Trying to make your website private? It’s a straightforward process and doesn’t require much technical work. Making your site private is an excellent way to control who sees your content, ensuring your website remains exclusive. You can continue enjoying your private side, along with a wide array of WordPress features, from customizing themes to installing various plugins. Below, we will answer one of the most asked questions: how to make a WordPress site Private without interrupting or breaking your WordPress site’s internal functionalities.
Let’s continue-
3 Ways to Make Your Website Private
You can make your site private using 3 different techniques-
Method 1: Make Your WordPress Site Private in using a plugin
Remember, you will need to use a plugin to make your site private. It’s better like that because messing with random coding in your site might cause massive problems later on.
Step 1: Install and active “My Private Site Plugin”
First, install the My Private Site Plugin. This plugin allows you to make your site invisible to public visitors and anyone who is not logged in on your WordPress account.
Step 2: Navigate to “Site Privacy” Settings
After installing, go to Site privacy. You will see the options for make your website private.
Step 3: Enable “Login Privacy”
Enable the option Login privacy, and save the changes.
Your site is now visible for only the people who are logged into your WordPress account, and restricted people who don’t have access to your WordPress account, which includes the general audience and Google search page.
Method 2: Make Your WordPress Site Private Without a Plugin
If you don’t want to use a plugin , you can always manually hide your website by updating the functions.php file of your website theme. You have to add this code snippet in your WordPress-
function make_private_website(){
global $wp;
if (!is_user_logged_in() && $GLOBALS['pagenow'] !== 'wp-login.php'){
wp_redirect(wp_login_url($wp -> request));
exit;
}
}
add_action('wp', 'make_private_website');Copy paste this code snippet, and put it in the Appearance > Theme Tile Editor. Make sure that you are selecting the theme you are currently using on your site. Now, Update the file.
After you put this code, if someone tries to visit your website, they will be redirected to the login page of your website. Without proper login credentials, they can’t get access to your site.
Method 3: Hide your WordPress site from search engine
If method 1 and 2 is not your forte then you should try the 3rd method that lets you hide your entire site from search engines result pages (SERP). It’s best to use this method in the early development stages of your website, simply if your website is under development or maintenance, you want to hide your website from SERP.
First, navigate to your website Dashboard > Settings > Reading. Now, all you need to do is check the discouraged Search engine visibility options.
This option discourages search engines from indexing your site. However, search engines can override this request and will index your site if necessary.
Benefits of Keeping Your WordPress Website Private
You might wonder why you’d want to keep your WordPress site private. You may be creating a personal blog to share with family and friends or developing a project that’s not quite ready for the public eye. There are many things to consider here!
i. Control your content’s privacy and access
By making your site private, you ensure that only people you explicitly allow can view your content. This is vital if you share personal stories, confidential information, or sensitive data. It’s like creating a digital safe for your content, where you hold the key and decide who gets access.
ii. Engage more exclusively with your selected audience
With a private site, your interactions are limited to a specific group, allowing for more meaningful engagement. This setting enables you to tailor your content and communication to align closely with the interests and needs of your audience, fostering a deeper connection and more relevant interactions.
iii. Test and develop in a secure environment
A private WordPress site offers a secure testing ground for new ideas, designs, or features without the pressure of public opinion. It’s an ideal setup for beta testing new concepts, receiving feedback from a trusted audience, and making adjustments before a public launch.
iv. Minimize spam and unwanted interactions on your site
Privacy settings significantly reduce unwanted spam, comments, and interactions common on public sites. This leads to a cleaner user experience and less time spent moderating content or dealing with irrelevant or harmful interactions.
v. Create an exclusive community atmosphere
A private site can foster an exclusive community feeling, making members feel unique and valued. This exclusivity can appeal to membership sites, special interest groups, or forums where privacy and focused discussion are respected.
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FAQ on How to Make a WordPress Site Private
Who can see my website's private pages on WordPress?
In WordPress, the visibility of your private pages is restricted to specific users you authorize. This typically includes logged-in users with particular roles, such as administrators, editors, or subscribers, depending on the permissions you set.
This feature is handy if you want to share content exclusively with a select group, like a team or private club members, ensuring that your sensitive or exclusive content remains confidential and controlled.
Are WordPress domains private for people?
WordPress domains are public by default, meaning anyone can view your site’s content and potentially access your domain registration details. However, you can make your site content private through WordPress settings.
Additionally, for domain privacy, most domain registrars, including those recommended by WordPress, offer a ‘domain privacy’ feature, which hides your personal information like name, address, and contact details from the public WHOIS database, adding an extra layer of privacy to your online presence.
Can you get a free domain from WordPress?
While WordPress doesn’t provide free custom domain names, it does offer free subdomains under the wordpress.com domain (like your site.wordpress.com). If you’re looking for a custom domain (like yoursite.com), purchase it through a domain registrar.
WordPress offers paid plans, often including a free custom domain for the first year. These options are great for those starting or running personal blogs who want a web presence without the initial investment in a domain.
How to make my WordPress page temporarily unavailable?
You have several options if you need to make your WordPress page temporarily unavailable. Setting the page to ‘private’ hides it from public view, accessible only to certain logged-in users. A ‘maintenance mode’ plugin allows you to display a custom message to visitors, indicating that the page is under construction or maintenance.
Another method is password-protecting the page, requiring visitors to enter a password to view the content. These methods are helpful when updating content, testing new features, or if you want to restrict access for a short period.
Can I host my own site for free?
Hosting your website for free is possible on platforms like WordPress.com, which offer hosting services without cost. However, These free services have limitations, such as restricted customization options, WordPress branding, and limited monetization capabilities.
For complete control over your website, self-hosting is a better option, although it usually involves some costs related to hosting services and domain registration. Self-hosting gives you full freedom over customization, functionality, and monetization, making it a preferred choice for professional or business websites.
Final Verdict
And that’s all you need to know about privatizing your site. This guide shows you how to use simple plugin functions to make your site private.
In conclusion, understanding how to make a WordPress site private is valuable in managing your online presence. It allows you to control who views your content, whether for privacy, testing new ideas, or creating an exclusive community.
Have a good day!