7 Essential Troubleshooting Tips to Fix Your WordPress Form Issues

When your WordPress contact form malfunctions, it’s akin to having your front door locked while potential customers are trying to enter.

You may not notice the issue until weeks later, resulting in missed opportunities and frustrated visitors.

At CanadaCreate, we understand the critical role forms play in business success. Over the years, we’ve encountered numerous form-related issues and discovered the quickest ways to resolve them.

The good news is that most issues stem from a few common causes. Once you identify these, they are surprisingly simple to fix.

That’s why we’ve created this comprehensive troubleshooting guide featuring 7 effective solutions for resolving non-functioning WordPress forms. With these strategies, you’ll be able to reconnect with your visitors in no time.

Understanding WordPress Form Errors

Using WordPress forms allows you to build an email list, create secure user registrations, gather user feedback, and much more.

When your form is not functioning properly, you risk losing potential leads and diminishing site engagement.

Before we explore the troubleshooting tips, familiarizing yourself with common WordPress form errors can save you time and reduce frustration. Here are some of the most frequent issues:

• Form not submitting as expected.This can occur for several reasons, including conflicts between plugins, incorrect configuration of the form, or issues on the server side.
• The form is not sending notification emails.This is typically caused by incorrect settings in the form plugin or issues with SMTP configuration.
• Validation errors.These errors occur when users submit forms but receive messages indicating that required fields are either missing or filled out incorrectly. They are often the result of misconfigured form field settings or compatibility issues with other software.
• Spam submissions.Despite using anti-spam measures like CAPTCHA, some forms still receive fake or spam submissions. These can clutter your inbox and may slow down your website if they are not managed properly.

What to Do When Your WordPress Form Is Not Functioning

In the following sections, we will provide 7 troubleshooting tips to assist you in resolving WordPress form issues.

Here is a brief overview of all the tips we will discuss in this guide. If you’re interested in a specific tip, you can click the link to jump ahead in the article:

Let’s Begin.

Tip 1: Update WordPress, Themes, and Plugins

Outdated software is a common source of website issues, including form malfunctions.

Software developers consistently enhance their products. Each update addresses bugs, fixes security issues, and enhances performance.

By keeping everything current, you ensure that your WordPress site and its forms operate efficiently and securely.

To update your WordPress site, start by navigating to Dashboard»Updates.

In the ‘Updates’ section, you can check for any available updates for the WordPress core, plugins, and themes.

If an update for the WordPress core is available, it should be your top priority.

For safe updating, consider reviewing our comprehensive guide on how to update WordPress for beginners.

Once completed, scroll down the page to begin updating your plugins and themes.

We suggest updating your plugins and themes one at a time to prevent any potential issues.

To update, simply check the box next to the plugin or theme name and click ‘Update Plugins’ or ‘Update Themes’.

After updating your WordPress core, plugins, and themes, return to your form and test it to see if the issue has been resolved.

Tip 2: Check for Plugin Conflicts

WordPress plugins are excellent for enhancing your site’s functionality, but they can sometimes conflict with each other, leading to problems with your forms.

Before proceeding, it’s best to test for plugin conflicts on a staging site. This is a private version of your website where you can troubleshoot without impacting your live audience.

If you don’t have a staging site, don’t worry. You can still follow these steps, but it’s advisable to do this during off-peak hours when your site has the least traffic.

To check if a plugin conflict is causing your form issues, first navigate to Plugins»Installed Plugins in your WordPress dashboard.

From there, click the ‘Active’ tab to view the list of all currently active plugins on your site.

Begin by deactivating all plugins except for the WordPress form plugin you are currently using. You can do this by clicking the ‘Deactivate’ button located beneath each plugin name.

Alternatively, you can deactivate all your plugins at once by selecting the checkboxes next to the plugin names.

Next, select ‘Deactivate’ from the ‘Bulk actions’ dropdown menu and then click the ‘Apply’ button.

With only the form plugin activated, test your form to see if the issue remains. If the form functions properly, it is likely that one of the deactivated plugins was causing the problem.

