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Protect Uploads
Protect your uploads directory. Prevent browsing, add watermarks, disable right-click, and password-protect files. For more information, visit protect …
The facts
- Rating
- 4.8★ from 12
- Active installs
- 30k+
- Price
- Free
- Last updated
- 28 Aug 2026
- Added
- Mar 2015
- Requires WP
- 5.0
- Tested up to
- WP 7.1
- Requires PHP
- 7.4
- Downloads
- 1,490,103
Our analysis
AI-assistedProtect Uploads is a WordPress plugin designed to secure the uploads directory of your website. It prevents unauthorized access by adding an index.php file or configuring an .htaccess file to restrict browsing. The plugin also offers features like image watermarking, right-click protection, and password protection for individual media files.
This plugin is suitable for website owners who want to enhance the security of their media files and protect their uploads from being easily accessed or downloaded by visitors. It is particularly useful for those managing sensitive or proprietary content in their WordPress library.
Best for: This plugin suits website owners looking to secure their media uploads and enhance content protection.
What it does well
- ✓Hides uploads directory from public browsing
- ✓Allows for image watermarking with custom settings
- ✓Offers password protection for individual files
- ✓Includes access logging for tracking file access
- ✓Provides site health checks for upload security
Where it falls short
- •The htaccess option may be disabled depending on server settings
- •Limited information on additional features in the free version
Verdict
Protect Uploads provides essential security features for managing media files in WordPress. It is a practical choice for those needing to safeguard their uploads directory.
From the developer
Protect Uploads's own description of Protect Uploads, lightly tidied.
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)
Tagged as
industry
Business Directory & Listings
quality
Security
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