Do you want to add a privacy policy on your WordPress site?
A privacy policy page is a document required by law that discloses the information you collect about visitors on your website.
It is recommended to add a privacy policy page to your website whether you are a blogger, freelancer, or a business owner.
Now, the problem is most beginners don’t know how to create a legitimate privacy policy, and then display it on their website.
In this article, we will show you how to easily add a privacy policy in WordPress. We will also explain the various elements you must include in your privacy policy page.
What is Privacy Policy and Do You Need it on Your Website?
All websites collect information about their visitors in different ways.
In many countries (including the United States), websites are required by law to disclose the information they collect about their visitors, and how this information is used.
Here are some of the ways in which a typical WordPress site collects user information.
- Name and email address in comment forms.
- Comment form cookie which remembers a user’s name or email address.
- Name and email addresses submitted by user by using a contact form.
- Name and email address submitted to sign up for email list.
- Information collected when users register on a website.
- Google Analytics tracking.
- Facebook page plugin and like button cookies.
- Other social media platform widgets that track users.
- Advertising programs like Google Adsense which track users.
All websites on the internet should have a privacy policy page. It protects your business from legal issues and also helps build consumer trust.
You also need to add a privacy policy page to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
For those who don’t know, GDPR is a European Union (EU) law that gives its citizens control over their personal data.
This law applies to every business (including WordPress blogs) around the world, even if you are not from the EU countries.
For more details, you may read our ultimate guide on GDPR and understand its impact on your WordPress site.
What should you include in a Privacy Policy?
The basic requirements for a privacy policy are quite simple. You need to list all the ways you collect or intend to collect user information on your website.
A simple privacy policy page should contain the following information:
- Information you collect about users visiting your website.
- Methods used to collect information, e.g. cookies and web beacons, sign up, registration, comment forms, etc.
- Mention all third-party advertisers collecting user information on your website like Google Adsense.
- Include links to the privacy policy of each advertising program you participate in.
- How users can block cookies and opt-out of third party advertisements.
- Your contact information so that users can reach out if they have questions.
There are many websites on the internet that allow you to automatically generate text for your privacy policy or terms of service pages.
WordPress itself comes with a basic privacy policy generator that you can use.
You can also take a look at WPBeginner’s privacy policy page as an starting point. Simply replace all references to WPBeginner and our parent company with the name of your website or business.
Video Tutorial
If you don’t like the video or need more instructions, then continue reading.
Adding a Privacy Policy Page in WordPress
WordPress makes it super easy to generate a privacy policy page for your website. It also gives you a generic privacy policy template to use with instructions on how to add content to it.
First, you need to visit Settings » Privacy page. You’ll notice that WordPress has already created a Privacy Policy page draft for you.
You can click on the ‘Use this draft’ button to save this page as your privacy policy.
You can also click on the create new page button to generate a new Privacy Policy page. WordPress will automatically create a new page and open it for you to make changes.
If you are using the default draft, then you need to click on the Edit link to make changes and publish it.
Once you open the privacy policy page for editing, you will see a notification on top with a link to the default WordPress privacy policy page guide.
The content of the privacy policy also contains instructions on how to edit and change each sections.
You will notice that it has sections for different ways a WordPress website may collect personal information. For example, comments, login cookies, embeds, and more.
It will also have sections with no information below them. For example, contact form and analytics.
As for contact forms, you can mention the information you collect and what it used for.
If you are using WPForms plugin to create contact form, then you can already create GDPR compliant contact forms.
For Google Analytics, you can follow this complete Google Analytics and GDPR compliance guide.
After reviewing the privacy policy page thoroughly, you can click on the Publish button to save your changes.
Adding Link to Privacy Policy Page in WordPress
Most websites display a link to their privacy policy page in the footer area of their website. This way the link appears on every page but does not take space in your main navigation menu.
There are multiple ways to do this.
Let’s start with the easiest one.
Many WordPress themes come with widget-ready areas in the footer also called Footer sidebar. You can go to Appearance » Widgets page to confirm if your theme has a footer widget area.
If your theme has one, then you can use the navigation menu widget to display a list of links to your informational pages including the privacy policy.
First, you will need to create a new custom navigation menu.
Simply visit Appearance » Menus page to create a new custom menu. You will need to click on the ‘Create new menu’ link on the top.
Next, you need to provide a name for your navigation menu. After that, select pages from the left column and then click on the Add to menu button.
You would notice your selected pages appear under your newly created menu. You can now arrange menu items by simply moving them up or down.
Once you are done, don’t forget to click on the Save menu button to store your changes.
Now go to Appearance » Widgets page and add the ‘Navigation Menu’ widget to your footer widget area.
Now select the custom menu you created earlier in the widget settings and click on the save button to store your changes.
You can now visit your website to see the privacy policy links in footer area of your website.
Manually Add a Link to Privacy Policy Page in WordPress
If your theme does not come with a footer widget area or a footer navigation menu, then you can manually add link to your privacy policy page using HTML code.
You’ll need to edit the footer.php file for your theme. If you haven’t done this before, then take a look at our guide on how to copy / paste code in WordPress..
In your footer.php file add the following HTML to an appropriate location just before the </body> tag.
<a href="http://example.com/privacy-policy">Privacy Policy</a>
Don’t forget to replace the href value with the URL of your privacy policy page. You can now save your changes and preview your site to see the link in action.
That’s all! You have successfully added a privacy policy page to your WordPress site.
We hope this article helped you learn how to add a privacy policy in WordPress. You may also want to see our step by step WordPress SEO guide for beginners.
