New Plugin Adds Google’s No CAPTCHA reCAPTCHA to WordPress Login, Comment, and Registration Forms

Several plugins are starting to spring up in the WordPress Plugin Directory to bring Google’s new No Captcha reCAPTCHA to WordPress forms. With public hatred for CAPTCHAs at an all-time high, Google finally put its efforts into redesigning the experience, replacing the distorted text with a simple checkbox.

photo credit: Google Online Security Blog

WordPress developers have been quick to take advantage of the new No CAPTCHA API to add it to WordPress forms. So far, the No CAPTCHA reCAPTCHA plugin, created by Nigerian web developer Agbonghama Collins, provides the most flexibility for specifying the forms where you want to add the protection.

Option to activate CAPTCHA in either login, registration, comment or combination of two or all

Choose a theme for the CAPTCHA (light or dark)

Auto-detects the user’s language

Once activated and configured, you’ll see the new reCAPTCHA added on the frontend:

The plugin is easy to configure – simply paste in your Google reCAPTCHA keys on the settings page:

Select the login, registration, or comment forms, or any combination thereof, for adding No Captcha reCAPTCHA protection.

Further down the page you have the option to force the plugin to use a specific language via a dropdown, or leave it on auto-detect. You can also set a custom error message for when the user fails to solve the CAPTCHA and select a theme for the CAPTCHA display.

I tested the plugin and it works as advertised to add the new No Captcha reCAPTCHA. I discovered that it is not compatible with the Jetpack Comment module, so you’ll want to uncheck that box for comments if you’re using it. The No CAPTCHA reCAPTCHA plugin is available for free from WordPress.org. It’s not yet known whether Google will create an official implementation for WordPress, but in the meantime, this plugin makes it easy to add reCAPTCHA to the WordPress forms that are the most vulnerable to spam.