BugWP logo BugWP
Back to Community
Home / Community / Plugin → Really simple captcha

Troubleshooting the 'Your entered code is incorrect' Error in Really Simple CAPTCHA

15 threads Sep 16, 2025 Plugin → Really simple captcha

Content

One of the most common issues users encounter with the Really Simple CAPTCHA plugin is the persistent "Your entered code is incorrect" error message. This problem can be frustrating because it often prevents form submission even when the correct code is entered. Based on community reports and solutions, this guide will walk you through the most common causes and their fixes.

Why This Error Occurs

The error indicates a mismatch between the code entered by the user and the code generated and stored by the plugin. This can happen for several reasons, including incorrect implementation, theme or plugin conflicts, or server-side file permission issues.

Common Solutions

1. Check Your Shortcode Implementation

A frequent cause of this error is an incorrectly implemented shortcode. The Really Simple CAPTCHA plugin is not the same as Google's reCAPTCHA, and it uses its own unique shortcode syntax. Ensure your form tag uses the correct, matching pair. For example:

[captchac your_prefix] [captchar your_prefix]

The your_prefix must be identical in both the image (captchac) and input (captchar) shortcodes for the validation to work. An incorrect or mismatched prefix is a common reason for perpetual validation failure.

2. Identify Plugin or Theme Conflicts

Conflicts with other plugins or your active WordPress theme are a leading cause of this issue. As seen in the sample threads, plugins like "Bootstrap for Contact Form 7" have been known to cause the error message to appear twice, indicating an interference with the normal validation process.

Troubleshooting Steps:

  1. Switch to a Default Theme: Temporarily switch your theme to a WordPress default theme, such as Twenty Twenty-Four. If the CAPTCHA starts working, the issue lies with your original theme.
  2. Deactivate Other Plugins: Deactivate all plugins except for Really Simple CAPTCHA and the form plugin you are using (e.g., Contact Form 7). If the problem is resolved, reactivate your plugins one by one to identify the culprit.

3. Clear the CAPTCHA Temporary Folder

The plugin generates image files in a temporary folder on your server. If file permissions are incorrect or this folder becomes cluttered, it can prevent new codes from being generated or old ones from being validated properly.

What to do: Check the plugin's settings page to see the path to the temporary folder. Ensure this folder exists and that your web server (e.g., www-data) has write and delete permissions for it. You may also try manually clearing out old files from this directory.

4. Reinstall the Plugin

Sometimes, a simple reinstallation can resolve unexplained glitches. As one user reported, completely removing the plugin and then installing it again fixed the issue for them. This process can clear any corrupted temporary data or settings.

5. For Custom Form Integration

If you are integrating the CAPTCHA into a custom form, ensure you are following the correct workflow. A common mistake is generating a new CAPTCHA instance during the validation check, which will always fail because it's checking the user's input against a new, different code.

Your form should:

  1. Generate the CAPTCHA image and store the prefix when the form is loaded.
  2. Upon submission, the validation script must check the user's input against the original prefix and code.
  3. Do not regenerate the CAPTCHA during the validation step.

Conclusion

The "Your entered code is incorrect" error is typically a symptom of a configuration or conflict issue, not a fundamental bug in the Really Simple CAPTCHA plugin. By methodically checking your shortcode, testing for conflicts, and verifying server permissions, you can almost always identify and resolve the root cause.

Related Support Threads Support