Google reCAPTCHA

This document provides instructions on how to add extra spam protection to your register and login forms using the free Google reCAPTCHA extension.

Installing & activating

To add the Google reCAPTCHA extension to your site please do the following:

  1. Download the plugin zip folder from the WordPress plugins catalog
  2. Install the plugin by uploading it to your site by going to plugins > add new > upload plugin.
  3. On the upload plugin page click on the “choose file” button and select the Google reCAPTCHA zip folder from your computer.
  4. Once the file um-recaptcha.zip appears on the screen click the “install now” button to install the plugin.
  5. Wait until the “Plugin installed successfully” message appears.
  6. Click the “activate plugin” link to complete the activation.

Site & secret keys

After you have activated the plugin you will be redirected to the installed plugins page where you should see the following notice:

For the Google reCAPTCHA extension to work on your site you need to generate site and secret keys. If you already have the keys you can skip the next section. If you do not have your reCAPTCHA details already then click the “Generate your site and secret key” button where you will be taken to the official Google reCAPTCHA website.

Generating your site & secret key

To generate your site and secret keys please visit the Google reCAPTCHA site and click the button "v3 Admin Console". Log into your Google account if needed.

Click "Create" (+ icon) to create an application.

Configure application:

  1. Enter a label for this application e.g. your site name.
  2. Choose the type of reCAPTCHA. reCAPTCHA v3 is recommended for new applications.
  3. Enter your site's domain name.
    Do not include httр:// or www prefix and make sure you do not have a forward slash / at the end.
  4. Add an additional owner if needed.
  5. Accept the reCAPTCHA Terms of Service.
  6. Click the Submit button.

Your application will be registered and you will be redirected to the overview page which contains keys. Copy your site key and secret key.

You may see these keys later in reCAPTCHA settings (under the gear icon) in the dropdown section "reCAPTCHA keys".

Settings page

Once you have needed keys open your site and go to wp-admin > Ultimate Member > Settings > Extensions > Google reCAPTHA.

Turn on the first setting to enable the reCAPTCHA feature. Select the reCAPTHA type chosen in your application.

Note: Update keys if you change the reCAPTCHA type. Keys generated for the reCAPTCHA v2 don't work with the reCAPTCHA v3.

Enter your Site Key and Secret Key in the next two settings. Please note the reCAPTCHA will not show until you enter the keys. If you enter the wrong key(s) you will see an error appear on the forms where the reCAPTCHA should be.

Once you have successfully entered the correct keys the reCAPTCHA will show in your registration and login forms. There are additional settings to turn on/off the reCAPTCHA feature in the Password Reset form and on default WordPress forms.

Turn on/off reCAPTCHA for certain form

The extension allows you to show/hide the reCAPTCHA from showing on a per form basis. This is useful if you decide that you want to show the reCAPTCHA on your registration form but not on your login form.

To show/hide the reCAPTCHA on a specific form you need to edit the desired form. Go to wp-admin > Ultimate Member > Forms, choose desired form and then click Edit.

Go to the Google reCAPTCHA widget, turn the feature on/off and update the form.

Setup complete

That is everything you need to successfully add the official Google reCAPTCHA to your site. If you have any questions about this extension please ask in the Google reCAPTCHA extension forum.