reCAPTCHA

Protect your WordPress and WooCommerce site from bots, spam, and malicious attacks using Google reCAPTCHA, Cloudflare Turnstile or hCaptcha integration. This feature adds an extra layer of security to your forms by verifying that submissions come from real humans, not automated bots.

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Overview #

reCAPTCHA is a free service from Google that protects your website from spam and abuse. Swift Commerce integrates seamlessly with Google reCAPTCHA, Cloudflare Turnstile and hCaptcha allowing you to choose the best option for your site.

Getting Started #

Prerequisites

Before enabling reCAPTCHA, you’ll need:

1. A Google account/Cloudflare Account/hCaptcha
2. reCAPTCHA API keys (Site Key and Secret Key)
3. Swift Commerce plugin installed and activated

Step 1: Register Your Site with Google reCAPTCHA

1. Go to the Google reCAPTCHA Admin Console
2. Sign in with your Google account
3. Fill in the registration form:
   • Label: Enter a name to identify your site (e.g., “My Store”)
   • reCAPTCHA type: Select either v2 or v3
   • Domains: Add your website domain(s) without http:// or https://
4. Accept the Terms of Service
5. Click Submit
6. Copy your Site Key and Secret Key

⚠️ Important: Keep your Secret Key confidential. Never share it publicly.

Step 2: Configure reCAPTCHA in Swift Commerce

1. Navigate to Swift Commerce → Spam → reCAPTCHA in your WordPress admin
2. Toggle the Enable reCAPTCHA switch to ON
3. Select your reCAPTCHA version (v2 or v3)
4. Enter your Site Key and Secret Key
5. Choose which pages to protect
6. Click Save Settings

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General Tab #

The General tab contains the core configuration options for your reCAPTCHA setup.

Select reCAPTCHA provider:

Swift Commerce enables users to choose the desired captcha they want to integrate into their website. Currently, Swift Commerce offer integrations for:

• Google reCAPTCHA (free)
• Cloudflare Turnstile
• hCaptcha

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reCAPTCHA v2 Configuration

API Keys

Field	Description
Site Key	The public key displayed on your website. Used to render the reCAPTCHA widget.
Secret Key	The private key for server-side verification. Never expose this publicly.

Challenge Type

Mode	Description	When to Use
“I’m not a robot” Checkbox	Displays a checkbox users must click. May present an image challenge if suspicious.	When you want users to actively confirm they’re human
Invisible	Runs in the background. Only shows a challenge if suspicious activity is detected.	When you want protection without interrupting user flow

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reCAPTCHA v3 Configuration

API Keys

Field	Description
Site Key	The public key used to load the reCAPTCHA script on your site.
Secret Key	The private key for verifying scores server-side.

Score Threshold

reCAPTCHA v3 returns a score between 0.0 and 1.0:

• 0.0 = Very likely a bot
• 1.0 = Very likely a human

Threshold	Protection Level	False Positive Risk
0.3	Low	Very Low
0.5	Medium (Recommended)	Low
0.7	High	Medium
0.9	Very High	High

💡 Tip: Start with 0.5 and adjust based on your needs. Lower if legitimate users are blocked; raise if spam gets through.

Badge Display

Option	Description
Badge	Shows the reCAPTCHA badge in the bottom-right corner of protected pages
Hidden	Hides the badge completely

⚠️ Legal Requirement: If you hide the badge, you must add this to your privacy policy:
“This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.”

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Settings Tab #

Protected Pages (Free)

Location	Description
WordPress Login	Admin login page (wp-login.php). Protects against brute force attacks.
WordPress Registration	Prevents spam account creation.
Lost Password Form	Blocks automated password reset abuse.
WooCommerce Login	Customer login on the My Account page.
WooCommerce Registration	Customer registration form.
Checkout Page	Protects orders from bot submissions.
Comment Forms	Prevents spam comments on blog posts.

Protected Pages (Pro) 🔒

Location	Description
Add Payment Method	When customers add a new card in My Account.
Product Reviews	WooCommerce product reviews on product pages.

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Appearance (Pro) 🔒

Customize how the reCAPTCHA v2 checkbox widget appears.

Theme

Option	Description
Light	Standard light theme. Best for light-colored websites.
Dark	Dark theme. Best for dark-themed websites.

Size

Option	Description
Normal	Full-size widget (302 x 76 pixels)
Compact	Smaller widget for tight spaces (164 x 144 pixels)

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IP Whitelist (Pro) 🔒

Bypass reCAPTCHA for specific IP addresses. Useful for internal teams, automated systems, or development environments.

Format	Example	Description
Single IP	192.168.1.100	Whitelist one IP address
CIDR Range	10.0.0.0/24	Whitelist a subnet
IP Range	192.168.1.1-192.168.1.50	Whitelist a range
Comment	# Office IP	Add documentation (ignored)