How to Disable Right-Click in WordPress Without Plugin

Hey there! Looking to protect your WordPress content from being copied with a simple right-click?

I get it! Many of us put a lot of work into our posts, images, and overall site experience, and it can be frustrating to see that content reused without permission.

Luckily, there’s a way to disable right-click on your WordPress site, and you don’t even need a plugin for it!

Today, I’ll show you a quick and easy way to do it by adding a snippet of code. Let’s dive in!

Why Disable Right-Click?

A while back, I noticed some of my images floating around on other websites without any credit or a link back. It was disappointing, especially since I’d spent a lot of time creating that content.

By disabling right-click, you make it a little more challenging for visitors to casually copy and reuse your content. It’s not foolproof (a determined person can still find ways), but it definitely helps.

Here’s How to Disable Right-Click in WordPress

We’re going to add a small snippet of JavaScript to prevent the right-click menu from appearing. This will work across all browsers, and it’s simple to set up.

Step 1: Access Your Theme’s functions.php File

1. Log in to WordPress and go to Appearance > Theme Editor.
2. Find the file named functions.php on the right. This is where we’ll add our custom code. (If you’re using a child theme, make sure you’re editing the child theme’s functions.php file to avoid losing changes when updating the theme.)
3. Backup Reminder: Before making any changes, back up your functions.php file. Trust me, I’ve been there—sometimes, a simple error can take down the site temporarily!

Step 2: Add JavaScript Code to Disable Right-Click

We’ll use a bit of JavaScript to disable the right-click function:

function disable_right_click() {
    echo "<script type='text/javascript'>
        document.addEventListener('contextmenu', function(e) {
            e.preventDefault();
        });
    </script>";
}
add_action('wp_footer', 'disable_right_click');

This code snippet will add a JavaScript function directly to the footer of your site, which listens for any right-click action and prevents it.

• How It Works: Every time someone tries to right-click, this script will stop the default action, which is to bring up the context menu. They’ll likely get a small “No right-clicking allowed” type of notification, depending on their browser.

Step 3: Save and Test

After adding the code, click “Update File” to save your changes. Now, go to your website and try right-clicking—you should notice that the right-click menu no longer appears!

Does This Affect the User Experience?

While this trick helps protect your content, keep in mind that some users might find right-click disabling a bit restrictive. It’s a good idea to weigh the need for content protection against user convenience.

Personally, I only enable this feature on sites with a lot of original images or sensitive content, just to be on the safe side.

How to Remove the Right-Click Protection

If you ever want to re-enable right-click, simply remove the snippet of code we added to functions.php. Once you save the file again, right-click will work as usual.

A Quick Note on Content Protection

Disabling right-click is a great starting point for content protection, but remember it’s not an absolute solution.

Savvy users can still find ways around it, so if you’re sharing valuable or sensitive content, consider additional security measures, like watermarks for images or a copyright notice.

Wrapping Up

And there you have it! With just a few lines of code, you can make it that much harder for anyone to copy your content. I hope this little trick helps you keep your hard work safe. If you have any questions or if there’s another WordPress tip you’d like to see, feel free to reach out!

Happy WordPressing, and here’s to protecting your awesome content! 😊