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How I Auto Delete WordPress Form Entries (& Stay GDPR-Compliant)

25 August 2025 at 10:00

Have you checked your old WordPress form submissions lately? 🤔

Forms are one of the best ways to connect with visitors. You might use them for questions, orders, surveys, or even donations. But once those entries are answered or processed, what happens to them?

If you’re not managing your submissions, all that personal data just piles up in your database. That can create many problems.

For example, many privacy rules like the GDPR say you can only keep personal details for as long as they’re needed, so holding on to them indefinitely could put your site at risk. Auto-deleting also keeps your form inbox uncluttered so you only see what’s relevant.

The good news is that WPForms has a feature that automatically deletes old entries for you. I’ve used this on my own sites, and it’s saved me hours of cleanup while keeping things fast and compliant.

In this guide, I’ll show you exactly how to set it up.

Auto Delete Form Entries in WordPress (GDPR-Friendly)

Why Should You Auto Delete Form Entries in WordPress?

Auto-deleting old form entries in WordPress keeps your site fast and secure while reducing the risk of storing unnecessary personal data. It’s also an easy way to stay compliant with privacy laws.

Privacy regulations like the GDPR and CCPA require that you only keep personal data for as long as it’s needed. That means once a visitor’s question has been answered or an order is fulfilled, you shouldn’t hold on to those details indefinitely.

Here are the other main benefits of auto-deleting entries:

  • Lower security risks: Deleting old entries limits the personal information available with you.
  • Improve performance: Keep your WordPress database lean and your site fast.
  • Smaller backups: Save storage space and make backups quicker to run.
  • Clarity & organization: Auto-deleting keeps your records clean and manageable.

I’ve seen this firsthand on small business sites I’ve helped set up. For example, freelancers or coaches often get daily inquiries through a contact form. Once those messages are answered, there’s no reason to store them indefinitely.

WordPress contact form example

👉 In short: auto-deleting old form submissions protects user data, speeds up your site, and helps you focus only on the entries that matter.

In the next section, I’ll show you how to set up auto deletion step by step. You can use the quick links below to jump straight to different parts of the tutorial:

How to Auto Delete Form Entries in WordPress

The easiest way to delete form entries automatically is by using WPForms, the best drag-and-drop form builder plugin for WordPress.

To handle form entry cleanup, WPForms offers an Entry Automation addon, which lets you set up automated tasks like deleting or exporting entries for specific forms.

You can choose exactly when the task should run — daily, weekly, monthly, or on a custom schedule. You can even set rules to only delete entries with specific data or a certain status.

WPForms homepage

At WPBeginner, we use WPForms for everything from simple contact forms to advanced surveys, and we’ve tested the Entry Automation addon thoroughly. It works reliably behind the scenes and helps you keep your sites GDPR-compliant.

If you want to learn more about the plugin, check out our full WPForms review, where we evaluate all its features.

Now, let’s walk through how to set up form entry deletion, step by step.

✅ Step 1: Install and Activate WPForms

To get started, you’ll need to install and activate the WPForms plugin on your WordPress site.

If you haven’t done this before, don’t worry — it’s easy! We have a step-by-step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin that walks you through the process.

🚨 Note: WPForms has a free version. However, the Entry Automation addon is only available with the Elite plan.

This version also includes other powerful features for business owners, like advanced payment integrations, surveys and polls, and premium support. That makes it a great choice for growing businesses.

After you activate the plugin, go to the WPForms » Settings page from your WordPress dashboard to add your license key. Make sure you are in the ‘General’ tab.

Note: You can find your license key number in your WPForms account profile in the Downloads tab.

WPForms license key field

Once you enter your license number, click the ‘Verify Key’ button.

Now, all the premium features available in your plan, including access to addons like Entry Automation, will be unlocked.

Next, go to the WPForms » Addons page in your WordPress admin sidebar and look for the ‘Entry Automation’ addon.

Install and activate the Entry Automation addon

When you find it, simply click the ‘Install Addon’ button to activate it on your website.

✏️ Step 2: Choose or Create the Form You Want to Auto Delete Entries From

Now that WPForms is set up, the next step is to choose or create the form you want to auto delete entries from.

