### [Form Locker Addon](https://wpforms.com/docs/how-to-install-and-use-the-form-locker-addon-in-wpforms/)

**Published:** November 27, 2023
**Author:** David Ozokoye

**Excerpt:** Learn how to limit access to forms by email address, date of birth, number of entries, and more.

**Content:**

Form Locker Addon is a Pro Feature

 Unlock Form Locker Addon and other powerful features to grow your business.

 [ Get WPForms Pro ](https://wpforms.com/pricing/) 

Would you like more control over who has access to your forms? With the Form Locker addon, you can password protect your forms, limit submissions, and so much more.

This tutorial will provide a step-by-step guide to installing and using the Form Locker addon in WPForms.

**Requirements**:

- You’ll need a [Pro license level or higher](https://wpforms.com/pricing/ "WPForms Pricing Page") to access the Form Locker addon
- Ensure that you’ve installed the latest version of WPForms to meet the [minimum required version](https://wpforms.com/docs/why-you-should-always-use-the-latest-version-of-wpforms/#version-requirements) for the Form Locker addon



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### Getting Started

First, you’ll need to be sure you’ve [installed and activated WPForms](https://wpforms.com/docs/install-wpforms-plugin/ "How to Install the WPForms Plugin"). Once that’s all set, go ahead and [install the Form Locker addon](https://wpforms.com/docs/install-activate-wpforms-addons/ "How to Install and Activate WPForms Addons").

All settings for the Form Locker addon are within the form builder. To view these options, you’ll need to [create a new form](https://wpforms.com/docs/creating-first-form/ "WPForms Documentation Documentation, Reference Materials and Tutorials for WPForms Creating Your First Form") or edit an existing one.

After opening the form builder, go to **Settings » Form Locker** to check out the Form Locker options. We’ll discuss each in more detail below.

![Opening the Form Locker addon settings in the form builder](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/settings-form-locker.png)

### Requiring User Verification

If you’d like for users to enter some information before accessing your forms, you can use the Form Locker addon’s Form Verification options to require them to do so.

First, toggle on the **Enable verification** option in the Form Locker settings.

![The Form Locker enable verification setting](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/enable-form-verification.png)

Then select from 3 verification types: Password, Age, or Email.

![Selecting and Form Locker verification type](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/select-form-verification-type.png)

#### Requiring a Password for Form Access

The **Password** form verification option will require all users to enter a specific password before they can see your form. You can set any password you’d like, and write a message that will display above the Password field.

![Setting up password verification with the Form Locker addon](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/password-verification-settings.png)

Here’s an example of how the form verification password field and message look on the frontend.

![A password verification field and message](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/password-verification-example-1.png)

If users enter an incorrect password, they will see a validation message that reads, “The password is incorrect.”

![The password verification validation message](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/password-verification-validation-message-1.png)

#### Restricting Form Access by Age

The **Age** verification option will require users to enter their birthdates to prove their age before they can view your form.

Under **Criteria**, enter an age in years. Then select from the following options:

- **Minimum:** Users must be at least this old to view the form.
- **Equal to:** Users must be exactly this age to view the form.
- **Maximum:** Users must be younger than this age to view the form.

![Setting up age verification in the Form Locker addon](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/age-verification-settings.png)

You can also enter a message that will appear above the age verification fields.

On the frontend, users will see 3 dropdowns they’ll use to enter their birthdates.

![Age verification fields on the frontend](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/age-verification-example-1.png)

If their age does not meet the requirements you’ve set, they will see a message that reads, “Your age does not meet the criteria.”

![The age verification validation message](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/age-verification-validation-message-1.png)

**Note:** Need to alter the age verification message in your form? Our [developer documentation](https://wpforms.com/developers/customizing-the-form-locker-age-verification-message/) provides a detailed guide on customizing this message to fit your needs.

#### Verifying Form Access by Email

Another way to verify users’ identities before allowing them to see your form is to implement email verification. This can help reduce spam entries.

If you like, create a custom message to display above the email field.

![Adding an email verification message](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/email-verification-settings.png)

On the frontend, users will be asked to provide their email addresses.

![An email verification field on the frontend](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/email-verification-example-1.png)

Once they submit an email address, they’ll see a message instructing them to check their inbox for their verification link.

![Email validation verification message](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/email-verification-validation-message-1.png)

They’ll then need to click on the link in the email to view your form and fill it out.

![The email verification link from the form locker addon](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/form-locker-email-verification-link.png)

### Scheduling Form Access

The Form Scheduling option allows you to set the date and time that a form will become accessible, as well as when it will close and stop accepting submissions. To enable this feature, toggle on the **Form scheduling** setting.

![Enabling the form scheduling feature in the Form Locker addon](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/enable-form-scheduling.png)

Once this setting is turned on, additional fields will display:

- **Start Date and Start Time:** When to automatically open the form.
- **End Date and End Time:** When to automatically close the form.
- **Closed Message:** Displayed in place of the form when the schedule determines that the form is not available.

