Enabling WordPress user registration is the first step towards gaining more users. Learn how to do it in just three steps!
Having an active audience can be crucial. Getting users to sign up is the first step. You could use the default WordPress user registration function, but you might also be looking for a more customizable process.
How do I add a user to WordPress?
Right out of the box, the quickest way to add a user in WordPress is to go to the Users → Add New page. This is where you can manually invite new users to a WordPress website:
In addition to all the basic user information, this page also includes a way to select the user role at registration.
When it comes to letting visitors register their own accounts, WordPress includes an option called Anyone can register. This setting is included on the Settings → General page, and you should know it's turned on by default:
The problem is, the URL to register on is the same as every other WordPress site out there. Unfortunately, this default setup can end up with loads of spam registrations.
As a result, we recommend keeping this option off. If you'd like users to be able to register themselves, it's best to create a custom option that not every spambot in the world will target.
Fortunately, creating your own page for new users can be easy. In this article, we'll show you how to enable user registration in just three steps. Let's go!
What to collect during user registration
Given that every website is unique, the user registration process will probably be unique as well. The custom fields you choose will likely depend on the needs of the site and the level of detail that you're looking for. Some examples may include:
- Personal information such as profile pictures and brief bios
- Extra details to be listed in a user directory
- Preferences to be included on an email list, and how often to receive marketing emails
Extensive customization like this isn't available with the default WordPress system. Fortunately, Formidable Forms can help. With a site-specific user registration page, you can collect precisely the information you need.
How to enable user registration in WordPress (3 steps)
Note: You'll need the premium version of Formidable Forms for this walkthrough. It's the best drag and drop form builder plugin for WordPress. Make sure it's installed and activated before you begin!
Step 1: Set up the User Registration plugin
First things first, you'll need to get the WordPress User Registration plugin installed and activated. This add-on will help you create a custom registration flow wherever you need it.
To install it, go to Formidable → Add-Ons. Then, find the option labeled User Registration and click on Install. After that, you can adjust the settings by going to Formidable → Global Settings → Registration. You'll then see a page that looks like this:
At the top you'll see the settings for global pages. For now, we'll just focus on the last one: Registration Page.
This field is optional. If you leave it blank, visitors will see the default WordPress user registration form. However, if you want to use a custom process, select the page where you'll publish the signup form instead.
If you've decided to create a custom login page, this may also be a convenient time to adjust those settings. Save your work, then move on to the next step.
Step 2: Create a custom registration form
Now we can move on to creating the form itself. Go to Formidable → Forms → Add New. First, decide if you want to start from scratch or use one of our templates. We went with the User Registration form template:
Adjust the form fields as necessary. You have a lot of freedom as long as you include an email address. The rest can be auto populated, including password fields and the username.
Click on Update when you're done. Next, navigate to the Settings tab at the top. Click through to Actions & Notifications → Register User:
A lot of these defaults will probably be fine. However, you can also customize these settings. For example, the default for Display Name is the First and Last field. If you only wanted to display the first name, you could change it to only First.
As you scroll down, you'll see a few other options, including:
- Automatically log users in as soon as they register
- Require an email confirmation to verify their new account before full registration
- Activate the WordPress select user role at registration action
Save your work. Then, publish it on the page you chose in step one. You can also add a login form to replace the WordPress version.
Just another reminder.... Make sure to go to WordPress Settings → General and uncheck the Anyone can register box if you don’t want the default WordPress registration page to remain accessible.
Step 3: Enable logged-in users to edit their profiles
At this point, you should have a working form to create new user accounts. However, the website audience may need to edit their information after sign up. Fortunately, you can let them do so from the same form.
Go to Settings → Form Permissions. Then, check the Limit number of form entries to one per (logged-in user) and Allow front-end editing of entries boxes:
If you'd like to limit user edits to only certain fields, set Visibility to Logged-out Users for each field that you do not want to be edited. By the same token, you can make specific fields only visible to logged-in users by setting Visibility to Logged-in Users.
By applying both of these fields, logged-out users will see the basic form. However, logged-in users will have the opportunity to change their information on an account page. These simple changes can help keep the site up to date.
You also have fine-grained control, and can limit fields to certain user roles. With help from the Members plugin, you'll even be able to create fully custom roles.
Conclusion
The default WordPress user registration isn't for everyone. If the site you are building has specific needs, you can create a unique new user login and registration flow with Formidable Forms instead.
In this article, we showed you how to enable user registration in WordPress in three easy steps:
- Install, activate, and adjust the User Registration settings.
- Create a unique registration form and decide what actions it will trigger.
- Enable site users to edit their information from the front end.
Formidable Forms is the best forms plugin to enable user registration in WordPress. There are a ton of other options to help you build and customize great forms. Check more features to learn what else it can do!
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Thanks, very cool