Skip to content
FixSecurityHeadersScan a site

How to add X-Frame-Options on Apache

Last updated · Reviewed by a CISSP-certified security practitioner

To add X-Frame-Options on Apache, set the header in .htaccess or httpd.conf with the value DENY. Prevents your site being embedded in iframes (clickjacking). Run apachectl configtest, then reload Apache. Then confirm it with curl -I or a free FixSecurityHeaders scan.

What does X-Frame-Options do?

X-Frame-Options (or the modern CSP frame-ancestors) tells browsers whether other sites may put your pages inside an iframe.

Risk if missing: Attackers can overlay your page invisibly and trick users into clicking buttons (clickjacking) — e.g. changing settings or confirming payments.

What is the Apache configuration?

Add this to .htaccess or httpd.conf:

.htaccess or httpd.conf
<IfModule mod_headers.c>
  Header always set X-Frame-Options "DENY"
</IfModule>

How do I add it step by step?

  1. Open .htaccess or httpd.conf.
  2. Paste the X-Frame-Options configuration shown below.
  3. Run apachectl configtest, then reload Apache.
  4. Run curl -I https://yourdomain.com and look for the x-frame-options line.
  5. Scan your site on FixSecurityHeaders to confirm the grade improved.

How do I verify it worked?

terminal
curl -sI https://yourdomain.com | grep -i "x-frame-options"
# expected:
# x-frame-options: DENY

Check your site now

Free scan, instant grade, exact fixes for your stack.

What are the common mistakes?

  • Use SAMEORIGIN if your own site frames its pages.
  • ALLOW-FROM is obsolete; use CSP frame-ancestors for allow-lists.
  • If CSP frame-ancestors is present, modern browsers ignore X-Frame-Options.
  • mod_headers must be enabled (a2enmod headers).
  • Use Header always set so headers apply to redirects and errors too.

Quick reference

HeaderX-Frame-Options
Recommended valueDENY
StackApache
Where.htaccess or httpd.conf
ComplianceOWASP ASVS V14.4.7, NIST 800-171 3.13.1, CMMC SC.L2-3.13.1

FAQ

What value should I use for X-Frame-Options?

A safe default is DENY. Use SAMEORIGIN if your own site frames its pages.

Why isn't X-Frame-Options showing up on Apache?

mod_headers must be enabled (a2enmod headers). Also clear any CDN or page cache, and check you edited the config that actually serves your domain.

Does X-Frame-Options affect SEO or performance?

No measurable performance cost — it's a few bytes per response. It doesn't affect rankings directly, but a misconfigured policy can break page resources, so test before enforcing.

Which compliance frameworks reference X-Frame-Options?

OWASP ASVS V14.4.7, NIST 800-171 3.13.1, CMMC SC.L2-3.13.1.

Related guides