Title: Hotlink File Prevention
Author: swinggraphics
Published: 25. aug 2014
Last modified: 15. apr 2024
---
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This plugin **hasn’t been tested with the latest 3 major releases of WordPress**.
It may no longer be maintained or supported and may have compatibility issues when
used with more recent versions of WordPress.
# Hotlink File Prevention
By [swinggraphics](https://profiles.wordpress.org/swinggraphics/)
[Download](https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/hotlink-file-prevention.2.0.0.zip)
* [Details](https://et.wordpress.org/plugins/hotlink-file-prevention/#description)
* [Reviews](https://et.wordpress.org/plugins/hotlink-file-prevention/#reviews)
* [Installation](https://et.wordpress.org/plugins/hotlink-file-prevention/#installation)
* [Development](https://et.wordpress.org/plugins/hotlink-file-prevention/#developers)
[Support](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/hotlink-file-prevention/)
## Description
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:
1. Within the Screen Options tab (list view only), check box for the “Hotlink Prevention”
column.
2. To protect a file, edit the file and scroll down to the checkbox labelled “Hotlink
Protection”.
Any asset that is checked will have “Yes” displayed in the “Hotlink Prevention”
column; otherwise, this column will be blank.
#### Note about “Open in new tab” option
When you use the “Open in new tab” option for links, WordPress adds `rel="noreferrer"`,
which effectively makes the link act like direct access, and the link will be blocked
for files protected using HFP.
## Screenshots
* [[
* Checkbox in the file edit dialog
## Installation
1. Go to “Plugins > Add New” in the WordPress admin area.
2. Search for “Hotlink File Prevention”.
3. Install, then Activate the plugin.
For more installation options and instructions, see [“Installing Plugins” on WordPress.org](https://wordpress.org/support/article/managing-plugins/#installing-plugins).
## FAQ
### How does HFP work?
HFP creates an Apache `.htaccess` file in the `wp-content/uploads` directory. It
sets a HTTP_REFERER check and RewriteRule for each file that has hotlink protection
applied. Toggling hotlink protection on/off dynamically adds/removes RewriteRule
statements.
### Can it be used with any type of media file?
Yes, it works with any file that you upload to the media library.
### Are my files absolutely safe using this plugin?
Here’s the deal: This plugin makes it harder for people to hotlink to your files,
but if they are highly technical, they will be able to do things like fake the HTTP
referrer.
### Does it with with web servers other than Apache?
The server must process rewrite rules in `.htaccess`. So HFP will work on Apache
and LightSpeed servers, but not NGINX.
## Reviews
### [Works Great! (read review below for exceptions)](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/works-great-read-review-below-for-exceptions/)
[Rick Cheney](https://profiles.wordpress.org/rcstp/) 20. nov. 2024
THANK YOU for making this plugin. It works great EXCEPT your media library filenames
cannot have hyphens in the filenames. Maybe they can have one or two hyphens, I
don’t know because I didn’t test it but I found with four hyphens in the filename
it didn’t work.
### [Not working](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/not-working-4240/)
[twentytwelveuser](https://profiles.wordpress.org/twentytwelveuser/) 2. juuni 2024
The plugin is activated, but other site still shows pictures from my site. RewriteRule
2017/03/Unity-Terrain03.png – [NC,L,F] Still there is no effect Added: The problem
was in hosting settings – they disabled htaccess and used nginx. So I have to enable
manual mode to turn on htaccess: Connect to the site with SSH Edit the config file
for your site (example: ~/etc/httpd/php80/site-address.conf): AllowOverride All 3. Use the
plugin
### [Perfect Solution](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/perfect-solution-272/)
[Mike Oliver](https://profiles.wordpress.org/zephyrmike/) 29. mai 2024
I had an image on one of my website demos linking to over 100k sites, this plugin
worked perfectly to block it.
### [Very good](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/very-good-6192/)
[trinhthidien](https://profiles.wordpress.org/trinhthidien/) 22. jaan 2022
Very good
### [Exactly what I was looking for!](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/exactly-what-i-was-looking-for-514/)
[Wolfgang Hanus](https://profiles.wordpress.org/whanus/) 8. sept 2021
After hours and hours of searching I finally found this plugin. It works great!
I would like to see a feature that allows you to protect multiple media files at
once. So that you don’t have to click on each file individually. Many thanks to
the developers!
### [the best](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/the-best-2090/)
[user098242734](https://profiles.wordpress.org/user098242734/) 18. juuni 2021
works perfect thanks!
[ Read all 7 reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/hotlink-file-prevention/reviews/)
## Contributors & Developers
“Hotlink File Prevention” is open source software. The following people have contributed
to this plugin.
Contributors
* [ swinggraphics ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/swinggraphics/)
* [ electricmill ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/electricmill/)
[Translate “Hotlink File Prevention” into your language.](https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp-plugins/hotlink-file-prevention)
### Interested in development?
[Browse the code](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/hotlink-file-prevention/),
check out the [SVN repository](https://plugins.svn.wordpress.org/hotlink-file-prevention/),
or subscribe to the [development log](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/hotlink-file-prevention/)
by [RSS](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/hotlink-file-prevention/?limit=100&mode=stop_on_copy&format=rss).
## 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
#### 1.1.0
* Modernized the code, and got it working again!
* Updated README
* Changed some strings, and made them translation-ready
* Moved Hotlink Protection column before Date
* Added deactivation hook to remove htaccess file
#### 1.0.1
* commented out error reporting
* now uses just filename (followed by full path and name) in .htaccess; previously
this was full path and location alone. Version 1.0.0 users should delete .htaccess
from /uploads directory and rebuild file by clicking “update” on any file in
Media Library that has “Yes” for Hotlink File Prevention.
#### 1.0.0
* Development version and Alpha release.
## Meta
* Version **2.0.0**
* Last updated **2 aastat ago**
* Active installations **700+**
* WordPress version ** 4.6 or higher **
* Tested up to **6.5.8**
* PHP version ** 5.6 or higher **
* Language
* [English (US)](https://wordpress.org/plugins/hotlink-file-prevention/)
* Tags
* [admin](https://et.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/admin/)[attachments](https://et.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/attachments/)
[files](https://et.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/files/)[hotlink](https://et.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/hotlink/)
[images](https://et.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/images/)
* [Advanced View](https://et.wordpress.org/plugins/hotlink-file-prevention/advanced/)
## Ratings
4.9 out of 5 stars.
* [ 6 5-star reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/hotlink-file-prevention/reviews/?filter=5)
* [ 1 4-star review ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/hotlink-file-prevention/reviews/?filter=4)
* [ 0 3-star reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/hotlink-file-prevention/reviews/?filter=3)
* [ 0 2-star reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/hotlink-file-prevention/reviews/?filter=2)
* [ 0 1-star reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/hotlink-file-prevention/reviews/?filter=1)
[Your review](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/hotlink-file-prevention/reviews/#new-post)
[See all reviews](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/hotlink-file-prevention/reviews/)
## Contributors
* [ swinggraphics ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/swinggraphics/)
* [ electricmill ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/electricmill/)
## Support
Got something to say? Need help?
[View support forum](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/hotlink-file-prevention/)