AAM Protected Media Files
Add-on to the free Advanced Access Manager plugin that protects media files from direct access for visitors, roles or users
Use with caution
AAM Protected Media Files works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. It runs on 500+ sites, is rated 5/5 and was last updated 6 months ago, and scores 55/100 on our health check.
- Small user base (500+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.9 (latest is 7.1)
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & support
Daily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where AAM Protected Media Files stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| documents | >100 |
| files | #25 |
| media library | #92 |
| protected media | #3 |
| protected videos | #5 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
Rating breakdown
★★★★★★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews
About AAM Protected Media Files
From the official readme · v1.3.3Description
Prevent direct access to the unlimited number of media library items either for visitors, individual users or groups of users (roles). This plugin does not modify a physical file’s location or URL.
The AAM Protected Media Files plugins is the official add-on to the free Advanced Access Manager (aka AAM). While this plugin actually manages physical access to the media files, AAM provides the UI interface to define access to files.
Few Facts
- It requires a simple manual steps in order to configure a webserver to protect direct access to
/wp-content/uploadsfolder. For more information, please check our installation instructions; - It does not change a physical file’s location, content or URL. Upon deactivation, everything goes back to normal;
- It protects all the allowed by WordPress core file types and those that are extended with third-party plugins (e.g.
.svg,.sketch, etc.). For the list of all allowed extensions, check official WP documentation for the wp_get_ext_types() core function; - It allows you to manage access to any media file for visitors, any individual user, roles or even define the default access to all media files for everybody (this one is available with premium add-on for AAM plugin);
For more information about how properly install and use it, refer to our documentation.
Installation
- Upload
aam-protected-media-filesfolder to the/wp-content/plugins/directory. - Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress.
- Configure your webserver to redirect all media request to access handler as described in installation guide.
Changelog
= 1.3.3
* Fixed: Incorrectly handling file loading outside of ABSPATH path
1.3.2
- Fixed: Moved plugin loaded to a hook after init to be compatible with AAM premium add-on
1.3.1
- Fixed: Incorrectly queried media file for AAM 7 handler
1.3.0
- Added: Introduced updated to support upcoming AAM 7 version
1.2.5
- Changed: Bumped up the minimum required WP version to 5.0.0
1.2.4
- Fixed: Give the ability to serve files outside of the wp-content folder https://github.com/aamplugin/aam-protected-media-files/issues/18
- Fixed: Access is not correctly restricted for some paths https://github.com/aamplugin/aam-protected-media-files/issues/17
1.2.3
- Fixed: Uncaught TypeError: mime_content_type(): Argument #1 https://github.com/aamplugin/aam-protected-media-files/issues/16
Screenshots
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FAQ
AAM Protected Media Files: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 8, 2026
Is AAM Protected Media Files free?
Yes. AAM Protected Media Files is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is AAM Protected Media Files safe to use in 2026?
AAM Protected Media Files works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. It runs on 500+ sites, is rated 5/5 and was last updated 6 months ago, and scores 55/100 on our health check.
How many websites use AAM Protected Media Files?
AAM Protected Media Files is active on 500+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 18,799 times since it launched in November 2019. It was downloaded 345 times in the last 30 days.
Does AAM Protected Media Files work with WordPress 7.1?
AAM Protected Media Files is officially tested up to WordPress 6.9.10, while the latest release is 7.1.3. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
What PHP version does AAM Protected Media Files need?
AAM Protected Media Files requires PHP 5.6.0 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.
When was AAM Protected Media Files last updated?
The latest version, 1.3.3, was released on April 23, 2026 (6 months ago).
Who makes AAM Protected Media Files?
AAM Protected Media Files is developed and maintained by AAM Plugin.
What are the best alternatives to AAM Protected Media Files?
The most popular alternatives to AAM Protected Media Files are PDF Embedder (300K+ installs), BuddyPress Docs (6K+ installs) and FileBird Document Library (5K+ installs).
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