HEADER_ONLY
-#include "logger-inl.h"
-#endif
diff --git a/include/spdlog/pattern_formatter.h b/include/spdlog/pattern_formatter.h
index 0b2ff459..586d3acb 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/pattern_formatter.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/pattern_formatter.h
@@ -120,7 +120,3 @@ private:
     void compile_pattern_(const std::string &pattern);
 };
 } // namespace spdlog
-
-#ifdef SPDLOG_HEADER_ONLY
-#include "pattern_formatter-inl.h"
-#endif
diff --git a/include/spdlog/sinks/ansicolor_sink.h b/include/spdlog/sinks/ansicolor_sink.h
index 4438f706..daf3e5c2 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/sinks/ansicolor_sink.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/sinks/ansicolor_sink.h
@@ -112,7 +112,3 @@ using ansicolor_stderr_sink_st = ansicolor_stderr_sink<details::console_nullmute
 
 } // namespace sinks
 } // namespace spdlog
-
-#ifdef SPDLOG_HEADER_ONLY
-#include "ansicolor_sink-inl.h"
-#endif
diff --git a/include/spdlog/sinks/base_sink.h b/include/spdlog/sinks/base_sink.h
index bf5072f8..35bc6048 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/sinks/base_sink.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/sinks/base_sink.h
@@ -46,7 +46,3 @@ protected:
 };
 } // namespace sinks
 } // namespace spdlog
-
-#ifdef SPDLOG_HEADER_ONLY
-#include "base_sink-inl.h"
-#endif
diff --git a/include/spdlog/sinks/basic_file_sink.h b/include/spdlog/sinks/basic_file_sink.h
index 0ab9a4a1..2b054a10 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/sinks/basic_file_sink.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/sinks/basic_file_sink.h
@@ -52,7 +52,3 @@ inline std::shared_ptr<logger> basic_logger_st(const std::string &logger_name, c
 }
 
 } // namespace spdlog
-
-#ifdef SPDLOG_HEADER_ONLY
-#include "basic_file_sink-inl.h"
-#endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/include/spdlog/sinks/rotating_file_sink.h b/include/spdlog/sinks/rotating_file_sink.h
index e1e85a7d..34ed68bf 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/sinks/rotating_file_sink.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/sinks/rotating_file_sink.h
@@ -72,7 +72,3 @@ inline std::shared_ptr<logger> rotating_logger_st(
     return Factory::template create<sinks::rotating_file_sink_st>(logger_name, filename, max_file_size, max_files, rotate_on_open);
 }
 } // namespace spdlog
-
-#ifdef SPDLOG_HEADER_ONLY
-#include "rotating_file_sink-inl.h"
-#endif
diff --git a/include/spdlog/sinks/sink.h b/include/spdlog/sinks/sink.h
index be99744d..27633c3b 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/sinks/sink.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/sinks/sink.h
@@ -29,7 +29,3 @@ protected:
 
 } // namespace sinks
 } // namespace spdlog
-
-#ifdef SPDLOG_HEADER_ONLY
-#include "sink-inl.h"
-#endif
diff --git a/include/spdlog/sinks/wincolor_sink.h b/include/spdlog/sinks/wincolor_sink.h
index 8d4d08fd..38802d90 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/sinks/wincolor_sink.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/sinks/wincolor_sink.h
@@ -88,7 +88,3 @@ using wincolor_stderr_sink_st = wincolor_stderr_sink<details::console_nullmutex>
 
 } // namespace sinks
 } // namespace spdlog
-
-#ifdef SPDLOG_HEADER_ONLY
-#include "wincolor_sink-inl.h"
-#endif
diff --git a/include/spdlog/spdlog.h b/include/spdlog/spdlog.h
index fa219950..1a72f723 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/spdlog.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/spdlog.h
@@ -282,8 +282,4 @@ inline void critical(const T &msg)
 #define SPDLOG_CRITICAL(...) (void)0
 #endif
 
-#ifdef SPDLOG_HEADER_ONLY
-#include "spdlog-inl.h"
-#endif
-
 #endif // SPDLOG_H
diff --git a/src/fmt.cpp b/src/fmt.cpp
index 5b66c7cc..88b76a89 100644
--- a/src/fmt.cpp
+++ b/src/fmt.cpp
@@ -2,10 +2,6 @@
 // Copyright (c) 2012 - 2016, Victor Zverovich
 // All rights reserved.
 
-#ifndef SPDLOG_COMPILED_LIB
-#error Please define SPDLOG_COMPILED_LIB to compile this file.
-#endif
-
 #if !defined(SPDLOG_FMT_EXTERNAL)
 #include <spdlog/fmt/bundled/format-inl.h>