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Disable WP REST API

by Jeff Starr

Version: 2.6.5

Description

This plugin does one thing: disables the WP REST API for visitors who are not logged into WordPress. No configuration required.

This plugin works with only 22 short lines of code (less than 2KB). So it is super lightweight, fast, and effective.

Features

Disable REST/JSON for visitors (not logged in)
Disables REST header in HTTP response for all users
Disables REST links in HTML head for all users
100% plug-and-play, set-it-and-forget solution

The fast, simple way to prevent abuse of your site’s REST/JSON API

How does it work? That depends on which version of WordPress you are using..

WordPress v4.7 and beyond

For WordPress 4.7 and better, this plugin completely disables the WP REST API unless the user is logged into WordPress.

For logged-in users, WP REST API works normally
For logged-out users, WP REST API is disabled

What happens if logged-out visitor makes a JSON/REST request? They will get only a simple message:

“rest_login_required: REST API restricted to authenticated users.”

This message may customized via the filter hook, disable_wp_rest_api_error. Check out this post for an example of how to do it.

Older versions of WordPress

For WordPress versions less than 4.7, this plugin simply disables all REST API functionality for all users.

More information available below in the FAQs section.

Privacy

This plugin does not collect or store any user data. It does not set any cookies, and it does not connect to any third-party locations. Thus, this plugin does not affect user privacy in any way. If anything it improves user privacy, as it protects potentially sensitive information from being displayed/accessed via REST API.

Disable WP REST API is developed and maintained by Jeff Starr, 15-year WordPress developer and book author.

Support development of this plugin

I develop and maintain this free plugin with love for the WordPress community. To show support, you can make a donation or purchase one of my books:

And/or purchase one of my premium WordPress plugins:

BBQ Pro – Super fast WordPress firewall
Blackhole Pro – Automatically block bad bots
Banhammer Pro – Monitor traffic and ban the bad guys
GA Google Analytics Pro – Connect WordPress to Google Analytics
Head Meta Pro – Ultimate Meta Tags for WordPress
Simple Ajax Chat Pro – Unlimited chat rooms
USP Pro – Unlimited front-end forms

Links, tweets and likes also appreciated. Thank you! 🙂

Installation

How to Install

Upload the plugin to your blog and activate
Done! No further configuration is required.

More info on installing WP plugins

Testing

To test that the plugin is working, log out of WordPress and then request https://example.com/wp-json/ in a browser. See FAQs for more infos.

Like the plugin?

If you like Disable WP REST API, please take a moment to give a 5-star rating. It helps to keep development and support going strong. Thank you!

Faq

What is the default access-denied message?

When the user is logged in to WordPress, the normal REST API data will be displayed. When the user is not logged in, this is the default message:

{"code":"rest_login_required","message":"REST API restricted to authenticated users.","data":{"status":401}}

Why would anyone want to disable the REST API?

Technically this plugin only disables REST API for visitors who are not logged into WordPress. With that in mind, here are some good reasons why someone would want to disable REST API for non-logged users:

The REST API may not be needed for non-logged users
Disabling the REST API conserves server resources
Disabling the REST API minimizes potential attack vectors
Disabling the REST API prevents content scraping and plagiarism

I’m sure there are other valid reasons, but you get the idea 🙂

There already is another “Disable REST” plugin?

Yep, actually there are two other “Disable REST” plugins:

The first of those plugins is awesome and provides a LOT more features and functionality than is required to simply disable REST. And the second plugin was shut down due to lack of use. I wrote my disable-REST plugin because I wanted something super lightweight, fast, and effective. If you are looking for more options and features, then check out the first of those two listed alternatives.

How do I test that REST is disabled?

Testing is easy:

Log out of WordPress
Using a browser, request https://example.com/wp-json/

If you see the following message, REST is disabled:

“rest_login_required: REST API restricted to authenticated users.”

Then if you log back in and make a new request for https://example.com/wp-json/, you will see that REST is working normally.

Does it disable REST functionality added by other plugins?

Yes, if the REST endpoints are registered with the WP REST API.

Does this work with Gutenberg/Block Editor?

Yes. It works the same regardless of which editor (Classic or Block) you are using.

How to customize the error message?

By default the plugin displays a message for unauthenticated users: “REST API restricted to authenticated users.” To customize that message to whatever you want, add the following code via functions.php or simple custom plugin:

function disable_wp_rest_api_error_custom($message) {

    return 'Customize your message here.'; // change this to whatever you want

}
add_filter('disable_wp_rest_api_error', 'disable_wp_rest_api_error_custom');

How to allow access for Contact Form 7?

As explained in this thread, the plugin Contact Form 7 requires REST API access in order for the contact form to work. To allow for this, follow this guide.

Got a question?

Send any questions or feedback via my contact form

Reviews

Very simple and effective

By terrymason on November 19, 2024

just activate the plugin and it works.

I like it!

By wildstar2022 on May 6, 2024

I've tried many different solutions using functions.php because I did not want to install yet another plugin.

I'm glad I found this one though. It's simple, lightweight, maintains privacy, and functions with the latest version of WordPress.

Thanks Jeff!

Good Stuff - but make many other things more complicate

By metaeditor on March 29, 2023

In generel a Good security concept .

But at the other end many plugin developer use the Rest API

Could be done much easier with a 5 3 line htaccess rule to block only ^.*wp-json/wp/v2/(users

But anyway a good solution if you have a simpel installation.

Blocks Contact Form 7 forms sending

By Hendrik57 on February 12, 2023

As the title says: Blocks Contact Form 7 forms sending after install and activate.

Super simple plugin

By tinaponting (ponting) on December 29, 2024

Great plugin, takes nopower from the blog:)

Works best

By 7 Mysteries (1greatness) on September 26, 2022

Really simplified

dead simple and efficient, but be aware

By Eduard "RwkY" Doloc (rwky) on July 28, 2022

while the plugin si deadsimple and very low resource impact, keep in mind that there are plugins that need the rest to work with no auth (ex. contact form 7).