Description
The uploads directory is where the files of the WordPress library are stored. Unfortunelty, this directory is not protected. A person who wants to see all your library could list it instantly going to : http://yourwebsite/wp-content/uploads . This plugin will hide the content by adding an index.php file on the root of your uploads directory or by setting an htaccess which will return a 403 error (Forbidden Access).
- Depending on your server setting, the htaccess option could be disabled.
New in Version 0.7.0:
- Site Health checks: See at a glance — under Tools Site Health — whether your uploads directory is protected from browsing, what server you are running, and whether any risky file types are sitting in your uploads folder.
- WordPress 7.0 ready: Fully tested on WordPress 7.0 and PHP 8.3.
All features:
- Directory Protection: Stop visitors from browsing your uploads directory (index.php or .htaccess 403).
- Image Watermarking: Add text watermarks to your uploaded images with customizable position, opacity, and font size.
- Right-Click Protection: Prevent users from right-clicking to download or save your images.
- Password Protection: Secure individual media files with passwords. Multiple passwords can be set for each file with custom labels.
- Access Logging: Track who accesses your password-protected files with detailed logs including IP address and user agent.
- Site Health Checks: Built-in protection status tests with actionable advice.
Need more protection? Protect Uploads Pro adds image watermarks with bulk operations, expiring download links, role-based access with server-level enforcement, hotlink protection, download analytics, and a Protected Download block.
Available languages:
- English
- Français
- Español
- Italian (thanks to Marko97)
Screenshots
Installation
- Upload
protect-uploadsfolder to the/wp-content/plugins/directory - Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress
- Configure protection options in Settings Media Protect Uploads
Note: GD library is needed for watermarking functionality and being able to create a .htaccess file in uploads directory.
FAQ
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How do I add a password to a media file?
-
- Enable password protection in Settings Media Protect Uploads
- Edit any media file in your Media Library
- Scroll down to the “Password Protection” section
- Add one or more passwords with descriptive labels
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How does watermarking work?
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When enabled, watermarking automatically adds text to images when they are uploaded. You can customize:
– The watermark text (defaults to your site name)
– Position (top-left, top-right, bottom-left, bottom-right, center)
– Opacity (0-100%)
– Font size (small, medium, large) -
Can I password protect only certain file types?
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Yes, password protection works for all media file types including PDFs, images, videos, and documents.
Reviews
Contributors & Developers
“Protect Uploads” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.
Contributors
Translate “Protect Uploads” into your language.
Interested in development?
Browse the code, check out the SVN repository, or subscribe to the development log by RSS.
Changelog
0.7.0
- Added Site Health checks: uploads directory browsing protection status, detected server configuration (Apache/Nginx), and a bounded scan for sensitive file types in the uploads directory
- Added unobtrusive upgrade hints for Protect Uploads Pro (hidden entirely when Pro is active)
- Fixed the settings page title showing the plugin slug instead of the plugin name
- Compatibility verified with WordPress 7.0 and PHP 8.3
- Raised minimum requirements to WordPress 5.0 and PHP 7.4
0.6.0
- Added image watermarking with customizable text, position, opacity, and font size
- Added right-click protection to prevent image downloads
- Added password protection for individual media files
- Added access logging for password-protected files
- Added multiple password support with custom labels
- Added security enhancements throughout the plugin
- Improved file serving with better security checks
- Added font size control for watermarks
- Enhanced error handling and logging
0.5.2
- Removed unused css
0.4
- Fix potential security issues.
- Remove recursive loop that creates indexes.
0.3
- Simplify UI admin.
- check presence of index.html.
- Remove option value managing current protection status.
- Reorganizing code and making it more modular and simple.
- Remove useless pieces.
0.2
- Add security check to form in admin page.
- Add sidebar for admin page
- Add Italian translation (thanks to Marko97).
- Try to fix the wrong message saying that Protection is disabled eventhough it is actually working.
0.1
- Initial release