If you’re working with an existing form, just go to the WPForms » All Forms page in your WordPress dashboard.

Find the form you want to use and click the ‘Edit’ link under its name.

Click the Edit link to open the form in the WPForms visual builder

This will open the form in the visual builder.

If you don’t have a form yet, then you can create a new one by going to the WPForms » Add New page.

Start by giving your form a name, like ‘Contact Form’ or ‘Support Request.’ I recommend choosing a title that clearly defines the purpose of the form.

Choose a form template in WPForms

Then choose a template that fits your needs. WPForms offers many beginner-friendly templates, like a simple contact form, a quote request form, a feedback form, and more.

If you’re not sure which template to use or want help getting started, then you can click ‘Generate with AI’ to try the AI Form Builder.

WPForms AI Builder

In the field that says ‘What would you like to create?’ just describe the type of form you want.

For example, you could write “a basic contact form with name, email, and message,” and it will generate the layout for you.

Once you have opened your new or pre-existing form in the drag-and-drop builder, you can add fields like name, email, phone, message, dropdowns, checkboxes, and more.

Form in form builder

You can easily move them around to customize the layout however you want — no coding needed.

If it’s your first time creating a form, you might find these tutorials helpful:

Once you’re happy with your form, you’re ready for the next step.

💡 Step 3: Back Up Your Data by Exporting Entries First (Optional but Recommended)

Before setting up the automatic deletion, I strongly recommend that you back up your form data first.

While auto-deleting entries helps keep your website clean and compliant, the insights you get from that data can be very valuable for your business.

This is where you can create a smart workflow: first, automatically save the data you need for business analysis in a secure, off-site location.

Then, have the old personal data removed from your WordPress site. This is the best way to balance data analysis with GDPR compliance.

For example, I know business owners who send new lead forms straight to their CRM so they can track sales without worrying about old entries piling up.

Nonprofits I’ve worked with have downloaded donor surveys into a CSV file at the end of a campaign so they can review the results, then clear the original entries to protect privacy.

Choose the Export Entries option in WPForms

The good news is that the same Entry Automation addon makes exporting or downloading entries just as easy as deleting them.

For a step-by-step walkthrough, see our tutorial on how to auto-export form entries in WordPress.

🔁 Step 4: Create a Deletion Task for the Form

Once you’ve set up your exporting workflow, you’re ready to set up the deletion automation.

To do this, go to the Settings » Entry Automation tab in the left-hand menu of the WPForms builder. Here, you can create tasks that automatically export or delete form entries based on your schedule and rules.

Once you’re in the ‘Entry Automation’ tab, simply click the ‘Add New Task’ button.

Click the Add New Task button in WPForms

A pop-up will appear asking you to name your task. I recommend choosing something simple and clear, like ‘Auto Delete Contact Entries‘ or ‘Cleanup Task for Survey.’

Naming your tasks helps you quickly recognize them later if you ever want to make edits or check your automation settings.

This task will work like a mini workflow that runs behind the scenes.

☝ Keep in mind that if you want to auto-delete entries for other forms, you’ll need to repeat this process for each one.

However, you can create multiple automation tasks for the same form — for example, one to export entries to Google Drive, and another (like this one) to automatically delete old data.

After you add a title, just click the ‘OK’ button.

Add a name for the auto form entry deletion task

On the next screen, choose ‘Delete Entries’ as the task type.

Doing this will open some new settings on your screen.

Choose Delete Entries as task type in WPForms
🧹 Step 5: Set Up Filters to Control What Gets Deleted

After choosing to delete entries, you’ll see the Filters section. This part gives you precise control, so you only remove what you don’t need.

First, you can filter entries based on what users type into your form fields. This is perfect for automatically cleaning out low-priority submissions.

For instance, a popular blog might receive dozens of guest post submissions and reader questions, and many of these are off-topic pitches or spam.

In this case, setting up a filter to delete entries where the ‘Inquiry Type’ field is marked as ‘Guest Post Pitch’ or ‘Spam’ helps keep the inbox focused on genuine reader questions and high-quality submissions.

Add filters to delete specific form entries

Next, you can filter entries by their status. This is really useful for getting rid of junk submissions and incomplete entries.

