How to Protect Your Images on Squarespace 7.1
Why Image Protection Matters
Your images are more than eye candy; they’re your “creative assets,” your brand identity, and a part of your website experience. If you’re on Squarespace 7.1, you may be wondering how to safeguard all these assets from theft, misuse, or undesired downloads.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to protect your images using Squarespace features, plus a couple of very simple bits of code that anyone can add to their Squarespace site.
1. Disable Right-Click to Prevent Easy Downloads
If nothing else, the most popular means through which people download images is right-clicking. You can override this with a little bit of code.
How to Add Right-Click Protection:
Go to Settings → Advanced → Code Injection
In the Footer section, paste the following code:
<script>
document.addEventListener('contextmenu', function (event) {
event.preventDefault();
});
</script>
Click Save.
Pro Tip: This will disable right-click site-wide. It's not 100% foolproof, but it discourages casual theft.
2. Add Watermarks to Your Images
Watermarks are one of the most obvious and best possible ways to safeguard your images.
Why Use Watermarks:
They discourage reuse.
They offer branding even when stolen.
They can even be made to 'fit in' with your images.
How to Add:
Upload your images to Squarespace after batch watermarking them with your favourite photo editor (Photoshop, Canva, etc)
Alternative Tool: If you are looking to save time on bulk watermarking, give some consideration to using Watermarquee or uMark.
3. Use Low-Resolution Previews
If you are showing off a portfolio or product images, display low-res previews and only allow access to high-res versions to paying clients.
Best Practices:
Scale down photos before uploading.
Resolution limit to 1200px wide for representation.
Leverage Squarespace’s image formatting options to keep the image looking good, but shave the usable resolution.
4. Use Image Blocks Instead of Background Images
Squarespace renders background images in CSS, which are easier to extract. Using image blocks ensures better control and options for protection.
Switch to Image Blocks:
Drag an image block into your layout instead of using a section background.
You’ll get more options for overlays, watermarks, and even click-to-enlarge controls.
5. Use Overlay Text or Hover Effects
Add a hover overlay with branding or a "Protected Image" notice.
How to Add:
In Edit Mode, insert an image block.
Click Design → Inline or Card layout.
Add overlay text like
“© YourBrand | Protected Content”
Bonus: Combine this with a semi-transparent black layer using custom CSS.
6. Hide Image URLs with Custom CSS
Squarespace image URLs can be inspected. You can obscure them with basic styling to avoid casual theft.
Example CSS:
img {
pointer-events: none;
-webkit-user-drag: none;
user-select: none;
}
Paste this into Design → Custom CSS.
7. Advanced Protection: Use Cloudflare Hotlink Prevention
If you’re on a custom domain and have access to Cloudflare, enable hotlink protection so your images can’t be embedded on external websites.
You’ll find this under Cloudflare → Scrape Shield → Hotlink Protection.
Conclusion: Protect What You Create
If you value your visuals, take steps today to protect your images on Squarespace 7.1. A few minutes of setup can prevent long-term damage and protect your creative reputation.
FAQs About Image Protection on Squarespace
Can users still take screenshots of my images?
Yes, no method can prevent screenshots. But combining watermarking and overlays makes them less reusable.
Will disabling right-click affect SEO or accessibility?
No, but use it cautiously. Some accessibility tools rely on context menus. Consider using it only on image-heavy pages.
Is there a plugin to protect images on Squarespace?
Currently, Squarespace doesn’t support third-party plugins like WordPress. But you can inject custom CSS/JS safely as shown above.
Final Tips:
Don’t rely on just one method; combine 2–3 approaches for stronger protection.
Always back up your images externally.
Monitor your brand with tools like Google Reverse Image Search or TinEye to detect misuse.
Want a professional Squarespace website with built-in image protection?
Contact Squareko – We build custom, secure Squarespace sites for creatives and businesses.
