How does WordPress.com limit a private site to approved viewers?

Definition: WordPress.com site visibility is a whole-site setting that can make a site private. In private mode, the site is visible to its owner and logged-in users the owner approves, while other visitors are sent to a request-access flow.

Key facts

• WordPress.com documents three site visibility choices in the dashboard: Coming Soon, Public, and Private. The site visibility guide says the setting controls who can view the site.
• The Private option is set under Settings → Reading, in the Site Visibility section, followed by Save Changes. The private-site guide says the option hides the site from visitors and search engines on the internet.
• An unapproved visitor sees a Private Site page. A logged-out visitor can log in to a WordPress.com account and request access, while a logged-in visitor can use the request access link.
• Individual pages and posts use a separate editor setting. WordPress.com's content visibility guide lists Private and Password protected among the available content statuses.

How does whole-site private mode work?

WordPress.com places the control in the dashboard at Settings → Reading, then under the Site Visibility section. The site visibility guide describes Private as an option that makes the site visible only to the owner and approved users. The private-site guide adds that the setting hides the website from visitors and search engines on the internet.

Settings → Reading
Site Visibility: Private
Save Changes

The private-site guide says the setting hides the site from all viewers. Subscribers also stop receiving email notifications of posts. On a plugin-enabled site, private mode disables some features so the site remains private from external sources. The documented disabled Jetpack features include Sitemaps, Google Analytics, WordAds, Verification Tools, Site Accelerator (CDN), Enhanced Distribution, and JSON API.

How does WordPress.com approve viewers?

A visitor who reaches a private site sees a “Private Site” page. If the visitor is logged out, the page offers a “Log in to WordPress.com” link and a request-access path. If the visitor is already logged in, the page offers a request access link directly.

The site owner receives a notification when a visitor requests access and can approve or decline it. The private-site guide says people added to a private site must have a WordPress.com account. It also describes inviting specific people to become a Viewer, which permits viewing and, when comments are enabled, adding comments.

How is this different from private content?

Whole-site private mode applies the privacy state to the entire website. WordPress.com directs an editor who wants to restrict only one page or post to the content's Visibility option in the editor sidebar.

The content visibility guide lists Draft, Pending, Private, Scheduled, Published, and Password protected as page and post options. Pages and posts set to Private are visible only to Administrators and Editors on the site. Private posts are excluded from the Reader, feeds, and search results, and are not sent by email to subscribers. Password protected content uses a password chosen for that page or post, which is a different access method from approving WordPress.com users for a private site.

What should a website owner check?

For a whole-site restriction, the relevant setting is Settings → Reading → Site Visibility. For one page or post, the relevant control is the editor's Status or Visibility control after opening the content from Pages or Posts. The two guides therefore place the controls in different parts of the WordPress.com dashboard.

Related terms

• Where is the search engine visibility setting in WordPress?
• Why can an expired WordPress.com plan put a site into Coming Soon mode?
• What happens to Ghost's SEO features when private site mode is enabled?

FAQ

Does Private apply to the whole WordPress.com site?

Yes. The site visibility guide describes the setting as controlling the entire site. Use the page or post editor when you want to restrict individual content.

Can a visitor request access to a private site?

Yes. A visitor can log in to a WordPress.com account and request access, and the site owner can approve or decline the request.

Does a private site accept anonymous viewers?

No. The private-site guide says users added to a private site must have a WordPress.com account, and the site is visible to the owner and logged-in users the owner approves.

Is a password-protected page the same as a private site?

No. A password protects an individual page or post. Private site mode applies to the entire website and uses approved WordPress.com users.

Sources

1. WordPress.com Support, "Control your site's visibility", 5 October 2026
2. WordPress.com Support, "Make your website private", 9 October 2026
3. WordPress.com Support, "Control who can see a page or post", 9 October 2026

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