How do I force all users to log out completely in WordPress?

Do you want to force all users to log out in WordPress?

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The user usually does not log out after the session. The idea of opening the website and starting browsing immediately is quite attractive. Moreover, users do not want to remember the usernames and passwords, so they click the “Stay logged in” button.

Well, it might be good for users, but you are responsible for keeping your account secure, so if the account is not logged out, it becomes a security hole and an easy target for attacks like brute force.

Therefore, you need to forcibly log off all users from time to time.

In this quick tutorial, we will use a simple WordPress plugin to force log out all WordPress users from a website.

Why force logouts of all users?

Retaining customers is better than acquiring new ones. Many websites follow this principle and create exclusive content for returning users, that is, users who create an account on the website.

The exclusive features and content act like a magnet and users keep coming back to the site. But as we said, they don’t unsubscribe. Adding new features to the account of a user who doesn’t unsubscribe is difficult. In this case, forcing users to unsubscribe is essential.

How do I force all users to log out in WordPress?

We will install a WordPress plugin: WP Force Logout. To do so, navigate to Plugin >> Add New in the left bar of the WordPress admin dashboard.

Once the installation is complete, activate the plugin. The plugins do not take up a separate space on the dashboard. Instead, they are integrated into the user area.

The next step is to open Users >> All Users.

The page allows you to view all users of the website. A logout link will be displayed for the logged in users.

You can also check the box and log out all selected users with one click. If you want to log out all users without selecting them, click the Log Out All Users button.

That’s it. You have successfully forced all users to log out in WordPress.

Consequences of a forced mass unsubscribe in WordPress

If you automatically log out all WordPress users, it will have some impact. There will be confusion among users. They will all try to log in again. The best thing to do is to send a newsletter and inform your users that you are going to perform a security audit of the WordPress site. This way they will expect the account to be logged out.

If you have forced logouts to prevent an impending attack, you will not have time to inform users. In this case, you can send an email after you have forced all users to logout, informing users that a security review has been performed and, as a result, account access has been restored.

The more users you have on the site, the more difficult this becomes. Transparency would help reduce confusion.

Concluding remarks

WordPress security is not one thing. It’s a set of best practices and constant vigilance. There are many things you can do to prevent hacker attacks, and there are many actions you take during an attack. Force logging out all users in WordPress is one of the steps you take when cleaning up the WordPress site.

An inactive logged in account is a security hole. A better solution would be to automatically log out inactive users. But every now and then it’s OK to force all users to log out in WordPress.

This short tutorial will show you how to do it. If you encounter any problems, feel free to ask in the comments.