Don’t Get Hacked! How to Disable XML-RPC on WordPress in 5 Minutes
🚀 CTA: Grab the ready-made snippet: https://wpcodebox.com/snippet/how-to-...
If you’re worried about brute-force logins, DDoS amplification, or weird traffic hitting xmlrpc.php, this video shows you exactly how to disable XML-RPC on WordPress. We’ll use a clean code snippet (with WPCodeBox) to disable XML-RPC safely, explain what XML-RPC is, what breaks if you disable it, and how to test that XML-RPC is truly off afterward.
In under 5 minutes, you’ll see how to create and enable a snippet to disable XML-RPC in WordPress, monitor performance after the change, redirect/block the xmlrpc.php endpoint, and verify everything is locked down. If your goal is to disable xml-rpc without bloat and keep WordPress secure, you’re in the right place.
💻 Try WPCodeBox →https://wpcodebox.com/try/
=== Chapters ===
00:00 Introduction
00:31 Create new snippet
01:15 Enable snippet
01:25 Track your site's performance
01:43 Redirect XML-RPC endpoint
04:30 Test changes
=== Frequently Asked Questions ===
What is XML-RPC in WordPress, and why disable it?
XML-RPC lets external apps talk to WordPress, but it’s also a common target for brute-force and DDoS amplification. If you don’t use remote publishing or services that rely on XML-RPC, it’s a good idea to disable XML-RPC for security.
Is it safe to disable XML-RPC? What breaks?
If you disable xml-rpc you’ll block features that rely on it (older mobile apps, some pingbacks/trackbacks, certain third-party tools). Most modern workflows use the REST API instead, so many sites can safely disable XML-RPC with no downside.
How can I disable XML-RPC without a plugin?
Add a filter in code (e.g., add_filter('xmlrpc_enabled', '__return_false');) or block xmlrpc.php at the server level (e.g., via .htaccess/Apache or Nginx rules). This video shows the snippet approach using WPCodeBox. Test after you disable XML-RPC to confirm it’s off.
How do I test if XML-RPC is disabled?
Visit https://your-site.com/xmlrpc.php or use an XML-RPC validator. If XML-RPC is disabled, you’ll see an error/blocked response instead of a success handshake.
=== Related resources ===
🔧 Get the snippet: https://wpcodebox.com/snippet/how-to-...
🧠 Learn about WPCodeBox: https://wpcodebox.com/
🎯 Try WPCodeBox: https://wpcodebox.com/try/
📈 AnalyticsWP (mentioned in video): https://analyticswp.com/