Google Forms CAPTCHA

Introduction

There are multiple campus users who utilize Google Forms to conduct academic and business processes. Some of these Forms are accessible to users outside of the organization, which makes them vulnerable to attackers. Recently, we have seen an uptick in bad actors using bots and other methods to spam public-facing Google Forms.

Form creators may implement some level of security to decrease the likelihood of spam responses. One method to do so is to add a question to the Form which simulates a CAPTCHA.

How to Add a Simulated CAPTCHA

A CAPTCHA is a test designed to determine if an online user is really a human and not a bot. CAPTCHA is an acronym which stands for "Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart."

Unfortunately, Google Forms does not have a built-in CAPTCHA function. However, you can add a simple test to your form similar to a CAPTCHA by following these steps:

1. Select Add question
2. For the question type drop-down, select Short answer
3. In the Question field, type "Math CAPTCHA:" followed by a simple math problem
4. Click the three vertical dots and select Response validation 
5. Select Number and Equal to 
6. In the Number field, enter the correct answer to the math problem
7. In the Custom error text field, type an error message such as "Please try again"
8. Toggle the Required button to make this CAPTCHA a required question

Below is an example of a simulated CAPTCHA in a Google Form.

Below is an example of how this question appears on the published Form.

While this method can help reduce spam responses, it's not a robust solution and may not be foolproof.

Still Need Help?

If you need help completing these steps or experience an issue along the way, please contact the OIT Help Desk.