Salt Shaker
Salt Shaker enhances WordPress security by changing WordPress security keys and salts manually and automatically.
Use with caution
Salt Shaker works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. It runs on 7K+ sites, is rated 4.7/5 and was last updated 10 months ago, and scores 60/100 on our health check.
- Loved by users — 4.7/5 from 27 reviews
- Momentum — downloads up 34.6% vs the previous 30 days
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.9 (latest is 7.1)
Daily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where Salt Shaker stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| authentication keys | #15 |
| salt keys | #1 |
| salts | #2 |
| security | >100 |
| security keys | #40 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
Rating breakdown
★★★★★★★★★★ 4.7 from 27 reviews
About Salt Shaker
From the official readme · v2.1.1Description
By using Salt Shaker plugin, you’ll be able to harden your WordPress security. It allows you to change the salt keys either manually or automatically.
Try it out on a free dummy site.
Why Use SALT Keys in WordPress?
When you log in to WordPress, you have the option to remain logged in long-term. To achieve this, WordPress stores your login data in cookies instead of in a PHP session. Malicious individuals can hijack your cookies through various means, leaving your website vulnerable.
To make it harder for attackers to use cookie data, you can take advantage of SALT keys. WordPress SALT keys encrypt your password, making it harder to guess. What’s more, it’s next to impossible for hackers to simply ‘unscramble’ the result in order to get at the original password.
What people says about Salt Shaker
WPBeginner
Kinsta
WPEngine
Elgenat Themes
Hostinger
Like Salt Shaker? Consider leaving a 5 star review.
Salt Shaker Features
- Improve your WordPress security.
- Easy to use, set it and forget it, with minimal settings.
- Manual and immediate WP security keys and salts changing.
- Set automated schedule for keys and salts change.
Developers?
Feel free to fork the project on GitHub and submit your contributions via pull request.
Installation
- Upload
salt-shakerfolder to the/wp-content/plugins/directory. - Activate the plugin through the
Pluginsmenu in WordPress. - Navigate to
Tools > Salt Shakermenu to configure the plugin.
Frequently asked questions
Nothing happens?
Make sure that wp-config.php file has the salt keys. If for any reason the keys aren’t there; you can always generate a set of keys from this link https://api.wordpress.org/secret-key/1.1/salt/ and add it to your wp-config.php file. Once that’s done, the plugin will be able to shake them based on your settings.
The plugin isn’t working or have a bug?
Post detailed information about the issue in the support forum and we will work to fix it.
Custom wp-config.php location?
You can use this filter to define the file location salt_shaker_salts_file. Example: In this example, the new location of the config file is in a folder that’s outside WordPress location in a folder called wpsecret. Make sure to replace it with your secret location 😉 function salt_shaker_new_file($salts_file_name) { $salts_file_name = '../wpsecret/wp-config'; return $salts_file_name; } add_filter('salt_shaker_salts_file', 'salt_shaker_new_file');
Changelog
2.1.1
- Fixed an issue with 2.1.0 not working because of a missing Freemius SDK file.
2.1.0
- Added comprehensive audit trail logging for all salt rotations
- Automatic cleanup of old logs with configurable retention periods
- Performance improvements and better error handling
- WordPress 6.9 compatibility
2.0.1
- Improved salt generation and replacement
- WordPress 6.8 compatibility
Read the full changelog here
Screenshots
For developers
Is this your plugin? Show off the numbers.
Add a live badge to your site, docs or GitHub README. It updates on its own — no account needed.
FAQ
Salt Shaker: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Sep 26, 2026
Is Salt Shaker free?
Yes. Salt Shaker is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Salt Shaker safe to use in 2026?
Salt Shaker works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. It runs on 7K+ sites, is rated 4.7/5 and was last updated 10 months ago, and scores 60/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Salt Shaker?
Salt Shaker is active on 7K+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 243,285 times since it launched in October 2016. It was downloaded 1,971 times in the last 30 days.
Does Salt Shaker work with WordPress 7.1?
Salt Shaker is officially tested up to WordPress 6.9.9, while the latest release is 7.1.2. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
When was Salt Shaker last updated?
The latest version, 2.1.1, was released on December 1, 2025 (10 months ago).
Who makes Salt Shaker?
Salt Shaker is developed and maintained by Nagdy.
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