Take control of your user registration process – no third-party add-ons are needed.
Typically, there are three routes to adding these forms: using WordPress’s built-in membership feature, installing user registration plugins, or using custom code.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to create a user registration form using the default membership feature. Let’s dive in!
How to Create User Registration Form in WordPress without Plugin?
WordPress comes with a simple built-in membership system that allows admins to enable user registration without a plugin.
Here’s a video tutorial to help you do the same on your website.
You can also read this short step-by-step guide instead:
1. Enable the Membership feature in WordPress
The login form in WordPress doesn’t display the option for new users to register by default.
You can find the login form in the URL: “www.websiteurl.com/wp-login”
You have to enable this option from your WordPress dashboard’s General section of Settings.
Here, you’ll see the Membership option, which is turned off by default. Just tick the checkbox next to Anyone can register.
The login form will now display a Register link.
You can find the registration form in the link: “www.websiteurl.com/wp-login.php?action=register”.
The link takes you to the built-in user registration form available in WordPress
By default, the users registered through this form will be given the role of Subscribers. You can change this from the New User Default Role dropdown in General Settings.
Once you’ve completed both these actions, click on Save Changes at the bottom of the page.
2. Add Registration Link to Website Menu
With the registration form ready, you can add its link to any place on your website.
Now, we’ll show you how to add the link to your site’s navigation menu.
For that, open Appearance >> Editor in your WordPress dashboard.
In the editor, click on the + icon and add a Page Link.
Copy the URL [www.websiteurl.com/wp-login.php?action=register] of the registration form and paste it into the page link.
You can change the label of the menu by clicking on the menu and editing the Text.
Save the changes and you’re done.
Thats’s it. Your website will now display the link to the registration form in the header.
And there you have it. A quick and easy way to add a user registration form for your WordPress website without any plugin.
Limitations of the Default WordPress Membership Feature
While functional, the feature also has several limitations:
- The form fields are insufficient if you want to collect extensive user information
- Lacks customization, limiting design and field options for non-developers
- WordPress doesn’t have an AJAX registration and login form like some custom registration form plugins do. So, users will only see changes after the entire page is reloaded.
All these downsides might overshadow the few benefits of the default feature for you.
But don’t worry. You can rely on user registration form plugins for advanced functionalities.
What is the Best Way to Create Registration Forms in WordPress?
Well, the default membership feature in WordPress is quick and straightforward. But suppose you want complete control over the creation, customization, and display of registration forms.
In that case, you have no better option than User Registration.
This WordPress plugin stands out because of its beginner-friendly drag-and-drop interface, which makes creating custom login and registration forms easy. Moreover, configuring the plugin and form settings is just as easy.
If you’re not convinced, here are a few more advantages of choosing User Registration:
- In-built user profile page and login form
- Customization option for every field in the form
- Google reCaptcha for protection from spam registrations
- Set the default user role for each form
- Send email confirmation before login
- Custom form fields apart from the default WordPress fields
Let us remind you that these are just the free features. Imagine all that you could with the premium version of User Registration.
Thus, using the default WordPress form is a solid starting point for creating a basic user registration form. While for advanced functionalities, using a plugin would be the best solution.
Let’s show you briefly how to create a user registration form in WordPress using the plugin.
Create Custom WordPress Registration Form with User Registration
Watch this video tutorial and create custom registration forms with User Registration in minutes.
If you prefer to continue reading, we’ve briefly explained the step-by-step process below.
First, you need to install and setup the User Registration plugin on your WordPress dashboard.
After that, you can create a new registration form or use the default form. The default form will have two form fields: User Email and User Password.
If you want a more detailed form, simply drag the necessary Fields and drop them into the form.
After you’ve added all the required form fields, you can move on to the customization and publish the form.
You can also set a default user role, login options, enable reCaptcha, enable a strong password, and so much more.
Read our article on creating a user registration form in WordPress for a detailed guide.
As you can see, it’s quite easy to create a custom register and login form in WordPress with the User Registration plugin. So, why not make your registration form advanced and user-friendly?
Wrapping Up
That concludes our guide on how to create a user registration form in WordPress without plugins. While this method offers a basic solution, it has limitations regarding customization and features.
For those seeking more advanced options, consider exploring dedicated plugins like User Registration. These tools can help you create customized, feature-rich registration forms more easily.
We hope you found this guide helpful. If you have any questions or experiences to share, please leave a comment below.
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