How To Prevent Outside Visitors From Browsing Your WordPress Directory Files Using The .htaccess File

By Sean Doyle · August 14, 2012 · 1 min read

When it comes to improving the security of your WordPress website, it is always recommended to prevent outside visitors from browsing your WordPress directory files. It is very simple to do using the .htaccess file in the WordPress root directory.

Copy and paste the line below to the top of your .htaccess file

Options -Indexes

This simple line will prevent visitors from seeing a list of available files in your WordPress directory.

The .htaccess file is located at the root of your WordPress install (shown below).

Tags: WordPress

Sean Doyle

Sean is a tech author and security researcher with more than 20 years of experience in cybersecurity, privacy, malware analysis, analytics, and online marketing. He focuses on clear reporting, deep technical investigation, and practical guidance that helps readers stay safe in a fast-moving digital landscape. His work continues to appear in respected publications, including articles written for Private Internet Access. Through Botcrawl and his ongoing cybersecurity coverage, Sean provides trusted insights on data breaches, malware threats, and online safety for individuals and businesses worldwide.

View all posts →