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Formwire
Framework guide

Add a contact form to a WordPress site

A WordPress page can hold a plain HTML form that posts to Formwire, so there is no form plugin to install, update or configure. This guide uses the block editor's Custom HTML block.

3 min read

The form

Replace YOUR-ACCESS-KEY with the key from your form's page. The highlighted line is the one that points the form at Formwire.

Custom HTML block 

            1
            <form action="https://formwire.io/submit" method="POST">
          
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              <input type="hidden" name="access_key" value="YOUR-ACCESS-KEY" />
          
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              <input type="hidden" name="redirect" value="https://example.com/thanks" />
          
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              <input type="text" name="fax" tabindex="-1" autocomplete="off" style="display:none" />
          
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              <label for="name">Name</label>
          
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              <input id="name" type="text" name="name" required />
          
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              <label for="email">Email</label>
          
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              <input id="email" type="email" name="email" required />
          
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              <label for="message">Message</label>
          
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              <textarea id="message" name="message" rows="5" required></textarea>
          
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              <button type="submit">Send</button>
          
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            </form>

Steps

  1. 1

    Create a form and copy its access key

    Sign up at app.formwire.com and create a form. Your sign-in address receives its submissions from the start. The access key is on the form's Settings tab, under General.

  2. 2

    Add a Custom HTML block

    Edit the page, add a Custom HTML block where the form goes, and paste the form above with YOUR-ACCESS-KEY replaced by your key. The block editor keeps the HTML as written.

  3. 3

    Create the thank-you page

    Add a page at /thanks/ with your confirmation copy and set the hidden redirect field to its full URL.

  4. 4

    Send a test submission

    Open the published page, fill the form in and send it. The submission appears in the form's inbox in the dashboard within a few seconds and the notification email follows, with Reply-To set to the address the visitor typed.

Notes for WordPress

  • In a theme, paste the form into a template such as page-contact.php. Nothing WordPress-specific is needed; it is plain HTML.
  • The classic editor's Text tab also keeps the HTML, but switching to the Visual tab can rewrite it. Stay in Text, or use the block editor.
  • Caching plugins do not affect the form, because the POST goes to Formwire and never hits your server.
  • WordPress mail problems (wp_mail not delivering) do not apply. Formwire sends the notification email itself.

Questions

Why not use Contact Form 7 or WPForms?

You can. A plain form posting to Formwire removes a plugin from the site, gives you a searchable inbox and webhooks, and avoids relying on your host's mail server for notifications.

Does the form work on WordPress.com?

Yes on plans that allow the Custom HTML block, which includes the free plan. The block keeps the form tag and hidden inputs intact.

Is the access key safe to put in client-side code?

Yes. The access key is a public ID that can only deliver submissions to the inbox you verified. It cannot read submissions or change settings, and you can rotate it from the form's settings if it is ever abused.

How does the form stop spam without a captcha?

The hidden fax field is a honeypot: a submission that fills it in goes to the Spam folder and nobody is emailed. A spam filter and rate limits also run on every form. Settings, Spam & security has the filter level, and on Pro, allowed domains.

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