The available statuses are:

  • Published – Fully submitted entries.
  • Partial – Entries where someone started the form but didn’t finish.
  • Abandoned – Incomplete entries that timed out.
  • Spam – Entries flagged as spam by tools like CAPTCHA.
  • Trash – Entries you have already moved to the trash.

I always recommend selecting ‘Partial’ and ‘Spam’ here. It’s an easy way to automatically clear out clutter from your database.

Delete form entries based on status in WPForms

You can even combine these filters for more powerful automation.

For instance, you could set up a rule to delete only ‘Published’ entries that are related to a past event or a closed job application.

🗓️ Step 6: Schedule Automatic Deletion of WordPress Form Entries

Once your deletion settings and filters are all set up, the final step is to schedule when WPForms should run the automatic cleanup.

To do this, scroll down to the ‘Schedule’ section.

Here, you can easily decide how often you want the deletion task to run — daily, weekly, or monthly — depending on how often you want to clear out old or unwanted entries.

Next, choose the specific day(s) for the task to run. For example, you might want to delete entries every Friday, or on the 1st of each month.

You can even add a start date and an optional end date if this is a short-term cleanup.

Schedule Form entries deletion in WPForms

By default, the task will run at midnight (based on your website server’s time), but you can customize the time to fit your workflow, like after office hours or before your team starts their day.

Once you save the schedule, WPForms handles everything in the background — automatically deleting entries based on your settings without any manual effort.

🚨 Important: Just as a final reminder, this deletion is permanent. Once an entry is gone, it cannot be recovered from WordPress, which is why I recommend exporting it first if the data is important.

Finally, click the ‘Save’ button at the top to store your settings.

If you’re editing an existing form, then the deletion schedule will start running automatically — no extra steps needed.

However, if you’ve just created a new form with this auto delete feature, make sure to embed it on a page or post so it can start collecting entries.

Adding WPForms block

📌 Need help with that? Check out our step-by-step guide on how to embed a form in WordPress.

🔐 Bonus: Go Beyond Auto Deletion — Make Your Forms GDPR Compliant

Once you’ve set up automatic form entry deletion to reduce data and stay GDPR-friendly, you can take things further by enabling additional privacy features in WPForms.

It’s one of the best GDPR-friendly plugins available and offers several built-in tools to help you limit personal data collection, request user consent, and support compliance across your site.

Here’s how you can improve compliance with just a few clicks:

  • Add a GDPR Agreement Field: Use this to get clear consent from users before collecting their data. It’s required and unselected by default to meet GDPR standards.
  • 🔒 Turn Off User Tracking: Disable the collection of IP addresses, user agent info, and cookies to reduce data collection from the start.
  • 🧾 Allow Data Access and Deletion Requests: Build forms that let users request to view or delete their personal info, as required by law.
  • ⚙️ Adjust Settings Per Form: Choose which forms collect sensitive data and apply stricter rules only where needed.

These features work together to make your entire data collection process more transparent, secure, and compliant.

For a complete walkthrough, check out our tutorial on how to create GDPR-compliant forms in WordPress.

Frequently Asked Questions About Deleting Form Entries in WordPress

Now, let’s answer some of the most common questions our readers have about automatically deleting form entries in WordPress.

How does auto deleting entries help with GDPR?

GDPR requires you to store personal data only as long as necessary. By auto deleting entries after a certain period, you minimize data retention risks and stay compliant. It also shows users that you care about their privacy.

What is the best schedule for deleting form entries?

That depends on your site’s needs. For busy sites, daily or weekly deletion keeps things clean. For lower-traffic sites, monthly might be enough.

WPForms gives you the flexibility to choose a schedule that works for you. Plus, you can change it anytime you like. Just set it, and WPForms will handle it automatically in the background.

Can I delete form entries from all forms at once?

The auto-delete feature in WPForms is designed to work on a per-form basis. This means you will need to enable it individually for each form where you want to use it, and you can set up different rules. For example, you might want to delete contact form entries quickly but keep survey responses for a longer period.

What happens when an entry is auto deleted?

