Documentation: Anonymous Submissions for Gravity Forms

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Documentation: Anonymous Submissions for Gravity Forms - Understand how to set up and use our excellent plugin.

This guide covers installation, configuration, and everyday use of Anonymous Submissions for Gravity Forms.

Anonymous Submissions for Gravity Forms removes automatically collected identifying metadata from selected Gravity Forms while preserving the submitted answers.

Use it for surveys, feedback forms, questionnaires, suggestion boxes, and other forms where you need the response but do not want Gravity Forms to automatically connect it to an IP address, source URL, browser fingerprint, or logged-in WordPress account.

Requirements

  • WordPress (current version recommended)
  • Gravity Forms installed and active
  • A valid license key (licensed builds)

1) Overview

By default, a Gravity Forms entry may contain more than the answers entered into the form. Gravity Forms can also store submission metadata such as:

  • The submitter’s IP address
  • The URL from which the form was submitted
  • Browser and device information from the user-agent string
  • The WordPress user ID when the respondent is logged in

Anonymous Submissions for Gravity Forms removes these values from selected forms while leaving the submitted field answers available.

Anonymization is controlled form by form. Forms selected in the plugin settings receive the additional privacy protections, while your other Gravity Forms continue working normally.

2) What the plugin removes

For each selected form, the plugin removes the following Gravity Forms entry metadata:

  • IP address: The network address associated with the submission
  • Source URL: The page or request URL from which the entry was submitted
  • Browser user agent: Information that may reveal the respondent’s browser, operating system, or device
  • Created by: The WordPress user ID normally attached to an entry submitted by a logged-in user

The plugin also disables two Gravity Forms features on selected forms:

  • IP-based view counting
  • Save and Continue

Save and Continue is disabled because Gravity Forms draft submissions use separate storage that can contain an IP address, source URL, email address, and partial answers.

3) What the plugin does not remove

The answers submitted through your form fields remain intact. This allows you to review, export, and process the information collected through the form.

The plugin does not automatically remove information stored outside the managed Gravity Forms entry metadata. This may include:

  • Names, email addresses, or telephone numbers entered into form fields
  • Uploaded files
  • Payment information
  • Email notifications
  • Data sent to third-party add-ons or webhooks
  • CRM or marketing-platform records
  • Analytics and security logs
  • Web-server access logs
  • Gravity Forms logging or WordPress debug logs

Important: Anonymity still depends on how the form and the rest of the website are configured. Do not ask for identifying information in a form that is intended to be anonymous.

4) Requirements

Anonymous Submissions for Gravity Forms requires:

  • WordPress 6.5 or later
  • PHP 7.4 or later
  • Gravity Forms installed and active

Gravity Forms must be active before Anonymous Submissions for Gravity Forms can be activated.

If Gravity Forms is not available, the plugin will deactivate itself and display an administrator notice explaining the requirement.

5) Installation

  1. Download the Anonymous Submissions for Gravity Forms ZIP file.
  2. In WordPress Admin, go to Plugins → Add New Plugin.
  3. Click Upload Plugin.
  4. Select the plugin ZIP file.
  5. Click Install Now.
  6. When installation finishes, click Activate Plugin.
  7. Open Forms → Anonymizer to configure the plugin.

The plugin also adds a direct Settings link beside its name on the WordPress Plugins screen.

6) Quick start

To begin anonymizing submissions:

  1. Go to Forms → Anonymizer.
  2. Open the Settings tab.
  3. Locate Forms to anonymize.
  4. Select each active form that should not retain identifying submission metadata.
  5. Click Save settings.
  6. Submit a test entry through one of the selected forms.
  7. Confirm that the submitted answers remain available and the managed identifying metadata is empty.

Only active Gravity Forms appear in the selection list. If a form is not displayed, confirm that the form is active in Gravity Forms.

7) Settings reference

Plugin settings are located at:

Forms → Anonymizer

The settings screen is divided into the following tabs:

  • Settings
  • Management
  • Licensing, when included in the installed build

Settings

The Settings tab controls which forms should be anonymized.

Forms to anonymize

Select every active Gravity Form that should not retain the managed submission metadata.

For selected forms, the plugin:

  • Prevents the IP address from being stored during normal submission processing
  • Clears the entry’s IP address after it is saved
  • Clears the source URL
  • Clears the browser user-agent string
  • Clears the logged-in WordPress user ID
  • Disables IP-based form view counting
  • Disables Save and Continue

Forms that are not selected continue operating normally.