Now, let’s identify which plugin is responsible for your form issues.

To do this, go to the ‘All’ tab and reactivate your plugins one by one by clicking ‘Activate’. Test the form after each activation to pinpoint the conflicting plugin.

If your form stops working after reactivating a plugin, you have identified the problematic plugin. Consider looking for alternative plugins to resolve your form issues.

For assistance, check out our guide on selecting the best WordPress plugin.

Tip 3: Clear Browser and Website Caches

Caching is an excellent method to enhance the speed of your WordPress site. However, it can sometimes serve outdated versions of your pages, which may lead to issues with your forms.

Regularly clearing your cache is essential for optimal performance.

Begin by clearing your browser’s cache to ensure you’re accessing the latest version of your website directly from the server.

Next, clear your website’s cache. If you’re using a caching plugin like WP Rocket, this can typically be done with a single click from your WordPress admin bar.

For detailed instructions on how to clear the cache for your specific browser and popular plugins, refer to our comprehensive guide on clearing cache in WordPress.

Remember that many WordPress hosting providers have their own caching systems. If clearing your plugin cache doesn’t resolve the issue, log into your hosting account dashboard and look for an option to ‘Clear’ or ‘Purge’ the server-level cache.

After clearing your caches, test your form again to check if the issue has been resolved.

Tip 4: Check Your Form Settings

Incorrect settings in your form plugin can cause issues. Reviewing and adjusting these settings may help fix your form problems.

In this section, we will guide you on how to review the settings for the WPForms plugin. If you’re using a different WordPress form plugin, please consult their documentation.

Have you ever wondered which tool powers our contact form? It’s WPForms, the leading WordPress form builder. Explore our comprehensive WPForms review to learn how it functions.

To begin, click on ‘WPForms’ in your WordPress dashboard. This will take you to the ‘Forms Overview’ section of the builder.

Next, hover over the form that isn’t functioning properly from the list of all forms, and click on ‘Edit’. This will bring you to the WPForms builder interface.

Spam protection ensures that your form doesn’t receive fraudulent submissions. If you’re experiencing spam submission issues, it’s wise to check your spam protection settings.

For this, navigate to Settings »Spam Protection and Security.Here, you can confirm whether your spam protection features are enabled.

Now, let’s check your notification settings.

In the ‘Notifications’ section, look for any mistakes in the email addresses listed in the ‘Send To Email Address’ field.

If you have multiple recipients, ensure that you are using commas to separate each address.

If you’re uncertain about the setup of multiple email recipients, we suggest checking our guide on creating a contact form with multiple recipients for detailed instructions.

Next, verify the actions that occur when a user submits a form. This will help you confirm that redirects, thank you messages, and other follow-up actions are correctly set up.

You can navigate to the ‘Confirmations’ section to begin your review.

If you selected ‘Show Page’ as your confirmation type, ensure that the page is published on your WordPress site. If you opted for ‘Go to URL (Redirect)’, double-check the link to confirm it is functional.

While reviewing your form, it’s also wise to examine any conditional logic you’ve implemented. Occasionally, a rule may unintentionally hide a required field or the submit button, preventing users from completing the form.

Tip 5: Check Email Deliverability

You might be experiencing problems with your WordPress form not sending notification emails to you or your users.

At times, WordPress emails can be directed to the spam folder. This often happens because default WordPress emails utilize the PHP mail() function, which may not be properly configured on many hosting servers.

Fortunately, using an SMTP plugin like WP Mail SMTP can resolve this issue.

WP Mail SMTP is an effective plugin designed to enhance email deliverability. It includes all the necessary features to address problems such as emails being lost or classified as spam.

The WP Mail SMTP plugin has been instrumental in ensuring our emails reach users’ inboxes instead of their spam folders. For more details, check out our comprehensive WP Mail SMTP review.

To get started, install and activate the WP Mail SMTP plugin. After that, you can follow our guide on resolving the WordPress email sending issue.

We also suggest reading our guide on how to send a test email from your WordPress site.

