Fix Contact Form 7: “There was an error trying to send your message. Please try again later.”

Quick wins (try these first)

1. Note the border color of the message box (orange = spam blocked, red = mail failed). This tells you where to look first.
2. Open your browser console → Network while submitting. Look for blocked calls to /wp-json/ or admin-ajax.php (403/406/500).
3. Temporarily disable caching/minification on the form page and exclude /wp-json/ from your CDN/WAF.

Step 1 — If the box is orange: spam filter blocked it

When Contact Form 7 marks a submission as spam, you’ll see an orange message. Common causes are reCAPTCHA v3 scoring too low or overly aggressive filters.

1. Enable Spam Log in CF7 so you can see the exact reason:
   • Go to Contact → Integration and enable the Spam log module (and ensure reCAPTCHA/Akismet are connected).
   • Submit again and review the log; look for “reCAPTCHA score too low”, “Akismet: spam”, etc.
2. Fix reCAPTCHA v3 issues:
   • Verify keys under Contact → Integration → reCAPTCHA and remove any duplicate reCAPTCHA plugins.
   • If the log shows low scores, try Cloudflare Turnstile integration or (if you prefer a challenge) a v2 checkbox via a companion plugin. Re-test.
3. Reduce false positives:
   • Remove suspicious words/URLs in your form temporarily and re-test.
   • If using Akismet, ensure the site is properly connected and not rate-limited.

Step 2 — If the box is red: mail sending failed

Red usually means the form submitted but email delivery failed.

1. Use a real SMTP mailer (don’t rely on php_mail()):
   • Install/configure an SMTP plugin (e.g., WP Mail SMTP, Post SMTP) with your mail provider (SendGrid, Mailgun, Amazon SES, or your host).
   • Authenticate your domain (SPF/DKIM) at your DNS provider per your mailer’s docs.
2. Set CF7 “Mail” tab correctly:
   • From: use an address on your site’s domain (e.g., noreply@yourdomain.com).
   • To: your recipient address(es).
   • Additional Headers: set Reply-To: [your-email] so replies go to the sender.
3. Store messages as a safety net:
   • Install “Flamingo” so every submission is saved in WordPress. This confirms the form works even if email is delayed.

Step 3 — REST API/AJAX blocked (403/406/500)

Modern CF7 submits via the WordPress REST API. If it’s blocked by a security rule, CDN/WAF, or server module, the form can’t send.

1. Check the console → Network while submitting:
   • Requests like /wp-json/contact-form-7/v1/contact-forms/<id>/feedback or /?rest_route=/contact-form-7/v1/... should return 200.
   • If you see 403/406/500, whitelist the REST paths in your security plugin, host WAF, or CDN (e.g., ModSecurity/Cloudflare).
2. Exclude from cache:
   • Exclude the form page and /wp-json/ from page caching and HTML/JS/CSS minification.
3. Test REST API quickly (replace domain and ID):

   curl -I https://example.com/wp-json/contact-form-7/v1/contact-forms/123/feedback

   You should get a 200 OK. If not, fix the block first, then re-test the form.

Best-practice CF7 mail settings (copy this pattern)

• From: noreply@yourdomain.com
• To: you@yourdomain.com
• Subject: [your-subject] – New message from your site
• Additional Headers: Reply-To: [your-email]
• Enable SMTP and authenticate your domain (SPF/DKIM) at your mail provider.

Still stuck? Use this decision tree

1. Message is orange → check Spam Log → fix reCAPTCHA/Akismet → re-test.
2. Message is red → set up SMTP + correct “Mail” tab + SPF/DKIM → re-test.
3. Network shows 403/406/500 on REST → whitelist /wp-json/ + disable caching/minify on form page → re-test.
4. Install Flamingo to confirm submissions arrive even if email is delayed.

Helpful official links

• CF7 FAQ (error colors, causes)
• CF7 reCAPTCHA integration
• Setting up Mail in CF7
• Debugging & getting help
• Flamingo (save submissions)

Tip: After fixing, submit the form twice: once logged out (fresh browser) and once from a mobile network. This catches any session or IP-based filtering you might miss on your normal connection.