How to Stop Other Sites Using Your Images (Hotlink Protection)

Prevent other websites from embedding your images and using your bandwidth.

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Hotlinking is when another website displays your images by linking straight to your server, using your bandwidth. Hotlink protection blocks this.

Turn on hotlink protection

  1. Log in to cPanel and open Security → Hotlink Protection.
  2. Click Enable.
  3. Check the URLs to Allow Access list. It should include your own domains (with and without www).
  4. Under Block direct access for the following extensions, keep the image types listed (jpg, jpeg, gif, png) and add others, like webp.
  5. Optional: enter a Redirect the request to address to show a different image instead.
  6. Click Submit.

Tip: If you use a CDN or show your images on another site you own, add those addresses to the allow list.

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