Step-by-Step Guide: Setting Up Google reCAPTCHA for Your Website

Step 1: Go to the reCAPTCHA Admin Console

1. Visit: https://www.google.com/recaptcha/admin
2. Sign in with your Google account (Gmail or Google Workspace).

Step 2: Register a New Site

1. Click the “+” button (top right corner) to register a new site.
2. Label: Enter a name to identify the project (e.g., “My Business Contact Form”).
3. reCAPTCHA Type: Choose one:
   • v2 – “I’m not a robot” Checkbox – Standard user-interactive version.
   • v2 – Invisible reCAPTCHA badge – Triggers on submit without a visible checkbox.
   • v3 (iS Preferred method) – Score-based, fully invisible; ideal for frictionless user experience.
4. Domains:
   • Enter your domain name without https:// or www (e.g., example.com)
   • You can add multiple domains if needed. We recommend adding your domain name again as a new with www (e.g., www.example.com)
5. Accept the Terms of Service.
6. (Optional) Add additional email addresses as owners.
7. Click “Submit”.

Step 3: Copy Your Site Key and Secret Key

Once the site is registered, you will receive:

• Site Key – Used on your website’s frontend.
• Secret Key – Used on your backend server to verify responses.

Important: Be sure to copy and keep the secret key confidential. These keysshould be shared with your web developer or team for implementation.

Step 4: Send the Keys to Your Developer

If you are not setting up the integration yourself:

• Share both the site key and secret key with your developer or web provider
• Make sure to indicate which version of reCAPTCHA you selected (v2 checkbox, v2 invisible, or v3).

Step 5: Test the reCAPTCHA Integration

After the integration is complete:

• Visit the page where your form is located.
• Confirm that:
  • The reCAPTCHA badge or checkbox appears (depending on the version chosen).
  • The form submits without error.
  • You receive submissions as expected.

Notes and Best Practices

• You can reuse the same reCAPTCHA keys for subdomains if needed.
• For higher traffic sites or advanced threat detection, consider upgrading to reCAPTCHA Enterprise.
• Ensure your backend is correctly verifying tokens using Google’s reCAPTCHA API:
  • v2 Verification Guide
  • v3 Verification Guide

Sample Email Template to Send to your Developer

Subject: My Google reCAPTCHA Keys for Website Form Integration

Hi [Developer Name],

Please find the included Google reCAPTCHA information needed to update our website forms.

• Site Key: [paste here]
• Secret Key: [paste here]
• reCAPTCHA Version: [ confirm either v2 OR v3]

Let us know if you need any further information.