Solved: reCAPTCHA Not Working in Chrome, Firefox, or Any Browser

Ever ticked a checkbox that says, “I am not a robot?”

Well, that’s reCAPTCHA!

Websites use this Google-powered free service to keep the bots and their never-ending API requests at bay. It reduces spam registrations and requests.

Google reCAPTCHA requires the users to just tick a checkbox in order to verify themselves, unlike Google CAPTCHA, where they need to solve a maths problem or a puzzle (sometimes as hard as cracking the nuclear code!).

That’s a really seamless experience from the user’s perspective. But, it turns into a frustrating one if the reCAPTCHA stops working.

Internet users, quite often, report ‘reCAPTCHA Not Working in Chrome, Firefox, or Any Browser.’ or the ‘Cannot contact reCAPTCHA. Check your connection and try again’ error.

Nothing can be more annoying for an internet user than being considered a BOT by the websites!

If you are such an annoyed user, then you are in the right place. In this blog post, I am going to soothe your pain.

Presenting the solution to the ‘reCAPTCHA not working in Chrome, Firefox, or any other browser.’

• reCAPTCHA Not Working: Reasons & Solutions
  • Reason #1: Outdated Browser
    • Solution #1: Update Your Browser
  • Reason #2: Due to VPN/Proxy Services
    • Solution #2: Disable VPN/Proxy or Contact Service Provider
  • Reason #3: Blacklisted IP
    • Solution #3: Reset IP Address
  • Reason #4: Corrupted Browser Profile
    • Solution #4: Create a New Browser Profile
  • Reason #5: Malicious Extensions
    • Solution #5: Check & Uninstall Third-Party Extensions
  • Reason #6: Malware Infection
    • Solution #6: Run Malware Scan
• Final Words

In case you are using Magento 2 platform, you can also add reCAPTCHA to your store by using our Magento 2 Google reCAPTCHA v3 extension.

reCAPTCHA Not Working: Reasons & Solutions

Listed below are some of the top reasons reCAPTCHA is not working properly, along with their fixes: (You can use these solutions independent of what browser you’re using!)

Reason #1: Outdated Browser

One of the probable reasons behind the reCAPTCHA not working issue can be an outdated browser version.

Ergo, ensure that you are using the latest version of the browser. You can simply check if you are using an outdated version of the browser using this link.

Solution #1: Update Your Browser

If your browser version is outdated, you can follow the steps below to update the browser version.

• Google Chrome: Click on the three dots in the top-right corner > Help > About Google Chrome.
• Mozilla Firefox: Menu Bar > Help > About Firefox.
• Update Microsoft Edge: Menu Button > Help and Feedback > About Microsoft Edge.

If you are using any other browser, you can refer to the respective official resources to update your browser to the latest version.

Reason #2: Due to VPN/Proxy Services

Certain users have reported that VPN or Proxy services were creating issues with Google reCAPTCHA verification. In case you are using one, they can be a major culprit behind the failure of reCAPTCHA verification.

Some users reported the error – ‘Cannot contact reCAPTCHA. Check your connection and try again’ while using VPN.

Solution #2: Disable VPN/Proxy or Contact Service Provider

If you are using a VPN or a Proxy service, try accessing the page without it. The issue is common amongst the free VPNs/Proxies because the proxy servers are blacklisted by Google due to malicious usage.

It is also advisable to contact the service provider if you are using a paid VPN/proxy service.

Reason #3: Blacklisted IP

The reCAPTCHA may not work properly in any of your browsers if your IP address has been blacklisted by Google for performing malicious activities. In such cases, you may witness an error ‘Cannot contact reCAPTCHA.’

Solution #3: Reset IP Address

Users whose IP addresses have been blocked by Google reCAPTCHA can access it through VPN/Proxy. A more practical solution is to just change the IP address of your machine. You can follow these steps to reset your IP address in Windows 10:

• Press (Win Key+R) to Open Run, enter “cmd” in the textbox, and click on OK.
• In the command prompt, enter the following commands one by one and press enter key.
  • netsh winsrock reset
  • netsh int ip reset
  • ipconfig /release
  • ipconfig /renew

This will reset your IP, and the reCAPTCHA not working issue will get solved.

Reason #4: Corrupted Browser Profile

The Google reCAPTCHA may also stop working if your browser profile is corrupted.

Solution #4: Create a New Browser Profile

If you think your web browser profile has been corrupted and is the likely cause of the issue, just try a different browser or create a new browser and see if that helps. Steps to create new browser profiles for different browsers are provided below:

• Chrome: In the top-right corner, click on Profile Icon and click on + Add under the other profiles section.
• Mozilla Firefox: Enter about:profiles in the URL bar and press Enter. Click on Create a New Profile button.
• Microsoft Edge: On the top-right corner, click on the profile icon and click on Add Profile.

Alternatively, you can also re-install the browser.

Reason #5: Malicious Extensions

Sometimes, the potential cause of the reCAPTCHA not working in Chrome, Firefox, or any other browser can be the malicious extensions, which may be sending too many requests.

Solution #5: Check & Uninstall Third-Party Extensions

Disable all of them and check if the Google reCAPTCHA works fine. If the issue resolves, then you need to check and find the problematic extension by disabling each extension one by one.

Reason #6: Malware Infection

Quite uncommon, but a likely reason behind reCAPTCHA not working in Chrome, Firefox, Edge or any other browser can be a malware infection. Your browser, infected by trojans and adware, may send too many requests to reCAPTCHA, which may cause the issue.

Solution #6: Run Malware Scan

Install reputed anti-malware software to brush off the infection. An ideal procedure is to uninstall the existing browser, scan your system for malware & remove them, and install the browser again.

Final Words

Try the above methods and let me know which method worked for you to solve the reCAPTCHA Not Working issue in Chrome, Firefox, or any other browser. 🚀

Stuck somewhere? Do not hesitate to comment.

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Thank you for reading! 🍀

Frequently Asked Questions Related to ‘reCAPTCHA Not Working’

1. Why is reCAPTCHA not working in Chrome?

There can be multiple reasons reCAPTCHA is not working in Chrome. Ensure that you are using the latest version of Google Chrome and not using any VPN/Proxy services. You may also try re-installing your browser and resetting your IP address.

2. Why is reCAPTCHA blocking me?

Google reCAPTCHA may block you because of a high number of requests from your network, which can be because you’re on a public network or using any VPN/Proxy services. Try disabling your VPN/Proxy service or resetting your IP address to solve the issue.

3. How to solve the “Cannot contact reCAPTCHA. Check your connection and try again” error?

You may encounter the above error if you are using an outdated internet browser. Make sure that you are the latest version of an internet browser. If the problem persists, try other solutions such as re-installing your browser, disabling VPN, and resetting your IP address.