Restrict Page Access in WordPress to Keep Unwanted Visitors Away

Restricting page access in WordPress is essential for keeping your content secure, especially when you’re working on a project that you’re not yet ready to unveil to the public. This tutorial will walk you through various methods to restrict page access effectively.

Why Restrict Page Access?

• Client Privacy
  You may be building a site for a client and want to keep it private until it’s complete.
• Content Security
  To prevent unauthorized access to premium or sensitive content.
• SEO Concerns
  To prevent search engines from indexing incomplete or test pages.

Method 1: Using Restricted Site Access Plugin

Install the Plugin

1. Go to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Navigate to Plugins > Add New.
3. Search for “Restricted Site Access” and install it.

Configure the Plugin

1. Go to Settings > Reading.
2. Look for the “Site Visibility” section.
3. Choose “Restrict site access to visitors who are logged in or by IP address.”

Options

• Send to WordPress Login Screen
  Redirects visitors to the login page.
• Redirect to a Specific Web Address
  Sends visitors to a designated URL.
• Show a Simple Message
  Displays a custom message.
• Show a Page
  Directs visitors to a specific page, like a “Coming Soon” page.

Tip: You can also unrestrict by IP address, allowing specific clients to view the site without logging in.

Method 2: Using Static “Coming Soon” Page

1. Go to Settings > Reading.
2. Set your static page to a “Coming Soon” page.

Note: This method doesn’t prevent clients from navigating through your site if they have direct URLs.

Method 3: Making Pages Private

1. Navigate to Pages.
2. Click on Quick Edit for the page you want to make private.
3. Select Private and click Update.

Note: This method will result in a 404 error for unauthorized users but may still show the header and footer.

Method 4: Using Sharable Password Protected Posts Plugin

Install and Activate

1. Go to Plugins > Add New.
2. Search for “Sharable Password Protected Posts” and install it.

Generate a Secret URL

1. Edit the page you want to share.
2. Click on “Share this post via secret URL.”
3. Copy the URL and share it with your client.

Tip: To revoke access, uncheck the box and update the post. A new secret key will be generated.

Conclusion

Restricting page access in WordPress is not only possible but also not so difficult. If you’re looking to keep a project under wraps or want to secure premium content, these methods offer a range of solutions to meet your needs.