Title: Protected content not working
Last modified: August 22, 2016

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# Protected content not working

 *  [Melissa](https://wordpress.org/support/users/melissa-schreur/)
 * (@melissa-schreur)
 * [11 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/protected-content-not-working/)
 * I have created my first post that I want to be protected from all other users
   other than one subscription. I have 3 subscription levels for my site. I added
   a category to this post and went into the subscriptions that I do not want to
   have access and selected a negative rule for that category. Will this same negative
   rule apply to strangers? I set that all strangers to my site should be treated
   as one of the subscriptions that does not have access to this category. When 
   I log out and test it. I can still see the post and download the content. Did
   I miss a step?
 * Thanks in advance for your time. Melissa.
 * [https://wordpress.org/plugins/membership/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/membership/)

Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

 *  Thread Starter [Melissa](https://wordpress.org/support/users/melissa-schreur/)
 * (@melissa-schreur)
 * [11 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/protected-content-not-working/#post-5268404)
 * ok i made a little progress. I realized i wasnt entering the short code in the
   post. However, after I did that I can see the protected content message and the
   content.
 * I also tried entering the not short codes for the levels i wanted to restrict
   access and it didnt work. It just shows me another protected content message.
   Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!
 *  Plugin Support [Predrag – WPMU DEV Support](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wpmudev-support1/)
 * (@wpmudev-support1)
 * [11 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/protected-content-not-working/#post-5268443)
 * Hi Melissa,
 * I hope you are well today and thank you for your question.
 * > Will this same negative rule apply to strangers? I set that all strangers to
   > my site should be treated as one of the subscriptions that does not have access
   > to this category.
 * To apply that created negative rule for strangers you will have to set strangers
   access level on the following path to the access level where you have added the
   created negative rule.
 * Admin Area -> Membership -> Options -> General Tab -> Stranger settings
 * You don’t need to use shortcodes to make it work. Shortcodes are only required
   to use when you want to restrict the specific content of post/page.
 * Could you please share me the links of restricted category and posts so that 
   i can test it?
 * Also share me the screenshot of restricted Membership access level settings and
   Membership general settings to troubleshoot it.
 * For screenshots, you can simply provide a link to an image through Google Drive,
   Dropbox, screencast.com, [http://imgur.com/](http://imgur.com/) or other image
   service. 🙂
 * Kind Regards,
    WPMU DEV
 *  Thread Starter [Melissa](https://wordpress.org/support/users/melissa-schreur/)
 * (@melissa-schreur)
 * [11 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/protected-content-not-working/#post-5268461)
 * Thank you! I will send over the links. Just so you know what the idea behind 
   the different levels are please see below.
 * Guru Visitors – FREE 15 Day Trial. I will create content that is a preview to
   the other levels.
 * Guru Social Media Bootcamp – Paid one time membership that will have content 
   at how to create and set up social media for your business.
 * Guru Continuing ED – Paid monthly membership that allows members to see content
   helping them maintain and manage their social media.
 * I was thinking that I do not want strangers to have access to the preview materiel
   without subscribing to the FREE 15 day trial. I set it up as $0 for 15 days on
   paypal. Is this necessary to set a free trial?
 * Here is the link to my very first post that I’d like to be protected [http://www.virtualsolutions.guru/guru-social-media-bootcamp/guru-tutorial-create-a-personal-facebook-page/](http://www.virtualsolutions.guru/guru-social-media-bootcamp/guru-tutorial-create-a-personal-facebook-page/)
 * Here is a link to a video showing my access levels and settings. I hope this 
   helps!
 * [http://www.screencast.com/t/vpRSpoha9pe2](http://www.screencast.com/t/vpRSpoha9pe2)
 * Thank you!
 *  Plugin Support [Predrag – WPMU DEV Support](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wpmudev-support1/)
 * (@wpmudev-support1)
 * [11 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/protected-content-not-working/#post-5268527)
 * Hi Melissa,
 * Thank you for your detailed reply.
 * > I was thinking that I do not want strangers to have access to the preview materiel
   > without subscribing to the FREE 15 day trial. I set it up as $0 for 15 days
   > on paypal. Is this necessary to set a free trial?
 * If you don’t want to allow strangers to access preview materiel without subscribing
   to the FREE 15 day trial then just set stranger membership level to None in the
   membership general options settings and you should create and configure your 
   free membership plan having price 0 so that it will be considered as free plan,
   you will get more information about forming free subscription plan in the following
   replies.
 * [http://premium.wpmudev.org/forums/topic/free-trial-members-are-able-to-sign-up-for-trial-after-their-trial-period-expired#post-365583](http://premium.wpmudev.org/forums/topic/free-trial-members-are-able-to-sign-up-for-trial-after-their-trial-period-expired#post-365583)
   
   [http://premium.wpmudev.org/forums/topic/free-trial-set-up-on-membership#post-632048](http://premium.wpmudev.org/forums/topic/free-trial-set-up-on-membership#post-632048)
 * If you are offering free subscription plan on your site then you should select
   the free subscription plan they will be assigned to initially in the membership
   Use subscription option on the following path.
 * Admin Area -> Membership -> Options -> General Tab -> User registration
 * Also as said in the previous reply that you don’t need to use membership access
   level shortcode in the post/page as shortcodes are only required to use when 
   you want to restrict the specific content of post/page.
 * After setting this test it by registering new test user on your site.
 * If it also doesn’t work then try deleting Membership plugin & reinstalling it
   with the latest version of it and temporary use default WordPress theme like 
   Twenty Thirteen to see whether this is theme specific issue.
 * You will find more information about configuring and using this plugin on the
   following page.
 * [http://premium.wpmudev.org/project/membership/#usage](http://premium.wpmudev.org/project/membership/#usage)
 * Regards,
    WPMU DEV
 *  Thread Starter [Melissa](https://wordpress.org/support/users/melissa-schreur/)
 * (@melissa-schreur)
 * [11 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/protected-content-not-working/#post-5268561)
 * Thank you! I deleted the plugin and then reinstalled as premium to my same theme
   and it appears to be working. I appreciate your help!
 *  Plugin Support [Predrag – WPMU DEV Support](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wpmudev-support1/)
 * (@wpmudev-support1)
 * [11 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/protected-content-not-working/#post-5268563)
 * You are most welcome, if i can be of any further assistance please don’t hesitate
   to ask 🙂

Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

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 * 6 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [Predrag – WPMU DEV Support](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wpmudev-support1/)
 * Last activity: [11 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/protected-content-not-working/#post-5268563)
 * Status: not resolved