Enable reCAPTCHA Spam Protection
Learn how to protect your GenZform forms from spam and bot submissions using Google reCAPTCHA.
reCAPTCHA is Google's spam protection service that helps prevent automated bots from submitting fake responses to your forms. GenZform uses reCAPTCHA v3, which works invisibly without disrupting your respondents.
reCAPTCHA v3 runs in the background - your respondents won't see any checkboxes or image challenges.
How to Enable reCAPTCHA
Open the Design tab
Make sure you're on the Design tab in the form editor.
Click Customize
Click the Customize button to open the styling panel.
Find the Settings section
Scroll down in the customize panel until you find the Settings section.
Enable reCAPTCHA
Toggle the reCAPTCHA switch to enable spam protection. The toggle turns blue when enabled.
Save your changes
Click Save Changes at the bottom of the panel to apply the reCAPTCHA protection.
How reCAPTCHA Works
reCAPTCHA v3 analyzes user behavior to determine if a submission is from a real person or a bot:
- Tracking interactions - Monitors mouse movements, scrolling, and typing patterns
- Analyzing behavior - Compares patterns against known bot behavior
- Scoring submissions - Assigns a risk score (0.0 to 1.0) to each submission
- Blocking suspicious activity - Low-scoring submissions are rejected
What Respondents Experience
- Nothing visible - No checkboxes or image puzzles
- No interruption - Form submission works normally
- Small badge - A reCAPTCHA badge may appear in the corner (required by Google)
When to Use reCAPTCHA
Enable reCAPTCHA when:
- Your form receives spam submissions
- You're collecting leads or contact information
- Your form is publicly accessible
- You want to ensure data quality
Consider skipping reCAPTCHA when:
- Your form is internal (employees only)
- You're running quick polls with trusted audiences
- Maximum accessibility is required
Privacy Considerations
reCAPTCHA sends some user data to Google for analysis. This includes:
- Browser and device information
- Interaction data (mouse movements, clicks)
- Cookie information
If you have strict privacy requirements, consider whether this aligns with your data handling policies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will reCAPTCHA block legitimate submissions?
It's rare, but possible. reCAPTCHA v3 uses behavior analysis which may occasionally flag unusual but legitimate behavior. If users report issues, you can disable reCAPTCHA and review submissions manually.
Do I need my own reCAPTCHA API key?
No, GenZform handles reCAPTCHA integration for you. Just enable the toggle and you're protected.
Can I see which submissions were flagged?
Currently, blocked submissions are silently rejected. You'll only see legitimate submissions that pass the reCAPTCHA check in your Submissions tab.
Does reCAPTCHA work on embedded forms?
Yes, reCAPTCHA protection works on all forms regardless of how they're shared - direct link, embedded, or popup.