Overview
Image Protector helps protect the images on your WordPress site from unauthorized downloads and attempts to copy them using screenshots or developer tools. By enabling this feature, you can reduce the risk of your images being downloaded, copied, or used without permission, improving the security of your visual content.
Protections Available
Screenshot
- Description: This feature detects when the Print Screen key (or key combinations that activate the screenshot function) is pressed and blurs protected images. This way, even if the user tries to take a screenshot, they will not be able to capture the original image.
- Warning: The screenshot protection offered by the plugin is only effective on desktop computers. Screenshots taken from mobile devices (smartphones and tablets) cannot be intercepted or blocked.
On desktop environments, the plugin can detect when the Print Screen key is pressed or specific key combinations are activated via JavaScript, allowing images to be rendered unusable at the exact moment a screenshot is attempted.
On the other hand, on mobile devices (Android/iOS), screenshots are taken directly at the operating system level, often using hardware button combinations (e.g., volume + power), and do not generate any JavaScript events visible from the web page. This means that the browser and therefore the plugin do not receive any notification or signal when a screenshot is taken, making any kind of protection or automatic reaction impossible.
Right Mouse Button
- Description: The right mouse button is not completely disabled by the plugin, unlike other protection systems that block the entire context menu across the entire page. Image Protector only affects protected images by blocking the “Save image as,” “Copy image,” “Open image in a new tab,” and any other image-related functions. All other context menu features remain active for a better user experience.
- Why this choice?: Completely blocking the right mouse button can be frustrating for users, preventing legitimate operations not related to images. Image Protector takes a targeted and less invasive approach, protecting only sensitive content (images) without restricting normal browsing or browser functions.
Drag & Drop and Direct Copying
- Description: Protected images cannot be dragged off the page or copied using the browser’s native functions.
Dev Tools
- Description: When browser development tools (such as “Inspect Element” or “Console”) are opened, the plugin automatically detects the event and applies an overlay that signals active protection.
JavaScript Disabled
- Description: If a user disables JavaScript to bypass protection, the system still works and replaces the image with an overlay that indicates active protection.
Cache Systems
- Description: Protected images are excluded from the cache of major caching plugins, ensuring that protection remains active even after optimizations or minifications.
Usage Flow
Protecting a Single Image
- Log in to your WordPress admin panel.
- Go to Media Library
- Open the image you want to protect.
- Select the “Protect this image” checkbox.
Protect multiple images simultaneously
- Log in to your WordPress admin panel.
- Go to Media Library
- Select the images you want to protect.
- Open the Bulk Action menu and select “Protect images.”
- Click on the “Apply” button.