Remove data on uninstall

Enable Remove data on uninstall if the plugin’s settings and license information should be deleted when the plugin is uninstalled.

If this option is not enabled, the settings remain in the WordPress database so they can be restored if the plugin is reinstalled.

This option removes the plugin’s own settings and licensing records. It does not delete Gravity Forms entries or submitted answers.

8) Anonymizing new entries

Once a form is selected, anonymization is applied automatically to new normal submissions.

During submission processing, the plugin prevents Gravity Forms from storing the submitter’s IP address. After the entry is created, the plugin clears the remaining managed metadata:

  • IP address
  • Source URL
  • Browser user agent
  • Created-by WordPress user ID

The submitted form answers remain attached to the entry.

No additional shortcode, block, or form embed is required. Continue embedding and using the Gravity Form as you normally would.

Recommended test

After enabling anonymization:

  1. Log in to WordPress using a test account.
  2. Submit the selected form.
  3. Open Forms → Entries.
  4. Select the form and open the test entry.
  5. Confirm that the answers are present.
  6. Confirm that the managed identifying metadata is empty.

Submitting while logged in is a useful test because it confirms that the WordPress user ID is not retained with the entry.

9) Anonymizing existing entries

Selecting a form protects new submissions, but it does not automatically modify entries that were created before the form was selected.

To remove managed metadata from existing entries:

  1. Go to Forms → Anonymizer.
  2. Confirm that the correct forms are selected on the Settings tab.
  3. Open the Management tab.
  4. Review the number shown under Entries with identifying metadata.
  5. Click Anonymize existing entries.
  6. Wait for the success notice confirming how many entries were updated.

The Management tool only processes entries belonging to the forms currently selected on the Settings tab.

An entry is included in the count when at least one of the following values is present:

  • IP address
  • Source URL
  • Browser user agent
  • Created-by WordPress user ID

Submitted field answers are not removed.

Before running the existing-entry tool

Anonymizing existing entries permanently clears the managed metadata. If that information may still be needed for an approved operational, security, or legal purpose, review your requirements before continuing.

Creating a current database backup is recommended before running the tool on a large number of existing entries.

10) Save and Continue behavior

Gravity Forms’ Save and Continue feature is automatically disabled on selected anonymous forms.

Save and Continue creates draft records in separate storage. Depending on the Gravity Forms configuration, a draft may include:

  • The submitter’s IP address
  • The source URL
  • An email address used for the resume link
  • Partial form answers

Disabling Save and Continue prevents the anonymous form from creating this additional identity-bearing record.

If Save and Continue is required for a particular form, that form should not be selected for anonymization without first reviewing the privacy implications.

11) Form view counting

Gravity Forms can use IP addresses when tracking form views. The plugin disables the IP-based view counter for selected forms so the privacy-focused submission workflow does not depend on visitor IP information.

This may affect Gravity Forms conversion calculations or reports that compare recorded form views with completed entries.

Entry totals remain available. Only the IP-dependent view-counting behavior is disabled for selected forms.

12) Designing an anonymous form

Removing automatic entry metadata is only one part of creating an anonymous form. The questions and integrations used by the form must also be reviewed.

Avoid fields that request:

  • Full name
  • Email address
  • Telephone number
  • Mailing address
  • Account or membership number
  • Employee number
  • Social media username
  • Identifying photographs or documents
  • File uploads containing personal information
  • Highly specific details that could identify the respondent indirectly

Also review conditional logic. A field that appears only after a certain answer may still request identifying information.

Recommended form notice

Consider adding a short privacy notice above the submit button explaining:

  • Whether the form is intended to be anonymous
  • What information respondents should not include
  • How submitted answers will be used
  • Who will be able to review the responses
  • Whether notifications or external integrations are involved

Do not promise complete anonymity until the full website workflow has been reviewed.

13) Notifications and add-ons

Anonymous Submissions for Gravity Forms does not disable Gravity Forms notifications.

Notifications may contain submitted answers and send them through:

  • Your WordPress mail provider
  • An SMTP service
  • An email security gateway
  • The recipient’s email provider

Gravity Forms add-ons may also transmit or store entry information independently. Examples include:

  • CRM integrations
  • Email marketing integrations
  • Webhooks
  • Zapier or automation services
  • Cloud storage integrations
  • Payment processors
  • Document-generation tools

Review each notification and add-on attached to an anonymous form. Disable anything that is not appropriate for the intended privacy level.

14) Payments and file uploads

Payment forms and file uploads are generally not suitable for a completely anonymous workflow.

