Troubleshooting

This section covers the most common issues Form Forge users encounter, along with step-by-step solutions. Most problems have simple fixes. Work through the relevant steps in order, and you will likely resolve the issue without needing to contact support.

When troubleshooting, the most important rule is: change one thing at a time and test after each change. This way you know exactly what fixed the problem.

Form Does Not Appear on the Page

This is the most common issue, and it is almost always a simple fix.

1. Check the shortcode ID. Go to Form Forge > All Forms and compare the shortcode shown there with what you pasted on the page. The IDs must match exactly. A mismatch means the page is looking for a form that does not exist at that ID.
2. Make sure the form is saved. If you created the form but did not click Save Form, it may not have an ID yet. Go back to the builder and save.
3. Clear your cache. If you use a caching plugin (WP Super Cache, W3 Total Cache, WP Rocket, etc.), clear the cache after adding the form. Cached pages serve the old version without the form.
4. Check for JavaScript errors. Open your browser’s developer console (press F12 or Cmd+Option+I, then click the Console tab) and look for red error messages. A JavaScript conflict with another plugin or theme can prevent the form from rendering.
5. Try a default theme. Temporarily switch to a default WordPress theme (like Twenty Twenty-Four) to rule out a theme conflict. If the form appears with the default theme, your theme has a conflict.

Submissions Are Not Being Saved

1. Check for JavaScript errors in the browser console when you click Submit. Errors prevent the form from completing its AJAX submission.
2. Temporarily disable spam protection. Go to Form Forge > Settings > Anti-Spam and turn off reCAPTCHA. If submissions start working, the issue is your reCAPTCHA configuration (check your keys).
3. Check server error logs. Contact your hosting provider or check your hosting control panel for PHP error logs. Look for errors mentioning Form Forge.
4. Test with all other plugins deactivated. Deactivate all plugins except Form Forge and test again. If it works, reactivate plugins one by one to find the conflict.

Stripe Payments Failing

1. Verify you are using the correct key pair. Test keys start with pk_test_ and sk_test_. Live keys start with pk_live_ and sk_live_. Do not mix test and live keys.
2. Check the Webhook Signing Secret. It must match exactly what Stripe shows. Regenerate it if in doubt.
3. Check the browser console (F12 > Console) for Stripe.js errors. These usually explain exactly what is wrong.
4. Test with Stripe’s test card numbers: 4242 4242 4242 4242 for success, 4000 0000 0000 0002 for decline. Use any future expiration date and any 3-digit CVC.
5. Verify the webhook endpoint is reachable. In your Stripe Dashboard under Webhooks, check for failed delivery attempts. If deliveries are failing, your server may be blocking external requests.

Not Receiving Email Notifications

1. Install WP Mail SMTP. This is the single most effective fix. WordPress’s default email function is unreliable on many hosting providers. WP Mail SMTP routes emails through a proper email service like Gmail, SendGrid, or Mailgun.
2. Check your spam/junk folder. Notification emails from WordPress often end up in spam, especially if your domain does not have proper SPF/DKIM records.
3. Verify the notification email address. Go to the form’s Notifications settings and confirm the email is correct and has no typos.
4. Send a test email. Many SMTP plugins have a “Send Test Email” feature. Use it to verify your email setup works at all.
5. Check your hosting provider’s email limits. Some shared hosting plans limit the number of emails per hour.

Integration Not Working (Google Sheets, Mailchimp, HubSpot)

1. Check the connection status in Form Forge > Settings. If it shows “Disconnected,” click the relevant tab and reconnect the service. For WhatsApp, confirm that Enable WhatsApp integration globally is on and that the recipient number is saved with a country code.
2. Verify the integration is enabled on the specific form. Go to the form’s Integrations settings tab and confirm the toggle is on.
3. Check field mappings. Make sure the correct form fields are mapped to the correct fields in the external service. An email mapped to a name field will not work.
4. Re-authorize if needed. For Google integrations, try disconnecting and reconnecting in Settings > Google. OAuth tokens can expire.
5. Reconnect Avakode if the card mentions a site capability token. Manual license-key activation can unlock PRO but does not always bind this WordPress site to the license for secure integrations. Open Form Forge > License, reconnect to Avakode, then return to Settings.
6. Check the external service. Make sure your Mailchimp audience exists, your Google Sheet has the right headers, or your HubSpot Private App has the correct scopes.
7. Check the integration diagnostics. Mailchimp and HubSpot submission attempts are logged for support, including skipped reasons such as missing email mapping, missing audience, or missing site token.

Form Looks Broken or Unstyled

1. Check for CSS conflicts. Other plugins or your theme may override Form Forge’s styles. Use your browser’s developer tools (F12 > Elements) to inspect the form elements and look for overridden styles.
2. Clear your cache. Stale CSS files can cause display issues.
3. Test with a default theme. If the form looks correct with Twenty Twenty-Four, your theme’s CSS is conflicting.
4. Check for missing assets. In the browser console, look for 404 errors on CSS or JavaScript files.

> Tip: When troubleshooting, change one thing at a time and test after each change. This way you know exactly what fixed the problem. If you change three things at once and the problem goes away, you will not know which fix was the right one.

> Good to know: PRO users have access to priority email support. If you have worked through the relevant troubleshooting steps and the issue persists, contact support with a description of the problem, what you have already tried, and any error messages you have seen. This helps the support team resolve your issue faster.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Assuming the problem is Form Forge when it is actually a theme or plugin conflict. Always test with other plugins deactivated and a default theme before concluding that Form Forge has a bug.
• Making multiple changes at once. Methodical, one-at-a-time troubleshooting is faster in the long run.
• Ignoring the browser console. Most JavaScript-related issues show clear error messages in the console that point directly to the cause.

[Screenshot: A browser developer console open alongside a form page, showing a JavaScript error with a clear message about the conflict source]

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