Being the diligent marketer you are, you signed up for the free Google reCAPTCHA account. After that, you added the reCAPTCHA credentials to your WordPress form settings and then added the reCAPTCHA field or v3 reCAPTCHA action to your form.
However, there’s one last step. You test your form…and you have a problem. You keep getting errors, and you aren’t sure why. You swear by the old gods and the new that you set everything up correctly, so what’s going on? Why isn’t reCAPTCHA working on your WordPress form?
In today’s discussion, we’ll dive into the most common reasons why reCAPTCHA isn’t performing as expected on your WordPress form and provide insights on how to rectify them.
v2 & v3 reCAPTCHA errors
Can’t connect to reCAPTCHA? Below are common errors you will find in either v2 or v3 of reCAPTCHA.
V3 Errors
- 1. v3 – Error for site owner: invalid domain for site key.
- 2. v3 – <site> is not in the list of supported domains for this site key.
- 3. v3 – reCaptcha isn’t visible anywhere on your page or post.
- 4. Recaptcha validation failed. Please try again later.
V2 Errors
- 1. Error for site owner: invalid key type
- 2. reCAPTCHA checkbox isn’t visible, and reCAPTCHA text is displayed instead.
1. Error for site owner: invalid domain for site key.
When you see this, it means the domain or site URL that was added to the v3 Admin Console is incorrect. To fix this, log into the console, look for the Domains setting, and edit your domain/ site URL. After that, return to your WordPress form and refresh the page.
2. <site> is not in the list of supported domains for this site key.
If you see this error, it’s because you are running a local/dev site instead of a “live” hosted site. reCAPTCHA only works on hosted websites so once your site is live, reCAPTCHA will work as expected.
3. reCaptcha isn’t visible anywhere on your page or post.
If you aren’t seeing the reCaptcha, this means that you have an invalid site key. To fix this, ensure the reCaptcha settings in Ninja Forms > Settings > reCaptcha Settings match the settings in the v3 Admin console. You could also be missing keys, the reCaptcha field, or the v3 reCaptcha action.
4. Recaptcha validation failed. Please try again later. or reCAPTCHA ( reCapctha ) validation couldn’t load.
This happens when you load both v2 and v3 of reCAPTCHA simultaneously. To fix this, remove the reCAPTCHA field from the form if using v2; otherwise, remove the v3 reCaptcha action for v3. Doing so will resolve this issue.
v2 reCAPTCHA errors
When using v2 reCaptcha, you may encounter a couple of common errors. Below, we break down these errors and provide solutions to address them:
1. Error for site owner: invalid key type
Here you see the classic case of mismatched keys. To fix this, head back to the Ninja Forms reCAPTCHA Settings and make sure your keys match. If they match, then ensure they are being used and added to the correct reCAPTCHA version.
Our support team sees a lot of instances of users putting credentials in v2 when they should be in v3 and vice versa.
2. reCAPTCHA checkbox isn’t visible, and reCAPTCHA text is displayed instead.
This means the domain added to the v3 Admin console is incorrect. To fix this, log back into the Google v3 Admin, look for the Domains setting, and edit your URL. Then, return to your form and refresh the page.
Common reCAPTCHA error with popular page builders
One of the most common Google v3 reCAPTCHA errors our support team sees is with theme builders. So if you are using Elementor Pro or Divi, this next section is for you.
Theme builder conflicts
Are you using a theme builder like Elementor Pro or Divi? If so, you have probably encountered an issue with v3 reCaptcha loading on your WordPress post or page.
Why?
Our engineering team discovered this happens because the theme builder loads v3 reCaptcha even when it is configured not to do so. In turn, this prevents Ninja Forms from being able to load v3 reCAPTCHA resulting in the error.
How to fix it. 🧑🏼🔧
Here are the three methods we recommend for fixing the v3 reCAPTCHA issue:
- As an alternative to Google reCAPTCHA v3, use reCAPTCHA v2 instead. Just remember to add the reCaptcha field to your form and disable the v3 action.
- Use Gutenberg instead of the theme builder for that specific page or post.
Troubleshoot reCAPTCHA on your WordPress form today!
So, what next? Congratulations! With this newfound knowledge, you’re inching closer to mastering forms like the Ninja you’ve always envisioned yourself to be. Embrace this wisdom by sharing it on Twitter, or better yet, apply it to rectify errors on your site. Trust us, the satisfaction is unparalleled.
In conclusion, you’re well-equipped to fend off any spambot that dares challenge your form. While you’re at it, here are several resources tailored for you:
- How to Easily Add reCAPTCHA v3 to Your WordPress Form
- How to reCaptcha to Secure Login Forms
- How to Use reCAPTCHA to Protect WordPress Forms from Spam, Brute Force Logins, and Carding Attacks
- How to Stop WordPress Form Spam
Lastly, if there’s an error you’re experiencing that hasn’t been addressed, please share it with us in the comments below.