![Configuring the form scheduling options in the Form Locker settings](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/form-scheduling.png)

You can also leave the End fields blank and only set a time for the form to open, or vice versa.

If users access your form before or after the open period, they’ll see the closed message you specified in the Form Locker settings.

![An example of a closed message for a scheduled form](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/form-scheduling-closed-message-example-1.png)

### Restricting Access to Logged-In Users

In some cases, you may want to only allow logged-in users to view your form. The **Form Restrictions** option lets you enforce this.

To enable this feature, toggle on the **Logged in users only** setting. Then you can enter a message to display to visitors who try to access your form but aren’t logged in.

![Enabling form restriction with the Form Locker addon](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/form-restriction-settings-1.png)

This is how our example message looks on the frontend.

![An example of a restricted form on the frontend](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/form-restriction-message-example-1.png)

**Note:** Want to display links to your site’s login and registration pages like in our example above? See our complete guide to [using Smart Tags in WPForms](https://wpforms.com/docs/how-to-use-smart-tags-in-wpforms/) for more details.

### Limiting Entries

In some scenarios, you may want to limit the number of entries a form will accept or prevent users from submitting your form multiple times. The Form Locker addon enables you to do both.

#### Limiting the Total Number of Entries for a Form

If you want to place a cap on the number of entries allowed for a form, toggle on the **Enable total entry limit** option in the Form Locker settings.

![Enabling a total entry limit in the Form Locker addon](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/enable-total-entry-limit.png)

Once this option is turned on, additional fields will display:

- **Limit:** The maximum number of total entries allowed for the form.
- **Closed Message:** The message that will display after the entry limit is reached.

![Setting a total entry limit for a form](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/configuring-total-entry-limit.png)

On the frontend, users will see your message displayed like so once the maximum number of entries have been submitted.

![A total entry limit closed message](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/total-entry-limit-closed-message-1.png)

**Note:** To display the remaining number of entries allowed for a form, you can use a specific PHP code snippet. For guidance on implementing this functionality, please refer to our [developer documentation](https://wpforms.com/developers/how-to-display-remaining-entry-limit-number/).

#### Limiting Entries from the Same User

If you’d like to prevent the same user from submitting multiple entries, you can limit the number of submissions from a single IP address, email address, or both.

First, toggle on the **Enable user entry limit** option.

![Enabling the user entry limit option in the Form Locker addon settings](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/enable-user-entry-limit.png)

Then check the box(es) for the value(s) you want to use to limit entries.

![Restricting entries by IP address and email address](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/restrict-entries-ip-email.png)

If you select the **Restrict by email address** option, you’ll also need to specify which field in your form contains the user’s email by selecting it from the **Email Field** dropdown.

Next, enter the maximum number of entries you want users to be able to submit in the **Limit** field. Then use the dropdown next to it to select how you want the limit to apply. Below, we’ve outlined the available options:

![Select limit duration](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/select-limit.png "Select Limit Duration")

- Till the end of the day
- Till the end of the week
- Till the end of the month
- Till the end of the year
- Per 24 hours
- Per 7 days
- Per ~30 days
- Per ~365 days

For our example, we’ll set the limit to **1** entry per user **till the end of the month**. This option would reset the form and allow the user a new entry at the beginning of each month.

![Limiting entries to one per user per month](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/limit-till-end-of-the-month.png)

Finally, enter the message you want to display to users who reach the entry limit. On the frontend, it will look something like this.

![The closed message for an entry limit by IP address](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/ip-user-entry-limit-closed-message-1.png)

### Requiring Unique Answers in Form Fields

Another way that you can limit entries for a form is to require unique answers for certain fields. This can prevent submissions with the same name, email, or other identifying details.

You can require unique answers for the following field types:

- Name
- Email
- Phone
- Website
- Password
- Single Line Text

To do so, click on the field in the form builder’s preview area to open the Field Options panel. Then click on the **Advanced** tab.

![Opening the advanced field options for an email field](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/email-advanced-field-options.png)

Next, scroll to the bottom of the advanced field options and toggle on the **Require unique answer** setting.

![Turning on the Require unique answer option](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/require-unique-answer-1.png)

When this form is published, if a user tries to enter an email address that has been submitted before, they’ll see a message reading, “The value must be unique.”

![The validation message for fields that require unique answers](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/value-must-be-unique-1.png)

**Note:** Want to customize the error message for fields that require unique answers? See our tutorial on [changing validation messages](https://wpforms.com/docs/customize-wpforms-validation-messages/) for a step-by-step guide.

That’s it! You can now use the Form Locker addon to restrict access to your forms.

Next, would you like to collect statistics and generate reports on the data collected in your forms? Be sure to check out [our Surveys and Polls addon](https://wpforms.com/docs/how-to-install-and-use-the-surveys-and-polls-addon/ "How to Install and Use the Surveys and Polls Addon") to take your form’s functionality to the next level.

**Categories:** Addons, Advanced (Pro) Addons

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