Tip 6: Verify Your Web Server Configuration

Outdated server software may lead to compatibility issues with WordPress and your form plugin. To ensure everything runs smoothly, confirm that your server meets the minimum requirements set by WordPress.

WPForms allows you to check the server software your site is using, along with the versions of PHP and MySQL.

To find this information, navigate to WPForms » Tools » System Info in your WordPress dashboard.

Next, scroll through the ‘System Information’ section to find the ‘Webserver Configuration’ details.

Once you locate the issue, compare your PHP and MySQL versions to the minimum requirements set by WordPress.

According to the latest WordPress version (6.6.1), the minimum system requirements are as follows:

• PHP: Version 7.4 or higher.
• MySQL: Version 5.7 or higher (or MariaDB version 10.4 or higher).

If your server does not meet the recommended PHP and MySQL versions, please reach out to your WordPress hosting provider. Most providers will assist you in upgrading your server’s software to comply with current WordPress standards.

You can also refer to our guide on updating your PHP version in WordPress.

Tip 7: Reach Out to Plugin Support

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, your WordPress form may still malfunction, requiring expert assistance.

If you have tried all the previous troubleshooting steps and your form is still not functioning properly, it’s time to get in touch with the plugin’s support team. Most reputable plugins provide support through their official websites, forums, or dedicated support portals.

For WPForms, you can submit a support ticket via email. To contact their support team, simply log in to your WPForms account and click on the ‘Support’ tab.

When completing the support form, please provide as much detail as possible in the ‘Issue/Message’ section. To assist the support team in resolving your issue efficiently, we suggest including the following information:

• A link to the pagewhere your form is located.
• A clear description of the issue.For instance, ‘The form displays a success message after submission, but I do not receive the email notification.’
• The troubleshooting steps you have already triedfrom this guide (e.g., ‘I have checked for plugin conflicts and cleared all caches.’).

After completing these steps, click the ‘Submit’ button. You should promptly receive an email confirming your ticket submission.

Bonus: Reach Out to WordPress Emergency Support Services

If you continue to experience issues with your WordPress forms, it may be time to seek professional assistance.

The team at Seahawk Media Services can diagnose and resolve errors, ensuring your forms are operational again swiftly. Their experts are available 24/7 and can address any WordPress issue efficiently and reliably.

Additionally, they provide transparent, affordable pricing—no contracts and no monthly fees.

FAQs: Troubleshooting WordPress Form Errors

Why aren’t my WordPress forms sending emails?

This is a common issue that often arises because WordPress relies on a basic PHP mail function, which many web hosts do not configure properly.

The simplest solution is to install an SMTP plugin like WP Mail SMTP. This plugin routes your emails through a reliable email provider, ensuring better delivery rates.

How can I stop spam submissions on my forms?

Managing spam can be challenging, but there are effective solutions available. Most popular form builders, such as WPForms, come with built-in anti-spam features like a honeypot field that is invisible to users but effective against bots.

You can also implement a CAPTCHA or reCAPTCHA field in your form. These features require a quick action from users to verify they are human, significantly reducing spam submissions.

What is the best contact form plugin for WordPress?

After evaluating numerous plugins, our top recommendation is WPForms. It is user-friendly, versatile, and includes all the necessary features (including AI tools) for creating any type of form.

We even use WPForms on CanadaCreate for our own contact and survey forms. You can find more details in our comprehensive WPForms review.

Continue Learning: Explore More Guides on Using WordPress Forms

We hope this guide has provided you with the necessary steps to resolve your WordPress form issues. Now that your forms are functioning properly, you may find these additional resources beneficial:

• A Complete Guide to Customizing and Styling Your WordPress Forms
• Step-by-Step Instructions for Creating WordPress Forms with Dropdown Fields
• Effective Techniques for Implementing Conditional Logic in WordPress Forms
• How to Build Multilingual Forms in WordPress for Global Reach
• Creative Tips for Designing More Engaging Forms in WordPress
• Essential Steps to Create a Secure Contact Form in WordPress
• How to Monitor Form Submissions Using Google Analytics

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