Chykalophia Docs
Troubleshooting

My forms aren't working

What to do when contact forms, inquiry forms, or order forms on your website are failing or showing errors.

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A broken form means you could be missing inquiries from customers. Let's fix it quickly. This guide covers contact forms, inquiry forms, and any other form on your site that isn't submitting properly.

Quick summary

Test the form yourself first. Note any error message, which form it is, and which page it's on. The most common causes are email delivery problems, a plugin conflict, or a spam-protection setting that's too aggressive. Contact us with these details and we'll diagnose it.

Step 1 — Test the form yourself

Go to the page with the broken form.

Fill in all required fields and submit a test entry. Use a real email address you control.

Note what happens. Does it show an error message? Does it appear to submit but nothing happens? Does the page reload with no confirmation?

Write down the exact error message if one appears. Take a screenshot.

Step 2 — Check if submissions are being recorded

Many form plugins store submissions in your WordPress dashboard even if the email notification fails.

Log in to your WordPress dashboard.

Look for your form plugin in the left menu. Common plugins: Contact Form 7, WPForms, Gravity Forms, Ninja Forms.

Check the "Entries" or "Submissions" section. If your test submission appears there, the form itself is working — the problem is with email notifications, not the form. See I'm not getting form notification emails.

Not sure which form plugin you have?

Contact us and we'll confirm it. We set up and know your site's specific configuration.

Step 3 — Check for a spam filter blocking submissions

Most forms have spam protection built in (like CAPTCHA — the "I'm not a robot" checkbox). Sometimes these settings become too strict and block real submissions.

Try submitting the form in a different browser and on a different network (e.g., your phone on mobile data).

If the form has a CAPTCHA, make sure you're completing it fully before clicking submit.

If you see a "spam detected" or "verification failed" message, contact us — the spam settings may need adjusting.

Step 4 — Check for a recent plugin or theme update

A form plugin that updated recently may have a conflict.

Think back: when did the form last work? Did anything else change around the same time?

Do not deactivate or roll back plugins yourself — this can cause other problems. Contact us with the timeline and we'll handle it safely.

WooCommerce checkout or payment forms

If a checkout or payment form is broken, that's a different (more urgent) problem. See Payments aren't working on my store.

What to send us

Before contacting us, gather:

  1. The URL of the page with the broken form
  2. The name of the form (if you know it)
  3. The exact error message shown (or "no message, just nothing happens")
  4. Whether submissions are showing in the dashboard entries (Step 2)
  5. When it last worked correctly
  6. A screenshot of the form showing the error

Common questions

Need a hand?

If you're stuck, email support@chykalophia.com and we'll help. Include your website address and a screenshot if you can.
My forms aren't working | Chykalophia Docs