Written by Admin on 2025-05-06

How to Stop Downloading PDFs on WordPress

Are you worried about visitors to your WordPress website downloading PDFs without your permission? Perhaps you want to protect your content or only offer certain documents to users who have signed up for your newsletter?

Fortunately, there is a way to stop downloading PDFs on WordPress. In this article, we'll guide you through the steps to prevent visitors from downloading PDFs from your website.

Step 1: Install and Activate the Prevent Direct Access Plugin

The first step is to install and activate the Prevent Direct Access plugin on your WordPress website. This is a simple and free plugin that will help you manage the access to your files.

To do this, go to your WordPress dashboard and click on Plugins > Add New. In the search bar, type "Prevent Direct Access" and click on "Install Now". Once installed, activate the plugin.

Step 2: Set Up the Plugin to Block PDF Downloads

After installing and activating the plugin, you need to set it up to block PDF downloads.

To do this, go to your WordPress dashboard and click on Settings > Prevent Direct Access. Under the "Protected Files" tab, click on "Add New".

Choose the PDF file that you want to protect. You can add multiple files, one by one.

Once you have added the file, you can choose the protection settings. In the "Access Expiration" section, you can set an expiration date for the protected file.

Then, go to the "Access Restrictions" section. Tick the box next to "Redirect unauthorized requests to a page". In the field below, you can add the URL of the page where unauthorized users will be redirected if they try to download the PDF.

Step 3: Save Settings and Test the Protection

After setting up the plugin, don't forget to save the settings.

To test the protection, log out of your WordPress account and try to download the PDF from your website. You will be redirected to the page that you set up in the Access Restrictions section.

Conclusion

In conclusion, stopping the download of PDFs on WordPress is an easy process with the help of the Prevent Direct Access plugin. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can protect your content and only offer certain files to users who have registered on your website.