title: Hotlink Protection created at: Tue Oct 22 2024 09:26:43 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) updated at: Sat Feb 08 2025 14:21:42 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) --- # Hotlink Protection # Overview A hotlink occurs when someone embeds content from your site in another site and uses your bandwidth to serve the files. You can use this interface to prevent this issue. !! Notes !! When you disable hotlinks, make certain that you allow hotlinks for any necessary domains. For example, your website’s subdomains and the URL that you use to access your cPanel account. !! The URL for accessing your cPanel account should appear in the *List the URLs to which you wish to allow access* menu. If it doesn’t, you may not see embedded images in the [*HTML Editor*](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/files/html-editor) section of the [*File Manager*](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/files/file-manager) interface (*cPanel » Home » Files » File Manager*). # Enable hotlink protection To enable hotlink protection, perform the following steps: 1. Click *Enable*. A new interface will open and display the *Allowed referrers* and *Protected extension* lists. 2. Click *Go back*. 3. To allow specific sites to hotlink to your site, add their URLs in the *URLs to allow access* menu. 4. To block direct access to files of specific types, add those file extensions to the *Block direct access for the following extensions* text box. * For example, to block all `.jpg` images, add `.jpg` to the *Block direct access for the following extensions* text box. * When you block these file types, others **cannot** hotlink to those types of files from your website regardless of any other settings. 5. To allow visitors access to specific content through the URL, select the *Allow direct requests* checkbox. For example, if you enable this setting, a visitor could enter `http://www.example.com/folder/example.jpg` as a URL to access the `example.jpg` file. 6. To redirect requests for certain content, enter the URL to which you want to redirect your visitor in the *Redirect the request to the following URL* text box. 7. Click *Submit*. # Disable hotlink protection To disable hotlink protection, click *Disable*. !! Note !! When you click *Disable*, the system deletes the entries in the *List the URLs to which you wish to allow access* list. We **strongly** recommend that you save the list locally before you disable hotlink protection.