Protect Uploads

82 Quality Score

Active Installs

20/30

At 30,000 active installs and a 67 score, it has a moderate niche audience but is far from mainstream compared to general security plugins.

Update Freshness

25/25

A perfect 100 with a last update dated 2026-06-11 and confirmed compatibility with WordPress 7.0 indicates the author is actively shipping code.

User Rating

14/15

A 96 from 12 ratings is strong, though the small sample size means the score could shift quickly with a few more votes.

Support Health

8/15

Support health sits at 50 because the one reported thread has 0% resolution, which is a real concern even if volume is low.

WP Compatibility

15/15

A perfect 100 reflects modern PHP 7.4 requirement, a WordPress 5.0 floor, and testing against the latest 7.0 release.

Scores higher than 87% of indexed plugins

About

Protect your uploads directory. Prevent browsing, add watermarks, disable right-click, and password-protect files. For more information, visit protect …

Active Installs 30k+

Rating ★★★★½ 4.8/5

Last Updated 2026-08-28 7:53pm GMT

Requires WordPress 5.0+

Tested Up To 7.1

Requires PHP 7.4+

Security History

1 known vulnerability, all patched

1 Medium

Most recent: August 13, 2022

View details ▸

What It Does

Protect Uploads restricts direct access to files in your WordPress media library by blocking directory browsing, disabling right-click saving, applying watermarks to images, and optionally requiring a password before files can be downloaded. It acts as a frontline deterrent for casual visitors trying to grab your original images or documents without permission. It is not a true DRM system and should not be treated as one.

Who It's For

This plugin fits small studios, photographers, and solo creators who publish preview-quality images online but want to discourage casual copying or hotlinking of originals. It is also useful for consultants, clinics, and small agencies who share gated PDFs or client deliverables through the standard Media Library rather than a full membership platform.

Who Should Skip It

Anyone selling downloadable products or running a true membership site should skip this plugin and use a proper commerce or membership solution, because password protection on /wp-content/uploads/ is easily bypassed by anyone with the direct file URL. Sites needing server-level file access control or signed expiring URLs need a dedicated file delivery plugin instead.

The Bottom Line

Protect Uploads is a lightweight, actively maintained deterrent that does a reasonable job for low-stakes scenarios like portfolio previews or watermarked sample galleries. It earns an 81.95 overall, but the unresolved support thread and the inherent limits of /wp-content/uploads/ protection mean serious sellers or anyone handling sensitive documents should pair it with a proper access-controlled delivery system. Treat it as a polite lock, not a vault.

Pick this if your actual problem is HTTPS migration and broad site hardening rather than upload-folder content protection.

Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 97/100

Pick this when you need a full firewall, malware scanner, and login protection rather than media access controls.

Jetpack – WP Security, Backup, Speed, & Growth 94/100

Pick this if you want security bundled with backups, performance, and growth tools in one plugin.

All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall 91/100

Pick this for a free, broad-brush firewall and login hardening suite that covers far more than the uploads directory.

Download Monitor 90/100

Pick this when you need tracked, gated downloads with shortcodes and analytics instead of blanket uploads-folder protection.