Lock Down Your Community

This walkthrough makes a BuddyPress site private to logged-out visitors in a few steps.

1. Open the settings

In wp-admin go to WB Plugins, then Community Pro. Open the Visitor Restrictions tab.

2. Choose what to lock

• Turn on Lock BuddyPress components and tick the components visitors should not reach (Community Members, Activity Streams, Profile, User Groups).
• Optionally turn on Lock WordPress pages and pick specific pages.
• Optionally turn on Lock custom post types and pick post types.

3. Decide what visitors see

Under What Visitors See Instead, pick one:

• Use built-in form - show the plugin’s login and registration form with a message you write in the editor.
• 3rd party plugin shortcode - paste a login-form shortcode from another plugin.
• Redirect to a page - choose a page to send visitors to.

4. Save and test

Click Save Settings. Then open the site in a private browser window (logged out) and visit a locked area. You should see your login prompt, message, or redirect instead of the content. Locked content is also hidden from search while logged out.

5. Add member-level rules (optional)

Once the front door is locked, decide what signed-in members can do:

• Use Membership Restrictions to gate BuddyPress directories and set group, friendship, and messaging limits per role.
• Use Profile Progress to require members to complete their profile before participating.
• Use Profile Visibility to let members choose who can see their own profile.