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This article describes how to use Plesk to protect specific directories with a password. Visitors to password-protected directories must enter a username and password to view the directory’s contents.

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Adding password protection to a directory

When you add password protection to a directory, site visitors are prompted for a username and password when they try to access it. They can only view the directory contents after typing a valid username and password.
When you protect a directory with a password, all directories beneath it are automatically protected as well.
To add password protection to a directory, follow these steps:
  1. Log in to Plesk.
    If you do not know how to log in to your Plesk account, please see this article.
  2. In the left sidebar, click Websites & Domains.
  3. Click the site you want to manage, and then on the Dashboard tab, click Password-Protected Directories.
  4. Click Add Protected Directory.
  5. Under Settings, in the Directory name text box, type the name of the directory you want to protect.
    Do not include httpdocs in the directory name. Only type the name of the directory.
  6. In the Title of the protected area text box, you can optionally type a name for the protected directory.
  7. Click OK.
  8. Under Protected directories, click the name of the directory you specified in step 5.
  9. Under Tools, click Add a User.
  10. Under Protected directory user, in the Username text box, type a name for the user.
  11. In the New Password and Confirm Password text boxes, type the user’s password.
  12. Click OK. Password protection is now enabled for the directory.

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Removing password protection from a directory

You can remove password protection from a directory if you no longer want to protect it with a password. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Log in to Plesk.
    If you do not know how to log in to your Plesk account, please see this article.
  2. In the left sidebar, click Websites & Domains.
  3. Click the site you want to manage, and then on the Dashboard tab, click Password-Protected Directories.
  4. Locate the directory, and then click Remove Protection.
  5. On the Removal Confirmation page, select the Confirm removal check box.
  6. Click OK. Plesk removes password protection for the directory.