Payment processors normally create records associated with a payer, payment method, transaction, or billing address. Uploaded files can also contain:

  • Names
  • Document properties
  • Embedded metadata
  • Photographs
  • Location information
  • Account or case numbers

The plugin does not delete payment records, uploaded files, or information stored by third-party services.

15) Licensing and updates

Licensed builds include a Licensing tab under Forms → Anonymizer.

To activate a license:

  1. Open Forms → Anonymizer.
  2. Select the Licensing tab.
  3. Enter the license key provided with your purchase.
  4. Click Activate license.
  5. Confirm that the status changes to Active.

An active license enables plugin updates delivered by Syllable Agency.

To move the license to another site, deactivate it on the existing site before activating it on the replacement site.

Some marketplace builds may manage licensing and updates through the marketplace instead. In those builds, the Licensing tab is not displayed.

16) Access control

By default, the Anonymizer settings are intended for WordPress administrators.

The plugin uses the WordPress manage_options capability to control access to its administration screen and management actions.

This prevents ordinary users and form respondents from changing which forms are anonymized or running the existing-entry anonymization tool.

Changing the required capability

Developers can change the primary capability with the following filter:

add_filter( 'sa_asgf_admin_capability', function() {
    return 'your_custom_capability';
} );

Only grant access to trusted administrative users. The Management action permanently removes the selected metadata from existing Gravity Forms entries.

17) Troubleshooting

Forms → Anonymizer does not appear

Confirm that:

  • Gravity Forms is installed
  • Gravity Forms is active
  • Anonymous Submissions for Gravity Forms is active
  • Your WordPress account has administrator permissions

You can also open the WordPress Plugins screen and click Settings beside the plugin.

No forms appear in the settings

Only active Gravity Forms are displayed.

Go to Forms → Forms and confirm that the form is active. Then return to Forms → Anonymizer and refresh the page.

A form is still collecting identifying answers

The plugin removes automatic entry metadata. It does not erase identifying information entered into form fields.

Review the form for name, email, telephone, address, upload, and other personal-information fields.

Save and Continue has disappeared

This is expected on selected forms. Save and Continue is disabled because Gravity Forms drafts can store identifying information separately.

Remove the form from the anonymization selection if Save and Continue is required and you accept the associated privacy implications.

Form view counts have changed

IP-based view counting is disabled for selected forms. This can affect reports that calculate conversion rates using form-view totals.

Entry counts and submitted answers are not affected.

The Management tab shows zero entries

A zero count means one of the following:

  • The selected forms do not have existing entries
  • Existing entries have already been anonymized
  • None of the managed metadata fields currently contain a value

Confirm that the intended forms are selected on the Settings tab.

The anonymization button is disabled

The button is disabled when:

  • No forms have been selected, or
  • No existing entries contain managed identifying metadata

Select at least one form on the Settings tab and save the settings before returning to Management.

An add-on still has information about the respondent

Third-party add-ons can store or transmit information independently. Review the add-on’s settings, external service, logs, and data-retention behavior.

This plugin cannot delete information held by an outside service.

Plugin activation fails

Confirm that Gravity Forms is installed and active. Anonymous Submissions for Gravity Forms requires Gravity Forms and will deactivate itself if that dependency is missing.

18) Privacy checklist

Before describing a form as anonymous, confirm each of the following:

  • The form is selected under Forms → Anonymizer
  • The form does not request identifying information
  • Save and Continue is disabled
  • Notifications have been reviewed
  • Connected add-ons and webhooks have been reviewed
  • Payment fields are not being used
  • File uploads are not being used, or their risks are understood
  • Analytics and security tools have been reviewed
  • Gravity Forms logging is disabled or appropriately configured
  • WordPress debug logging has been reviewed
  • Web-server logs and their retention policy have been reviewed
  • A test entry has been submitted and inspected
  • Existing entry metadata has been anonymized when necessary

This checklist helps ensure that the entire workflow supports the privacy promise being made to respondents—not just the Gravity Forms entry itself.

19) Getting support

If you need assistance installing, configuring, or troubleshooting Anonymous Submissions for Gravity Forms, contact Syllable Agency support:

https://syllable.agency/support/

When requesting support, include:

  • Your WordPress version
  • Your Gravity Forms version
  • The Anonymous Submissions for Gravity Forms version
  • A description of the behavior
  • Relevant screenshots
  • Whether the issue affects new entries, existing entries, or both

Do not include real respondent answers, IP addresses, license keys, or other sensitive information in a support request.