How to get hCaptcha Keys

Important: You need two different codes: the Site Key and the Secret Key. Depending on whether you are a new or existing user, the process to get them is slightly different.
Jump to your section:

Option A: I am a New User

Step 1: Register & Plan Selection

Go to the hCaptcha Dashboard and create an account.

Understanding the Plans:
After registering, you will be presented with plan options. You have two choices:

  • Free Trial: You can start with the Free Plan, which includes a 14-day automatic trial of the Pro features (like Passive/Invisible mode). If the trial expires, you will automatically be downgraded to the free version, but you can renew the Pro features or upgrade at any time in your account's settings.
  • Paid Plan: If you need enterprise features immediately, you can select a paid tier.

To proceed with the standard setup, click Continue with Free Trial.

If you just registered, hCaptcha will show you an "Install hCaptcha" wizard. This is the fastest way to get your keys.

Tip: Open your PrestaShop Back Office in a new browser tab and navigate to the module configuration page now. Make sure you select hCaptcha as the Captcha Provider in the module settings first. You will copy the keys from here and paste them directly into the fields below.
ALTCHA configuration in the module settings showing the Secret Key field and Generate button
Click the Generate button to create your secure self-hosted ALTCHA Secret Key

Step 2: Get the Site Key

On the wizard screen, hCaptcha has already created a default Site Key for you. It is located in the first box.

  • Copy this code.
  • Switch to your PrestaShop tab and paste it into the Site Key field in the module settings.

Step 3: Get the Secret Key

In the second section of the wizard, you will see a button labeled Generate Secret.

  • Click the black Generate Secret button.
  • Important: Your Secret Key will appear. Copy it immediately! For security reasons, this key is only displayed once.
  • Switch to your PrestaShop tab and paste it into the Secret Key field in the module settings.

Step 4: Finish

Once you have pasted both keys into the module, click Done at the bottom of the hCaptcha wizard. You can now continue configuring the rest of the module settings in your PrestaShop Back Office.

Step 5: Customizing Settings (Optional)

The wizard applies default settings to your site. If you want to change the difficulty or rename the site:

  1. Click on the Sites tab in the hCaptcha dashboard.
  2. Select the site you just created.
  3. Here you can rename your site, adjust the hCaptcha Behavior (e.g., switch to "Always Challenge") or change the Passing Threshold.
  4. Click Save when finished.
hCaptcha Site Settings: Behavior and Threshold configuration
Modifying the Site Settings (Behavior and Difficulty)

hCaptcha Behavior
This determines when users see a puzzle.

  • Always Challenge (Free): Select this so users will see a puzzle on every request.
  • 99.9% Passive (Pro/Trial): Select this for invisible protection. This is a paid feature, but you can use it during your 14-day free trial.

Passing Threshold
This determines how difficult the puzzles are.

  • Auto: The system automatically adjusts difficulty based on traffic patterns.
  • Easy / Moderate / Difficult: You can manually set a fixed difficulty level.

Click Save when you are finished making changes.

Option B: I am an Existing User (Dashboard Method)

If you already have an account or skipped the wizard, follow these steps.

Tip: Open your PrestaShop Back Office in a new browser tab and navigate to the module configuration page now. Make sure you select hCaptcha as the Captcha Provider in the module settings first.

Step 1: Create a Site (Site Key)

  1. Log in to your dashboard and click the Sites tab.
  2. Click the Add Site button.
hCaptcha Sites Dashboard
For adding a new site, go to Sites and click on Add Site
  1. Name: Give your shop a name (e.g., "My PrestaShop").
  2. Domains: Enter your domain (e.g., myshop.com) and click the (+) Plus button to add it.
  3. (Optional) You can also configure the hCaptcha Behavior and Passing Threshold settings here.
  4. Click Save.
  5. You will be redirected to the list of sites. Click the Copy icon next to your new site to get the Site Key.
  6. Switch to your PrestaShop tab and paste it into the Site Key field in the module settings.
hCaptcha Create Site Form
Filling out the New Site configuration form

Step 2: Generate Secret Key

The Site Key is public, but the Secret Key is hidden in your account profile.

  1. Click on your Profile Icon (Avatar) in the top-right corner.
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Click on the Secrets tab.
  4. Click Generate New Secret.
hCaptcha Account Settings: Click on Secrets tab then Generate New Secret
Navigate to Profile > Settings > Secrets
  1. Confirm the generation, and copy the key immediately. It will vanish from the screen once you navigate away.
  2. Switch to your PrestaShop tab and paste it into the Secret Key field in the module settings.
hCaptcha Secret Generated: Copy the key now
Copy your Secret Key immediately

What to do next?

By now, you should have both the Site Key and the Secret Key.

If you haven't inserted them into the module yet (for example, if you saved them to a text file instead), you need to do that now to activate the protection.

Click here to read the Module Configuration Guide to see exactly where to paste these keys and how to finish the setup.

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