Hotlink File Prevention
Simple hotlink protection for individual files in the media library.
4.9(7 reviews)
·700 active installs·Updated 1 year agoAs of April 2026, Hotlink File Prevention is a WordPress admin plugin with 700 active installations and a 4.9/5 rating from 7 reviews. It has been downloaded 7.9K+ times in total. Requires WordPress 4.6+ and PHP 5.6+. Available on WordPress.org since 2014. Last updated 1 year ago — may have compatibility concerns. Top alternative: Loginizer.
4.9/57 reviews
700active installs
7.9K+total downloads
12 yearssince 2014
Overview
Hotlink File Prevention (HFP) offers simple hotlink protection that can be turned on/off for individual files in the WordPress media library.
“Hotlinking” is when a file, such as an image or PDF, is linked to from another website or entered manually in a web browser’s location bar. HFP only allows your file to be viewed on your website.
Hotlink protection is provided via .htaccess rules in the wp-content/uploads directory.
Basic Usage
Once the HFP plugin is activated, you will have two new features in the media library:
- Within the Screen Options tab (list view only), check box for the “Hotlink Prevention” column.
- To protect a file, edit the file and scroll down to the checkbox labelled “Hotlink Protection”.
Any asset that is checked will have &#…
Screenshots
Ratings & Reviews
4.97 reviews
5 ★
6
4 ★
1
3 ★
0
2 ★
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1 ★
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Compatibility
| WordPress | 4.6+ requiredTested up to 6.5.8 |
| PHP | 5.6+ required |
Top Alternatives to Hotlink File Prevention
Frequently Asked Questions
Changelog
2.0.0
- Track protected files in wp_options table instead of individual post meta
- Fixed htaccess rules to work with multiple protected files
- Use insert_with_markers() to handle writing to htaccess
- Added CSS for media library table column
- Added uninstall hook
Contributors
Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Analysis and metrics by PluginSift.