To require an email address before someone downloads a file in WordPress, use a gated-download plugin: configure the file and email form, then place the plugin’s shortcode or block on a page. Choose whether the file appears after submission or the visitor receives its link by email, and verify that the plugin protects the file URL the way you expect.
Choose a plugin for the file and delivery method
Gated-download plugins generally follow one of two flows: a visitor submits a form and gets access on the page, or the plugin emails a download link. Their supported file types, form controls, storage, integrations, and link protections differ. Check the current plugin listing and your site’s WordPress compatibility before choosing; feature descriptions are not independent security tests.
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| Plugin | Documented workflow and features | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Email Gated Downloads | Collects an email before a PDF or ZIP download. Add the form with [spdfed_download_form]. The listing describes protected storage, one-time, time-limited download tokens, download logs, CSV export, and one gated file in the free version. |
Confirm the current file limit, token expiry behavior, consent wording, and whether you need an integration such as a webhook. |
| Gated Downloads – Lead Capture & Content Locker | Places a form before file delivery. The listing describes support for many file types, Media Library files or external URLs, custom fields, shortcodes, a Gutenberg block, and an Elementor widget. It says lead information is stored in the site database. | Review storage and privacy practices, delivery behavior, and whether any feature you need requires a paid add-on. |
| Subscribe to Download Lite | Collects an email signup and sends the download link by email. The listing also describes encrypted links, popup forms, and CSV export. | Choose this flow if email delivery is appropriate; check whether the marketing integrations you want require Pro. |
| AcquisitionSuite | The listing describes gating protected file uploads or external URLs, signed time-limited links, and email service connections. | Check form options, storage, delivery choices, and current compatibility. Security statements are product claims, not independent testing. |
Set up the email gate
- Select a plugin: Confirm that it supports your file type and preferred delivery flow, and check whether the necessary feature is available in its free or paid version.
- Add the file: Upload it or specify an external URL if the plugin supports that option. Follow the plugin’s instructions for choosing a protected file.
- Configure the form: Make the email field required. Add a name or other field only if the workflow needs it.
- Explain the collection: Tell visitors why you need their email address and what you will do with it. If you plan to send ongoing marketing, say so clearly and use consent wording appropriate to that purpose.
- Place the gate: Add the plugin’s shortcode, block, or supported page-builder widget to the page where the download should appear. For Email Gated Downloads, the documented shortcode is
[spdfed_download_form]. - Preview and test: Follow the plugin’s submission and delivery instructions before publishing. Check both the form and the resulting download or email on your configured site.
Check direct file access and handle email data
A form in front of a download does not, by itself, prove that the original file URL is inaccessible. Test whether a visitor can open the file’s direct URL without submitting the form, and review how the plugin handles storage, link expiry, exports, and deletion. Do not assume that every plugin protects direct links in the same way.
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An email address is personal information. State what the form collects and why, and distinguish access to the requested download from permission to send ongoing marketing. Email Gated Downloads describes a checkbox for explicit consent but leaves privacy policy and storage or processing responsibilities with the site owner. Gated Downloads says submissions are stored in the site database and that the site owner is responsible for disclosing collection. Neither listing establishes universal legal compliance.
These WordPress.org listing details were checked on 2026-10-04 and may change. Verify current features, integrations, tier limits, and compatibility on the plugin listing and in your own configuration.
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