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Hi,
I don’t have that option in my settings – is it only available if you have a business account? I have a premium account.
Thanks,
Rhonna
Our tutorials are for WordPress.org sites, you may want to take a look at our article here: https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/self-hosted-wordpress-org-vs-free-wordpress-com-infograph/
thank you so much! my site now has a privacy policy, and your tutorial was easy to understand.
You’re welcome, glad our article was helpful
Great work and update, I really appreciate it.
Glad you like our article
Very useful information! After researching and trying to find a solution on how to add a link properly, I got it thanks to you!
Cheers!
Thank you, glad our guide could be helpful
This is a really great and aimple step by step guide. You really publish great content. All your posts have helped me alot.
Thank you, glad our articles are helpful
Thank you for this! I have been working on my privacy policy for a while, with a legal background I figured it would be easier for me but I was struggling with making sure I understood all the background things happening that I needed to cover. This was so helpful!
Glad our guide could help
Thank you very much for offering to use your PP! I have a question: how to stop Privacy Policy page display in main “Pages” area. I currently ticked “Pending review” within “quick edit” of Pages category. Then add a text link in the footer area.
If you mean your menu, then you would want to create a custom menu without the page included: https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/how-to-add-navigation-menu-in-wordpress-beginners-guide/
Hi WP Beginner,
Firstly, I would like to thank you for the wonderful beginner’s guide you have shared with newbies like us. It has helped me immensely in designing and building my website. I have modified and reused your Privacy Policy. I would like to share the credit for the same on my website. Is there any text you would like to recommend?
Had a question. My website is not about a company. I am the only person involved here and I have created this website to spread awareness about my service as a Life Coach. What name should I use in place of Awesome Motive? Will it be my website name or my name?
Thanking you,
Atreyi
Hi Atreyi,
You can use your website’s title or its domain name.
WordPress version 4.9.6 has Privacy creator option under settings. It shows a sample page and you can edit the page. You can use an existing page also. I already have a small privacy page. Can I use it or create another good one from WordPress.
Noticed that most sites have updated their privacy policy due to change in European Union policy change. Can you tell what changes should be done in existing privacy policy?
Hi Mathukutty,
The new GDPR law requires you to disclose how your website collects user information and how this information is used. Depending on your website and what plugins and features you are using, you will have to modify your privacy policy accordingly. For more on this topic please see our ultimate guide to WordPress and GDPR compliance.
What should i use instead awesome motive
Hi Aman,
You will need to use your own business or website name.
Hi,
I used your Privacy Policy to create mine in Dec 2017.
Has it now been changed to comply with GDPR, so that I need to redo it?
Many thanks in advance.
Hey Beathe,
WordPress will address this issue soon in an upcoming version 4.9.6. We will update our privacy policy accordingly and hopefully you will be able to do the same from WordPress admin area.
When i copy and paste your privacy policy and I have to change the name over to my own, do I need to change the “Awesome Motives” as well?
Yes, you will have to change that too.
Thanks. I think I can handle this, but what is the simplest way to put a checkbox (so people have to confirm they have read the privacy policy) on comment forms (which I use for enquiries) so they can’t send the enquiry until they have confirmed they have read the privacy policy?
Thanks in advance.
Hi,
Firstly, I would like to thank you for this blog. It has been really helpful in starting my website. I added the privacy policy, but how to synchronize it with my theme?
My website is and I’m using simple catch theme. In Footer, the privacy policy is seen as a white tab which doesn’t fit in the footer. Is there any code, so it will appear in the footer?
Thanks so much
Hi Kavita,
You can add the link in your theme’s footer.php file.
Thanks for your reply. I added in the footer by using insert header and footer plugin. Is there any code which will add it to footer rather than creating a separate white block at the bottom?
Hi Kavita,
Insert header and footer plugin adds code after your WordPress theme code. That’s why it appears as a white block. You will need to add it directly in your theme’s footer.php file. Alternately you can add the code in a text widget and display it in your sidebar.
Maybe I missing something here but I have the latest install of WordPress Ver. 4.9.4 and there is no “custom menu” widget available in widgets so this article did not help. Any other suggestions? Thanks appreciate it.
Hi Frank,
Thank you for notifying us. The custom menu widget is now called ‘Navigation Menu’ widget. We have updated the article with new screenshot.
Thanks. Took some work, my theme only supports 2 menus the layout wasn’t exactly the way I wanted it. Hard to explain but it is working to my satisfaction. Once again thanks for the tutorial.
Dear Sir, Do I need to add privacy policy for Facebook page that I connected to my WordPress website? If yes , do I need to create separate privacy policy for Facebook page or and where to add it. Kindly give me suggestion.
Thanking you
will I be bound to give you credit if I want to use the text of your privacy policy page?
Thanks WP Beginner…I’m using your policy with a few updates…Okay just name changes for now…Thanks for us newbies to use it…I’ve given you credit – well you deserve it and have linked to site.
Good Lord it’s a lot of work building a business and a website for that business…The only way I know I’m on to something (and don’t ask me what that is) is that I just keep going…The more do, the more I learn….You guys have made this entire process some much easier.
All the best!
Thank you, thank you, a thousand times, thank you. Thrashing about through one website after another, and finally landed on this, the golden grail – clear, articulate, easy-to-follow instruction.
Beautifully done, and saved my sanity!
Blythe
How about creating a post instead of a page? What’s the difference when we create a page or post for privacy policy.
I have created a post instead of page
You can create a post instead of a page in the same way. However, this post will be visible in your blog page also. If you create a page then this page won’t shown in your blog page.