How to Get reCAPTCHA v2 Checkbox Keys (Site Key & Secret Key)

To add reCAPTCHA v2 Checkbox — the familiar “I’m not a robot” tickbox — to your WordPress or WooCommerce forms, you need two values: a Site Key and a Secret Key. This guide shows how to get both, free, from Google. This is the Classic edition of reCAPTCHA, which is free for typical usage and needs no billing account — the right choice for most sites. (If you specifically need the Enterprise edition instead, see our reCAPTCHA v2 Enterprise keys guide.)

How to Get reCAPTCHA v2 Checkbox Site Key and Secret Key

Step 1 — Open the reCAPTCHA key creation page

1. Sign in to your Google account.
2. Go to the Google cloud console and click Create Key.

Step 2 — Name the key and choose the platform

1. Enter a display name (your website name works well).
2. Choose Web as the platform, then click Add a domain.

3. Enter your domain name and click Done.

4. Click Next Step.

Step 3 — Enable the checkbox challenge and create the key

1. Tick Will you use challenges? — this is what makes it the “I’m not a robot” checkbox (v2) rather than an invisible score.
2. Click the Create Key button at the bottom.

Step 4 — Copy your Site Key

1. Your Site Key is now shown. Copy it and paste it into your reCAPTCHA plugin.

Step 5 — Copy your Secret Key

1. Click Integrate with a third-party service or plugin.

2. Your Secret Key is shown. Copy it and paste it into your reCAPTCHA plugin alongside the Site Key.

Adding the Keys to Your Store

Paste the Site Key and Secret Key into the reCAPTCHA settings of the reCAPTCHA for WooCommerce plugin, select the reCAPTCHA v2 Checkbox option, and save. The checkbox then appears on your login, registration, checkout, and other forms — including the WooCommerce Block Checkout — to stop spam and bot submissions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is reCAPTCHA v2 free?

Yes. The Classic edition of reCAPTCHA v2 covered in this guide is free for typical website usage and does not require a Google Cloud billing account. Only the Enterprise edition, which runs through Google Cloud, has usage-based pricing.

What is the difference between the Site Key and Secret Key?

The Site Key is public and goes in your website’s front-end code to display the reCAPTCHA widget. The Secret Key is private, stays on your server, and is used to verify responses with Google. Never expose the Secret Key in public code.

What is the difference between reCAPTCHA v2 and v3?

reCAPTCHA v2 shows the “I’m not a robot” checkbox that users click. reCAPTCHA v3 runs invisibly and returns a score indicating how likely a visitor is a bot, without interrupting them. v2 gives an explicit human confirmation; v3 is frictionless.

Which plugin uses these reCAPTCHA v2 keys?

The reCAPTCHA for WooCommerce plugin uses the Site Key and Secret Key to enable reCAPTCHA v2 Checkbox protection on WooCommerce and WordPress login, registration, checkout, and other forms.

This guide is provided by i13 Web Solution, makers of the reCAPTCHA for WooCommerce plugin. Need help with setup? Contact us — we answer every email.