Show reCAPTCHA to guests only at checkout
Updated September 13, 2026
Guest Checkout Only hides the reCAPTCHA from customers who are already logged in, so only guests checking out anonymously have to complete it. You will find it directly under the WooCommerce Checkout checkbox at Settings › reCAPTCHA WooCommerce.
Why turn it on
Almost all checkout spam comes from guest sessions. A bot that has already registered an account, verified an email address and logged in is a much rarer case, so challenging returning customers adds friction without much benefit.
Stores with a high proportion of repeat buyers usually see the clearest gain here, since most of their orders skip the challenge entirely.
What it does and does not affect
The setting applies to the checkout page only. It does not change the login, registration or password reset forms, which by their nature are used by people who are not logged in.
The exemption is applied in two places, and both matter. The widget is not rendered for logged-in users, and the server-side verification is skipped for them too. That is deliberate; if only the widget were hidden, logged-in customers would get a “complete the reCAPTCHA” error with no box to tick.
A common source of confusion
If you enable this setting and then test the checkout while logged in as an administrator, you will not see the reCAPTCHA and may assume the plugin is broken. Always test in a private browsing window, or log out first.
The same applies to customers who tick “Create an account?” at checkout. They are still guests at the point the form is rendered, so they do see the challenge.
When to leave it off
Leave it unticked if you are dealing with card testing attacks carried out through compromised or freshly registered customer accounts, or if your store allows account creation without email verification. In those cases an account login is not much of a signal, and challenging every order is the safer option.