How to Password Protect a WordPress Page (Step by Step) 

Have you ever wondered how to password protect a WordPress page?

We’ve encountered this scenario often: You have a page on your WordPress website you’d like to share with a client but don’t want the public to see.

This is where password protection can help. With the right tools, you can protect any WordPress page with a password, and it won’t require any technical expertise.

In this guide, we’ll explore how to password protect a WordPress page so only specific users can access your private content.

In This Guide:

There are several ways to password protect WordPress pages. You can either use a WordPress plugin or WordPress’s built-in password protection feature. We’ll show you how below.

Using SeedProd to Protect WordPress Pages

First, we’ll show you how to password protect an under-construction page using SeedProd.

SeedProd is one of the best website builders for WordPress. It includes built-in coming soon and maintenance mode functionality.

In the plugin settings, you can use access controls to password protect a WordPress page for members only while improving user experience.

SeedProd also lets you create custom WordPress themes, landing pages, and responsive website layouts without CSS, PHP, HTML, or shortcodes. You can even create eCommerce sites with its WooCommerce integrations.

There are tons of premade templates and widgets you can use to customize your page, including:

• WordPress login page blocks and templates
• Signup forms and contact forms
• Countdown timers and progress bars
• Template parts to display a custom sidebar
• And much more.

Follow these steps to password protect WordPress pages with SeedProd. Don’t worry, this tutorial is easy enough for beginners to follow.

Step 1. Install and Activate SeedProd

First, download the SeedProd plugin. Then, head to your account overview area after logging in.

Now click View License Key, Details, and Downloads.

From here, click the orange button labeled Download Landing Page Pro.

Now head to Plugins » Add New in your WordPress dashboard, and click Upload Plugin.

Click Choose File to find the .zip file you downloaded on your computer, then click Install Now.

After you’ve installed the plugin, click Activate.

Step 2. Create a Coming Soon Page

To password protect a page, you’ll need to create either a coming soon (under construction) or a maintenance page. These pages include access controls for protecting your page with a single password.

Follow these steps to create a coming soon page with SeedProd.

Step 3. Password Protect a Single WordPress Page

After creating your coming soon page, go to your SeedProd page overview and click the Edit Page button in the Coming Soon Mode section.

Click the Page Settings tab at the top of the visual page editor to see several configuration settings. To hide certain pages, click the Access Control option.

To hide individual WordPress pages instead, scroll down to the Include/Exclude URLs section.

In this section, click the Include URLs radio button, then enter the URL of each page you’d like to protect in the box provided. You should enter each URL on a new line. You can also add the URLs of individual WordPress posts here.

When you’re done, click the Save Changes button.

There’s a simple solution for visitors who need access to a protected page but don’t have a WordPress login. You can make your WordPress page only accessible via a link.

The Access Control panel has an option that lets you bypass the restricted page.

Here, you can add a secure password.

This option makes your WordPress page only accessible via a link you give to visitors, which ignores the coming soon page. If you forget your password, you can quickly glance at this page to refresh your memory.

It’s also possible to add specific visitors’ IP addresses in the Access IP section. This allows anyone with that IP to bypass your coming soon page.

Step 4. Add a Password Input Field for Your Landing Page

If you wish to add a form for users to enter a password and bypass your landing page, go to the Design tab and then add the Custom HTML block to your page.

Inside the block, type seed_bypass_form in square [ ] brackets and save your changes. The login form won’t show in the page builder preview.

To view it, you’ll need to visit that specific page on the front end of your site.

Password Protect WordPress Page Categories

You can also use SeedProd to create a protected category or multiple WordPress categories. On the SeedProd Access Controls page, click the Include URLs toggle.

You can then paste the full URL for each category you wish to protect. Now, anyone viewing that category will see your coming soon page without needing to add category passwords.

Step 5. Save Your Changes

Remember to save your changes before leaving this page. And if you haven’t already, you’ll need to enable your coming soon page from the dashboard.

Go to SeedProd » Pages from your WordPress admin panel to view the different page modes and landing pages available to you.

Under the Coming Soon Mode section, click the toggle to turn it from Inactive to Active.

You’ve now enabled password protection for specific pages on your website.

Pro tip: Did you know that you can also password protect WooCommerce products by enabling WooCommerce maintenance mode?

Password Protect a WordPress Page Without a Plugin

Anyone can create a password protected page using WordPress’s default settings.

This method requires no extra plugins and takes only a few clicks. However, it doesn’t allow you to access the easy customization settings that you get with SeedProd.

To password protect a WordPress page with the default editor, follow these steps:

1. Log in to WordPress as an administrator.
2. From the dashboard, head to Pages » All Pages.
3. Click Edit on the page content you want to hide.
4. In the top left corner of the WordPress editor, under the Status and Visibility settings, click the Public link.
5. Select the Password Protected option to protect your page and enter a password.
6. Then click Publish or Update.

Now, when viewing the page, you’ll have to enter a password.

Here’s what your password protected post or page would look like to people visiting your site. All they need to do is enter the correct password to gain access.

Your pages are now marked as private in WordPress, so you can easily see protected pages in the list view.

If you want to remove password protection, switch the status back to ‘public.’ This method works on every page and post in WordPress, including custom post types.

Protecting Specific File Types

You might wonder, ” Can I password protect a PDF file?” The answer is yes, you can.

After adding your file to a page, use the method above to password protect the page with your PDF document.

That way, you can protect your PDF from people who shouldn’t have access.

This method also works for any other file tpes.

When setting up a locked page or password protected posts, you may also notice the option to mark it as Private.

WordPress’s private post visibility option restricts WordPress content to the person who created it or anyone logged in with the Editor or Administrator role. It’s best to avoid this option when restricting content, as visitors who are not logged in can’t enter a password to get access.

