Password-Protected Directories

Require a username and password for specific website directories using hPanel's Password Protect Directories tool on Hostinger or .htaccess and .htpasswd.

Require a username and password to access specific directories. Visitors see a browser prompt before they can view the content.

Common uses:

• Development or staging sites

• Admin or internal areas

• Client preview pages

Set up in hPanel

1. Open your website dashboard.

2. Go to Advanced → Password Protect Directories.

3. Pick or enter the directory to protect.

4. Set a username and password.

5. Click Protect.

Visitors now see an auth prompt on that directory.

Manage protected directories

All protected directories are listed in the panel. You can:

• Add more users to a directory

• Change a user's password

• Remove protection

Via .htaccess

1. Create .htpasswd

Store usernames and hashed passwords. Put it outside public_html (e.g., /home/username/.htpasswd).

htpasswd -c /home/username/.htpasswd yourusername

2. Add .htaccess

In the directory you want to protect:

AuthType Basic
AuthName "Restricted Area"
AuthUserFile /home/username/.htpasswd
Require valid-user

Replace /home/username/.htpasswd with your actual path.

Remove protection

• In hPanel: Go to Advanced → Password Protect Directories and remove the directory from the list.

• Via .htaccess: Remove the AuthType, AuthName, AuthUserFile, and Require lines.

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Last updated: July 22, 2026