1. Installation #
- Log in to your WordPress Dashboard.
- Go to Plugins > Add New.
- Search for “Contact Form 7“.
- Click “Install Now” and then “Activate”.
2. Create a New Form #
- Navigate to Contact > Add New.
- Edit the form template to your liking. By default, Contact Form 7 provides a basic form template which includes fields for Name, Email, Subject, and Message.
- Customize the form fields as needed using the form editor.
3. Customize Your Form #
- Add fields by clicking the appropriate buttons above the form editor (e.g., Text, Email, URL, etc.).
- Edit existing fields by modifying the code in the form editor. For example:html
<label> Your Name (required)
[text* your-name]
</label>
<label> Your Email (required)
[email* your-email]
</label>
<label> Subject
[text your-subject]
</label>
<label> Your Message
[textarea your-message]
</label>
3. Save the form by clicking the “Save” button.
4. Configure Mail Settings #
- Go to the Mail tab within your form editor.
- Set the email address where you want form submissions to be sent. The default settings are usually adequate, but you can customize them if needed.
- Customize the email content by using the form field tags (e.g.,
[your-name]
,[your-email]
,[your-subject]
,[your-message]
).
5. Configure Additional Settings (Optional) #
- Messages: Customize the messages displayed for various form states (e.g., when the form is successfully submitted, when a field is required, etc.).
- Additional Settings: Add custom code snippets for further customization.
6. Add the Form to Your Site #
- Copy the shortcode provided for your form. This shortcode can be found at the top of the form editor.
- Paste the shortcode into any post, page, or widget where you want the form to appear.
7. Test Your Form #
- Submit the form from the front end of your site to ensure it works correctly.
- Check your email to verify that form submissions are being received.
Tips for Using Contact Form 7 #
- Styling: You can style the form using CSS to match your site’s design.
- Validation: Ensure that the form validation rules are set correctly to prevent spam and invalid submissions.
- Security: Consider using reCAPTCHA to protect your forms from spam.
Example of a Simple Contact Form #
Here’s a simple form template:
<label> Your Name (required)
[text* your-name]
</label>
<label> Your Email (required)
[email* your-email]
</label>
<label> Subject
[text your-subject]
</label>
<label> Your Message
[textarea your-message]
</label>
[submit "Send"]
Additional Resources #
- Contact Form 7 Documentation: Official Docs
- Support Forums: WordPress Support
By following these steps, you should be able to create and customize contact forms on your WordPress site using Contact Form 7.