Password Protecting Forms with WPForms

The great thing about WordPress is it lets you add all manner of useful features to your site. Perhaps the most popular is the humble contact form.

But let’s say you want to create a password protected form. You can do this with the handy Content Locker addon for WPForms.

Here are some of the great things you can do with the Content Locker addon:

• Lock forms – Users must enter a password to submit the form, which protects you from unwanted submissions.
• Close form submissions on a certain date/time – This is useful for application forms with a set deadline.
• Restrict forms to members – You can restrict forms to only logged-in user roles, which is ideal for membership sites. Businesses can also use this to restrict support to paying customers.
• Limit the number of total submissions – Contests and giveaways can benefit from this. The form will automatically close when the maximum number of entries is reached.
• Limit entries to one per person – An excellent choice for free sample forms and giveaways; this option helps you avoid duplicate submissions.

Why not check out this in-depth WPForms review for the full details?

To enjoy this addon, you’ll first need to grab the pro version of WPForms.

Once you’ve downloaded and installed the plugin, head to WPForms » Addons.

Here, you’ll see a list of add-ons available to you. Choose the Form Locker Addon and click Install Addon.

Now go to your forms list and click Edit on the form you’d like to password protect. Alternatively, you can build new password forms.

Next, click Settings » Form Locker from the left-hand admin panel.

From here, you can set conditions for the following options:

• Password – Enter a password for people to use to access the form. You can also add a custom message to the password page.
• Scheduling – Set a start and end date/time and a message for when form entries are closed.
• Entry Limit – Enter a number for max form entries. Again, you can write a message when the form is closed.
• User Roles – Restrict your form to logged-in users and custom user roles like subscribers and a custom message.

This feature is excellent because it doesn’t just apply to the forms you create with WPForms.

You can also use the Content Locker to restrict access to your surveys and polls. This gives you so much more control over your protected content.

Improve User Experience for Password Protected Pages

Let’s face it; while password protection is excellent for keeping prying eyes away, it can sometimes leave your visitors feeling a bit lost. But don’t worry; with a little fine-tuning, you can create a seamless experience for those authorized to access your secret content.

Here are some tips for making your password protected pages more user-friendly:

Write Crystal Clear Instructions

First and foremost, don’t leave visitors guessing. Provide clear and concise instructions on how to access the protected content.

Place a prominent message near the password form to make it obvious that the page is password protected. If needed, explain how to obtain the password.

A little visual guidance goes a long way, so use arrows or icons to point users to the password field.

Create Custom-Tailored Forms

Your password form doesn’t have to be bland. Customize its appearance to match your website’s style and branding.

Above the form, add a personal touch with a welcoming message. This could provide some context for the protected content or simply greet your visitors.

Offer Alternative Entry Points

Not everyone loves passwords. If possible, offer alternative access options for users who might prefer a different method.

Consider providing temporary access links via email or setting up a separate login page with username and password fields.

Error Handling 101

We all make mistakes, so be prepared for incorrect password entries. Display clear error messages and guide users back on track.

Make it easy for users to recover forgotten passwords with a “Forgot Password” link.

Provide a Mobile-Friendly Design

Finally, don’t forget mobile users. Ensure the password form and instructions are optimized for mobile devices so everyone can easily access your content.

Troubleshoot Password Protection Problems

Password protection is an easy way to control access to WordPress pages, but sometimes, things don’t work as expected. Here are some common issues and how to troubleshoot them:

• Browser Caching: If you’ve changed the password or removed password protection, but the old behavior persists, clear your browser’s cache and cookies. Each browser has slightly different instructions, so do a quick search (like “clear cache in [your browser name]”) for details.
• Plugin Conflicts: Temporarily deactivate any other plugins you’ve installed, one at a time. After each deactivation, check if the password protection works correctly. This helps isolate if a plugin is interfering with WordPress’s built-in password capability.
• Incorrect Password: Double-check that you’re entering the correct password, paying close attention to case sensitivity.
• Incorrect Page Visibility: In the WordPress page editor’s “Status and Visibility” area, ensure the visibility is set to “Password Protected.” It’s easy to accidentally set it as “Private” instead.
• Caching Plugins: If you use a caching plugin like WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache, you might need to clear its cache. Sometimes, the cached version of the page is served even if you’ve updated the password settings.
• Corrupted .htaccess File (Rare): Incorrectly configured .htaccess files can sometimes interfere with WordPress functionality. You can find instructions on restoring a standard .htaccess file online, but proceed with caution if you’re uncomfortable editing site files.

If none of the above solutions work, reach out to your web hosting provider for further guidance. They may have insights specific to your setup.

Password Protect a WordPress Page FAQs

We get a lot of questions from our readers about password protection. Below, we try to answer as many of them as we can:

Next, More Ways to Protect Your Site

You’ve now learned how to password protect a WordPress page for testing purposes and private content.

Locking pages in WordPress is easy with SeedProd’s powerful Access Controls. Plus, the drag-and-drop page builder gives you complete control over the design of your password protected page, with no coding required!

You may also want to check out the following guides for protecting your WordPress site:

• The Ultimate Guide to Password Protecting a WordPress Site
• How to Customize Password Protected Pages in WordPress
• Best WordPress Security Plugins to Protect Your Site
• How to Password Protect WordPress While Under Development
• How to Protect Your WordPress Site From Hackers

Thanks for reading! We’d love to hear your thoughts, so please feel free to leave a comment with any questions and feedback.

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Stacey Corrin Writer

Stacey has been writing about WordPress and digital marketing for over 10 years and on other topics for much longer. Alongside this, she's fascinated with web design, user experience, and SEO.

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