When WPForms auto-deletes an entry, it’s permanently removed from your WordPress database. It won’t be sent to the Trash or stored in a backup inside WPForms. That’s why it’s a good idea to export important entries before the deletion runs, just in case you need them later.

Can I stop WPForms from storing entries at all?

Yes, you can! WPForms has a feature that lets you disable entry storage completely. This is useful if you just want to receive form submissions by email and don’t want to keep them in the database. It’s a great option for GDPR compliance and data minimization.

📚 More Tips to Stay GDPR-Compliant in WordPress

Want to go beyond auto deleting entries? We’ve put together some helpful guides to make your WordPress site even more privacy-friendly.

Whether you’re new to GDPR or just want to tighten things up, these resources will walk you through each step:

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post How I Auto Delete WordPress Form Entries (& Stay GDPR-Compliant) first appeared on WPBeginner.

How to Auto Export WordPress Form Entries (The Easy Way)

4 August 2025 at 10:00

If you regularly collect form submissions in WordPress, then exporting that data manually can quickly become a chore. Whether you’re tracking leads, orders, or feedback, downloading all those entries one by one takes time, and it’s easy to miss something important.

Unfortunately, WordPress doesn’t offer a built-in way to auto export form entries. But with WPForms, I discovered that I could automate the entire process using their export tool—no need to install extra plugins or mess with custom code.

Instead of manually downloading CSV files or copying data from the dashboard, WPForms saves entries in clean, structured files on a schedule you can control.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to set up automatic form exports in WPForms so that your submissions stay organized without any extra effort.

Auto Export WordPress Form Entries

Why Auto Export WordPress Form Entries?

Automatically exporting WordPress form entries lets you save and organize data from those form submissions without any manual effort.

Instead of logging in to download submissions every time someone fills out a form, you can automatically send the data to your email, cloud storage account, or another connected app.

It’s a simple way to keep everything sorted, backed up, and accessible, without having to think about it.

Most WordPress website owners rely on forms to collect leads, orders, feedback, or bookings. But once submissions start adding up, manually managing them takes more and more time. That’s where auto export becomes really useful.

With automatic exports, you can:

  • Back up form entries to a location you control.
  • Cut down on repetitive admin work.
  • Keep your data organized and easy to access.
  • Avoid missing or overlooking submissions.
  • Simplify your reporting and follow-up process.

Once it’s running, auto export takes care of everything in the background, so you can focus on the work that actually moves your site forward.

Now, I’ll show you how to auto export form entries using WPForms:

How to Auto Export WordPress Form Entries

The best way to auto export WordPress form entries is by using WPForms, which is the best contact form plugin for WordPress.

It comes with a powerful Entry Automation addon designed exactly for this purpose.

Whether you want to email reports regularly, back up submissions to Google Drive, or automatically delete entries after they’re processed, this addon quietly handles everything in the background—no manual steps required.

WPForms' homepage

At WPBeginner, we use WPForms ourselves to create all kinds of forms, from simple contact forms to our annual reader survey.

We’ve also tested all its features thoroughly and included them in our detailed WPForms review.

It’s one of those tools that just works and saves us time behind the scenes, which is why I confidently recommend it to beginners and pros alike.

Plus, getting started with it is quick and easy.

Step 1: Install and Activate the WPForms Plugin

First, you need to install and activate the WPForms plugin.

If you’re not sure how to do this, then we have a step-by-step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin to help you out.

👉 Note: WPForms offers a free version that you can use to create basic contact forms. However, the Entry Automation addon is only available with the Elite plan.

Upon plugin activation, you have to activate your license key. To do this, go to the WPForms » Settings page in your WordPress dashboard and add your license key.

You can get this information from your account area on the WPForms website. This will unlock all the features available in your plan, including access to premium addons like Entry Automation.

WPForms license key field

Now that your license is active, head over to the WPForms » Addons page from your WordPress admin sidebar.

Here, look for the ‘Entry Automation Addon’ in the list. Once you find it, click the ‘Install Addon’ button to activate it on your website.

Install and activate the Entry Automation addon
Step 2: Set Up the Form You’ll Use for Automatic Exports

Now that WPForms and the Entry Automation addon are active, it’s time to create the form with the entries you want to export automatically.

