How to Build a Custom User Registration Form in WordPress

Whether you’re building a community, managing memberships, or need a simple registration process for new members, Ninja Forms makes the process smooth and intuitive.

Let’s discuss setting up, configuring, and testing a registration form — no coding required. With Ninja Forms, you can manage users, collect leads, and foster better engagement on any WordPress site.

How to Create a Custom User Registration Form in WordPress: A Step-by-Step Guide

Here’s how to use WordPress to create a user registration form with the Ninja Forms User Management add-on. It’s easy to use and straightforward, enabling you to manage users, collect leads, and build a more personal connection with your audience.

Table of Contents

• Step 1: Install the user management add-on
• Step 2: Use the register user template
• Step 3: Configure user registration actions
• Step 4. Add the user registration form to your WordPress website
• Step 5: Testing your user registration form

✨ Prefer learning by watching rather than reading? Check out our step-by-step video tutorial on building a custom user registration form in WordPress.

Step 1: Install the User Management Add-On

Before using our registration form builder for WordPress custom forms, install and activate the User Management add-on. If you don’t already have it, you can purchase an individual license for $49.00, or get it included with our Pro plan for $199/year.

Ready to install now? Follow these steps from your WordPress Dashboard:

1. Click Plugins > Add New.
2. Select Upload Plugin, then Choose File.
3. Find the User Management add-on in your downloads folder.
4. Click Install Now to activate the add-on.

For detailed instructions, check out our documentation about using memberships and add-ons.

Step 2: Use the Register User Template

While you can create a custom WordPress user registration form by adding custom fields and manually applying the User Management actions, we recommend using the pre-built template. It already contains the necessary form fields and user management actions, so you only need to finalize the action setup.

To get started, follow these steps from your WordPress Dashboard:

1. Navigate to Ninja Forms and click on Add New.
2. Scroll through the templates until you find the Register User template, then click to activate it.

Once activated, the form will automatically populate with all the essential fields needed to create a new user in WordPress:

• Username
• First Name
• Last Name
• Email
• Website
• Password
• Confirm Password

You’re free to add or remove fields as needed, but remember, each WordPress user must have a username, an email, and a password.

Step 3: Configure User Registration Actions

After generating the user registration template, it’s time to configure the Register User and User Notification actions. The template pre-installs these actions, so setup should be quick and easy, unless you need to map specific fields like user roles or passwords.

Register User action

The ‘Register User’ action maps form fields directly to WordPress’ User database. You can select the corresponding field from your form, including the Role field, to assign a WordPress role to the new user.

Register User action options:

When users submit the form, their data will be mapped to the appropriate WordPress User settings:

• Action Name: Give the action a name to keep things organized.
• Username: The username users will log in with.
• Email: User’s email address.
• First Name: User’s first name.
• Last Name: Map the user’s last name.
• URL: This defaults to the ‘Website’ field. Alternatively, you can map it to a single-line text field if you want users to enter their website URL.
• Password: Map a user-chosen password or assign a random one.
• Role: Select the user’s role (Admin, Editor, Subscriber, etc.)

Advanced Settings

The advanced Register User settings include the following toggles:

• Login user upon successful registration: Enabled by default, but can be disabled if needed.
• Refresh the page upon registration: Enable this if you prefer to reload the page after submission.
• Email credentials to newly created users: This setting sends users a randomly generated password upon registration. This is ideal if you don’t want users to create a personalized password during registration. Enabling this option will remove the password field mapping from the form.
  

  ✨ Pro Tip: If you send randomly assigned credentials, remove the Password and Confirm Password fields from the form.

• Custom meta: Use this option to auto-populate fields between User Registration and Update Profile forms. It allows users to easily edit their personal information after registering.

User Notification Action

This action lets you send a personalized notification to newly registered users, letting them know they’ve successfully completed the registration process.

By default, it comes with a pre-filled subject line and email message, along with your site URL. You’ll also find the usual settings available in every email action, such as CSV attachment options and advanced email fields like FROM, Address Format, and attachment settings.

For more configuration tips, refer to our User Management documentation guide.

Step 4: Add the User Registration Form to Your WordPress Website

After setting up the form, click Publish in the top right corner. To add the form to a page or post, you can:

1. Use a Shortcode: Copy the shortcode from the paperclip icon and paste it on a page or post.
   

   ✨Want to share the form publicly? Toggle the ‘Allow a Public Link’ option to generate a shareable link.

2. Gutenberg Block: Search for ‘Ninja Forms’ in the Gutenberg editor and select the user registration form from the drop-down.
3. Append a Ninja Form: Add the form to the bottom of any page or post.

Once you’ve added the form using one of these methods, your custom registration page is ready.

Step 5: Test Your User Registration Form

Click ‘Preview Form’ in the form menu to test how it looks and functions. Remember, any preview submissions will be registered as real entries.

If you’ve added the form to a page or post, log out of the site before testing. It may prompt you to log out if you’re already logged in as an admin.

If you’re having trouble accessing the form, it might be because you’re still logged in. Another potential issue could be your caching plugin. To test without affecting users, temporarily disable the caching plugin or follow the troubleshooting steps.

Congratulations! You’re now ready to start accepting user registrations on your WordPress site.

Bonus: User Registration FAQs

Q: How do I create a user registration form in WordPress?
A: Use Ninja Forms’ User Management add-on to build a custom user registration form in just a few clicks. Follow the logical, ordered steps above to get started.

Q: How do I enable user registration in WordPress?
A: In your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Settings > General and select “Anyone can register.” This will enable user registration on your site.

Q: How do I add a user form in WordPress?
A: Using the Ninja Forms dashboard, you can embed the form using shortcodes, a Gutenberg block, or by appending it to the bottom of a page or post.

Discover the Power of Creating User Registration Forms in WordPress

When you use Ninja Forms as a registration form builder for WordPress, you unlock significant benefits like:

• Flexibility: You can make your registration forms as simple or complex as you like, all from one platform. We aim to make every tool completely scalable, useful for individuals and brands of all sizes.
• Pricing: From a free version to paid options, we have a solution for every user. Our free options are diverse, and function as a stand-alone setup, but paid options are enhanced by extra features.
• User-friendliness: No coding skills needed when you use our straightforward tools. Our no-hassle tutorials give you access to all the essential information you need, at the click of a button.

Boost Engagement With a Custom User Registration Form in WordPress Today!

Using WordPress to create a user registration form is easier than you think, and now that you’ve learned the steps, it’s time to take action. With Ninja Forms’ User Management add-on, you can build power forms, manage user profiles, and even generate custom login forms — all without coding.

Get started today with our Pro membership plan, or purchase the add-on individually.

Looking to foster conversations and build a community? Add Front-End Posting to the mix to encourage deeper user engagement. And remember, every purchase includes priority support, so we’re here to help you every step of the way.

Ready to take your WordPress site to the next level? Start building custom forms today!