Want to restrict access to certain pages on your WordPress site? The easiest way is to create a password protected page in WordPress.
Not every page on your website is meant for public access. Sometimes, you might want to share exclusive content with select users, restrict access to client work, or secure internal business information. Password protection can help you achieve this without affecting the content or performance of your website.
The good news is that WordPress offers you built-in functionality, and you can password-protect your WordPress site with just a few clicks.
However, the built-in feature has limitations, too, such as allowing only a single password per page. So, if you need more control, plugins can offer features like multiple passwords, role-based access, and expiration settings.
In this guide, we’ll explore how to password-protect a WordPress site using WordPress’s built-in feature and with plugins for more advanced control.
Why Password Protect a Page in WordPress?
Creating a password-protected page in WordPress limits public access to the content, ensuring that only users with the password can browse through your entire website content.
There are several reasons why you might want to password-protect your entire WordPress site-
- To protect sensitive information: Some content, such as contracts, financial documents, or medical reports, should only be accessible to specific individuals. Password protection adds an extra layer of security while keeping the page functional.
- To share exclusive content for members or subscribers: If you offer premium content, such as eBooks, online courses, or gated articles, password-protected pages allow you to restrict access to paying customers or subscribers.
- To facilitate client collaboration: Freelancers, agencies, and photographers often create private pages to share project updates, design mockups, or reports with clients. Instead of making the page public, you can protect it with a password and share content access only with the client for easier collaboration.
- To limit content visibility: You can restrict certain website pages, such as drafts, under-development pages, or unedited content, with a password. Visitors won’t be able to access this content, while you can still work on it easily.
- To prevent search engine indexing: Search engines do not index password-protected pages, so any drafts or under-construction pages won’t appear in search results and affect your SEO.
Protect your website from unauthorized user access and hacking attempts. Check out the 5 Best WordPress Security Plugins to Protect Your Site.
How to Create a Password-Protected Page
Let’s see how you can password-protect a WordPress page or website using the following two simple methods.
Method 1: Using The WordPress Editor
WordPress offers a built-in feature that lets you password-protect your website pages without needing extra plugins.
1. Create a new page or open an existing one
For this, go to Pages > All Pages from your WordPress dashboard to open any existing page or post, or navigate to Pages > Add New to create a new page.
2. Set the password
In the WordPress editor, find Status in the post settings on the right. Click on the Draft link next to it to open the status and visibility dialogue box.
Here, check the Password-protected box and create a new password for the page.
3. Publish the page
Publish the WordPress password-protected page and go to your website to check if everything’s working.
Method 2: Using a Plugin
If you need comprehensive password protection, such as multiple passwords, user role-based restrictions, or expiration time settings, using a password-protect WordPress plugin is an excellent option. Some popular plugins include:
Let’s see how you can create a password-protected page in WordPress using the Passster plugin-
1. Install the plugin
Go to Plugins > Add New on your WordPress dashboard and search for the Passster plugin.
Install and activate the plugin to get started.
2. Set your password
Once activated, open an existing WordPress page that you want to restrict or create a new one.
In the Page tab on the right, find a section labeled Passster.
Here, click on the Activate Protection toggle to enable password protection and enter your password.
Click on Save.
3. Configure the settings
On your WordPress dashboard, go to Passster > Settings > General and configure the content and password settings for your WordPress page. You can customize the following-
- Headline
- The message to be displayed to the visitor
- Placeholder text for the password field
- Error message
- Button label
4. Customize the password-protected page
With this plugin, you can also customize the look and design of your password-protected page in WordPress.
Simply navigate to Passster > Settings > Design from the dashboard and customize the font, color, size, and margins of the content on your WordPress page.
Do you have too many users on your WordPress admin dashboard? Limit access and learn How to Disable WordPress Admin Bar for All Users Except Administrators.
Difference Between Private and Password-protected WordPress Pages?
WordPress offers two built-in ways to restrict access to content- Private and Password-Protected. While both options limit who can view your content, they serve different purposes and work in distinct ways.
1. Private page in WordPress
A private page in WordPress is completely hidden from public view. It doesn’t appear in search results, menus, or archives; only logged-in users with the right permissions (Administrator or Editor by default) can see it.
If someone tries to access the page without proper credentials, they’ll get a “404 Not Found” error or be redirected.
2. Password-protected page in WordPress
A Password-Protected page, on the other hand, is visible to anyone who has the correct password. The page still appears in menus and search results, but users need to enter a password to view its content.
Here’s a quick overview of private and password-protected pages in WordPress-
| Feature | Private page | Password protected page |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Only logged-in users with the right permissions can access the page (Admins, Editors) | Anyone with the password can view a password-protected page on your website. |
| Search visibility | No, private pages are not accessible through search | No, search engines cannot index protected pages |
| Use case | Internal pages, drafts, team-only content | Client pages, premium content, event pages, drafts |
Want to limit content visibility with a private WordPress website? Know How to Make a WordPress Site Private.
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Wrapping Up
Password-protecting pages in WordPress is an easy way to control access to specific content. You can simply use WordPress’s built-in feature or a third-party plugin to control who can access your website content with a secure password.
Besides, creating a WordPress password-protected page is also a great way to keep under-construction pages private till they are ready for public access.
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FAQs on Password Protecting a Page in WordPress
How secure is WordPress password protection?
WordPress password protection provides a good level of security as it stores passwords in an encrypted format within its database.
Will password-protecting a page affect SEO?
Yes, search engines usually don’t index password-protected pages, so they won’t appear in search results unless you specifically allow them.
Can I use multiple passwords to protect a page or post?
By default, WordPress allows only one password per page.
Can I make my WordPress site private?
Yes, you can make your entire WordPress site private using the password-protected plugin or by enabling “Private” mode for individual pages.
Is my site secure if I password-protect it?
Password protection is a basic security measure to restrict access to certain website pages. If you want enhanced security, consider using SSL, two-factor authentication, and security plugins for your website.
Can I remove the password from a page?
Yes. Simply edit the page, go to “Visibility” settings, change it back to “Public,” and update the page.
What do I do if I forget the password I set for a page?
If you forget the password, you can edit the page in WordPress admin and set a new password under “Visibility” settings.
