Once you have installed and activated OneCaptcha, the next step is to configure your CAPTCHA provider and global settings. We would recommend you to setup all the available captcha providers once.
This is a one-time setup and after configuration, OneCaptcha automatically protects all supported forms on your website without any additional steps.
Note: There are some integrations that requires extra steps. But, we are working on getting everything plug and play.
Settings Overview #
The Configure Settings screen allows you to manage your CAPTCHA provider from a single tab so that you can set it once and forget it.
You can access it from the WordPress dashboard: Settings → OneCaptcha → Settings → Configure
Step 1: Choose Your Captcha Provider #
Select your preferred CAPTCHA provider from the available options:
- Cloudflare Turnstile: lightweight and privacy-friendly
- Google reCAPTCHA v2: supports Checkbox and Invisible modes
- hCaptcha: privacy-focused alternative
Each provider requires a Site Key and Secret Key, which you can obtain from the provider’s official dashboard:
| Provider | Registration URL |
|---|---|
| Cloudflare Turnstile | https://developers.cloudflare.com/turnstile/ |
| Google reCAPTCHA | https://www.google.com/recaptcha/admin/create |
| hCaptcha | https://dashboard.hcaptcha.com/signup |
Enter the keys, click Save Settings, and OneCaptcha will automatically connect with the chosen provider.
Step 2: Customize Appearance (Optional) #
Depending on the provider, you can adjust several visual options to match your website’s design:
- Theme: Light or Dark
- Size: Normal or Compact
- Language: Automatic detection or manual selection
- Badge Position: For invisible CAPTCHA variants (e.g., bottom-right, inline)
When switching between providers, OneCaptcha automatically updates the rendering logic across your website, ensuring consistent user experience.
Step 3: Smart Captcha (Optional) #
If more than one CAPTCHA provider is configured, you can enable Smart Captcha. This feature intelligently randomizes which provider appears to each visitor or form submission.
It helps to:
- Increase protection by preventing bots from adapting to one specific provider
- Distribute load across multiple providers
- Evaluate performance and reliability in real-world conditions
Smart Captcha can be enabled from Settings → OneCaptcha → Settings → General
Step 4: Save and Verify #
After configuring your settings, click Save. Then visit any supported form such as the login, comment, or checkout page to confirm that the CAPTCHA appears and works correctly.
If the CAPTCHA does not display immediately:
- Clear your caching plugin or CDN cache
- Refresh the page
- Ensure that your selected provider keys are valid and match the site’s domain
- Verify the selected provider dashboard settings for spam filtering
Once verified, your website is fully protected and ready to use.
