How to Protect a Folder on Your Website with a Password

What is a protected directory?

A directory is just a folder on your web hosting. Normally anyone with the link can open what is inside. When you protect a folder, the browser asks for a username and password first. It is like a door with a lock. Only people with the key can go in.

Steps in the control panel

Most hosting control panels have a tool for this. In cPanel it is called Directory Privacy (or Password Protect Directories). Your welcome email says which panel you have.

1. Log in to your control panel.
2. Find the Directory Privacy tool and open it.

   

3. Choose the folder you want to lock. Click its name to open it.
4. Tick the box Password protect this directory.

   

5. Type a name for the folder. Visitors will see this on the login box.
6. Click Save.
7. Under Create User, type a username.

   

   

8. Type a strong password. Use a mix of letters, numbers and symbols.
9. Click Save.

Test it

1. Open a private or incognito browser window.
2. Visit the folder address, for example yourdomain.com/private/.
3. A box should ask for a username and password.
4. Type the details you made. The page should open.

How to remove the lock

1. Go back to Directory Privacy.

   

2. Open the same folder.
3. Untick Password protect this directory.
4. Click Save.

What happens behind the scenes

The panel makes two small files. One is .htaccess, which tells the web server to ask for a login. The other is .htpasswd, which stores the usernames and scrambled passwords. Do not delete them by hand unless you know why.

Quick recap

• A protected folder asks for a username and password.
• Use Directory Privacy in your control panel.
• Pick the folder, tick the box, add a user and save.
• Test in a private browser window.