diff --git a/esphome/codegen.py b/esphome/codegen.py
index 4a2a5975c6..6d55c6023d 100644
--- a/esphome/codegen.py
+++ b/esphome/codegen.py
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@ from esphome.cpp_types import (  # noqa: F401
     JsonObjectConst,
     Parented,
     PollingComponent,
-    StringRef,
     arduino_json_ns,
     bool_,
     const_char_ptr,
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_server.h b/esphome/components/api/api_server.h
index bf08208517..96c56fd08a 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_server.h
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_server.h
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
 #include "esphome/core/component.h"
 #include "esphome/core/controller.h"
 #include "esphome/core/log.h"
-#include "esphome/core/string_ref.h"
 #include "list_entities.h"
 #include "subscribe_state.h"
 #ifdef USE_LOGGER
diff --git a/esphome/cpp_types.py b/esphome/cpp_types.py
index f4c690e40a..0d1813f63b 100644
--- a/esphome/cpp_types.py
+++ b/esphome/cpp_types.py
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ size_t = global_ns.namespace("size_t")
 const_char_ptr = global_ns.namespace("const char *")
 NAN = global_ns.namespace("NAN")
 esphome_ns = global_ns  # using namespace esphome;
-StringRef = esphome_ns.class_("StringRef")
 FixedVector = esphome_ns.class_("FixedVector")
 App = esphome_ns.App
 EntityBase = esphome_ns.class_("EntityBase")