What Is the Disable View Source feature?
The viewing the page source via the keyboard shortcut behavior is a common browser feature. The Disable View Source feature disables it on your WordPress site, preventing users from using the keyboard shortcut to view the page source.
This is a soft deterrent, not a security feature. Determined users can still view the source via the browser’s developer tools or by disabling JavaScript.
Why You Need It
For some types of sites, preventing casual viewing the source is useful:
- Premium content sites: Where the content itself is the product
- Image-heavy sites: Where images are the unique value
- Course sites: Where the lessons are paid
- Recipe sites: Where recipes are the unique value
For most sites, this is unnecessary. The content is already protected by copyright.
Trade-offs vs allowing viewing the source
Disabling viewing the source has trade-offs:
- Accessibility: Users with disabilities who rely on viewing the source are affected
- User experience: Sharing and quoting become harder
- Real protection: Doesn’t actually protect the content (anyone with dev tools can view the source)
For most sites, the trade-offs are not worth it.
How to Disable View Source in WordPress
Step 1: Navigate to Settings
Click into the Classic Monks plugin settings in your WordPress dashboard.
Step 2: Go to the Security Tab
Click on the Security menu, then click the Content Protection subtab.
Step 3: Enable the Feature
Scroll to Disable View Source and toggle on.
Step 4: Save Changes
Click Save Changes.
Step 5: Test
Visit the frontend. Try to view the source. The view-source shortcut should not viewing the page source via the keyboard shortcut.
Configuration Options
| Option | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Disable View Source | Master toggle. | Off |
| Apply to Administrators | Admins can still view the source. | On |
What Gets Affected
- The frontend: viewing the page source via the keyboard shortcut via JavaScript is disabled
- The admins: can still view the source (if “Apply to Administrators” is on)
- The accessibility: may affect users who rely on viewing the source
What Does NOT Get Affected
- The admin: admins can still view the source
- The browser’s developer tools: still allow bypassing
- The keyboard shortcuts (other than the disabled one): still work
- The screen readers: usually not affected
Advanced Options (Developers)
This feature registers 1 WordPress hook in disable-view-source.php:
Actions:
wp_headcallscm_disable_view_source_script()(Injects view-source disable script)
// Hooked in disable-view-source.php
add_action( 'wp_head', 'cm_disable_view_source_script' );The feature modifies WordPress behavior by registering or removing hooks. Disabling it reverses those changes and WordPress returns to its default behavior.
Troubleshooting
The view-source shortcut still opens
Cause: The toggle is off, or the JavaScript is not running.
Fix: Verify the toggle is on. Check the browser console for errors.
The admins can’t view the source
Cause: The “Apply to Administrators” option is off.
Fix: Enable the “Apply to Administrators” sub-option.
The view-source shortcut works in some browsers
Cause: Different browsers may handle the event differently.
Fix: Test in multiple browsers. The feature uses standard browser events, so it should work consistently, but some browsers may have edge cases.
Users are still using the keyboard shortcut to view the page source via dev tools
Cause: This is a soft deterrent only.
Fix: The Disable View Source feature only prevents casual viewing the source. For real content protection, use copyright, watermarks (for images), or licensing terms.