SiteLock Documentation

Complete guide to secure your WordPress site with temporary access links

Table of Contents

Installation

1 WordPress Admin Upload (Recommended)

  1. Download the SiteLock plugin zip file from your purchase confirmation email
  2. Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard
  3. Navigate to Plugins → Add New
  4. Click "Upload Plugin" button
  5. Choose the downloaded zip file and click "Install Now"
  6. After installation, click "Activate Plugin"

Tip: Make sure the SiteLock plugin zip file is named sitelock.zip before uploading.

2 Manual FTP Installation

  1. Extract the SitLock plugin zip file on your computer
  2. Use FTP/SFTP to connect to your WordPress site
  3. Upload the extracted sitelock folder to /wp-content/plugins/
  4. Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard
  5. Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins
  6. Find "SiteLock" in the list and click Activate

3 Requirements

  • WordPress version 5.6 or higher
  • PHP version 7.4 or higher
  • MySQL version 5.7 or higher
  • Administrator access to install and activate plugins

Dashboard Overview

SiteLock Dashboard Interface

📊 Dashboard Features

  • • Site lock toggle switch
  • • Custom lock message editor
  • • Active links overview
  • • Usage tracking display

🔧 Available Actions

  • • Generate new access link
  • • Enable/Disable site lock
  • • Copy links to clipboard
  • • Expire active links manually

Lock Screen

The lock screen protects your site by requiring a secure access link for entry. Unauthorized visitors will see a customizable lock message with options to request access.

Customization Options

  • Custom headline, message, and branding
  • Upload your logo for branding consistency
  • Set support contact email or phone number

Visitor Experience

  • Visitors can request access directly from the lock screen
  • Optional countdown timer showing link expiration
  • Automatic redirect after successful authentication

Advanced Features

  • API Access: Generate and manage secure links programmatically.
  • Audit Logs: Comprehensive logging of link creation and usage events.
  • Multi-Site Support: Manage secure access across WordPress multisite installations.
  • Emergency Lockdown: Instantly lock down the entire site with a single click.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

🚫 Access Link Not Working

Possible Causes:

  • Link has expired
  • Link was manually revoked
  • Caching issues preventing updates
  • Browser cookie/session conflicts

Solutions:

  1. Check link status in SiteLock dashboard
  2. Clear browser cache and cookies
  3. Try accessing from incognito/private mode
  4. Purge caching plugin cache if applicable
  5. Generate a new access link if needed

⏰ Link Expired But Still Being Used

What This Means:

Someone is attempting to use an access link that has passed its expiration date.

Actions to Take:

  1. Check who has the expired link and inform them
  2. Generate a new access link if they still need access
  3. Review your link expiration policies
  4. Consider setting up email notifications for expired links

💬 Saved Message Not Showing

Common Causes:

  • Theme compatibility issues
  • JavaScript conflicts
  • Message not properly saved in settings
  • Cache preventing message updates

Troubleshooting Steps:

  1. Verify message is saved in SiteLock settings
  2. Test with default WordPress theme temporarily
  3. Disable other plugins to check for conflicts
  4. Clear all caches and check browser console for errors

🔒 Admin Locked Out

Emergency Access Methods:

  • Use existing valid access link if available
  • Access via direct wp-admin URL (if enabled in settings)
  • FTP access to temporarily disable plugin

Prevention Tips:

  1. Always keep one long-duration admin access link
  2. Enable admin bypass option in plugin settings
  3. Test lock functionality on staging site first
  4. Document emergency access procedures

📧 Still Need Help?

If you're experiencing issues not covered here, please contact our support team at [email protected] with the following information:

  • WordPress version and active theme
  • SiteLock plugin version
  • List of active plugins
  • Detailed description of the issue
  • Steps you've already tried
  • Browser console errors (if any)

Support & Requests

Need help? We're here for you:

  • Email: [email protected]
  • Response Time: Within 24 hours on business days
  • Support Hours: Monday - Friday, 9 AM - 6 PM PKT