To get started, visit the WPForms » Add New page in your WordPress dashboard and a name for your form.

Then, you can either choose a premade template like a contact form, registration form, or feedback form—or build one from scratch using the drag-and-drop builder.

If you want to speed things up even more, WPForms includes an AI Form Builder that can generate a complete form for you in seconds.

All you have to do is type in a short prompt, like ‘a simple customer feedback form,’ and the AI will instantly create a form with the right fields, layout, and structure. I’ve tested this feature myself, and it works really well.

Choose a form template in WPForms

Now, you will be taken to the visual builder where you can easily customize your form by dragging fields from the left panel into your form layout on the right.

You can add fields like Name, Email, Dropdowns, Checkboxes, File Upload, and more based on the type of information you need to collect.

Form in form builder

If you’d like more help building the right form, I’ve got you covered. At WPBeginner, we’ve written step-by-step tutorials to walk you through different form types:

Once your form looks good, you can configure its confirmation email settings. Then, click the ‘Save’ button at the top to store your changes.

Step 3: Set Up Automatic Export for Your Form Submissions

Now that your form is ready, it’s time to automate your exports so that you don’t have to manually download form entries ever again.

To do this, switch to the Settings » Entry Automation tab in the WPForms builder. This is where you’ll manage everything related to automatic exporting and deleting entries.

To begin, click the ‘Add New Task’ button.

Click the Add New Task button in WPForms

Once you do that, a prompt will open up, where you have to give a name to your task. I recommend choosing something clear like ‘Weekly Contact Form Export to Email’ so it’s easy to remember later.

This task will be like setting up a small workflow for your form. You can even create multiple tasks for one form, such as one task to send weekly email reports and another to back up entries to Google Drive.

After entering the name, click the ‘OK’ button to move forward.

Add a name for your automation task in WPForms

Next, you’ll be asked to choose a task type.

WPForms gives you two options: Export Entries and Delete Entries. For now, you need to select the ‘Export Entries’ option.

You can always come back later and set up a deletion task if needed. For example, to automatically remove old submissions after 30 days.

Choose the Export Entries option in WPForms

After choosing to export entries, you’ll see a few settings related to how your export file should be named. You can type a name manually, but I recommend using Smart Tags.

These tags can automatically pull in things like the form name or the date, which helps keep your files organized without any extra work on your part.

Just click the Smart Tag icon to see your options and insert the ones that make sense for you.

Choose a file name for export file with smart tags in WPForms

Next, let’s talk about how your form entries will be exported and where they’ll end up. I recommend choosing your file format first — this determines how your data will be organized when it’s sent out.

WPForms gives you several file types to pick from, and each one has its own advantages:

  • CSV – The default option, perfect for spreadsheet tools like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets.
  • Excel (XLSX) – This format preserves basic styling and structure, making reports look cleaner and more professional right out of the box. I recommend this option if you plan to share the file directly with clients or non-techy people who use Microsoft Excel.
  • PDF – Great for clean, printable summaries. I like this option when I want something polished to share in a meeting.
  • JSON – Best suited for developers or users integrating the data into other systems or apps.
Choose a file format for export files in WPForms

Once that is done, it’s time to decide where the exported file should go.

WPForms lets you automate this too, so you don’t have to manually send or upload anything. Here are your destination options:

  • Email – Send the export to one or more email addresses.
  • Google Drive – Save a copy of the export directly to your Google Drive account.
  • Dropbox – Store the file in your Dropbox folder for easy sharing and access.
  • FTP – Upload the export to a server using FTP. This option is designed for more advanced users or developers who need to send data to a custom application or a separate server.

Once you select your destination, WPForms will walk you through the connection steps.

For example, if you choose ‘Email’, then you will need to add the email address where the entries would be sent. On the other hand, if you choose Dropbox, then you will have to integrate it with WPForms.

Choose where to export form entries in WPForms

However, you don’t need to worry, since the plugin makes the process super beginner-friendly. Just follow the steps on the screen.

Step 4: Choose Form Fields and Apply Entry Filters Before Exporting

After setting your export format and destination, scroll down to configure what data should be included in the export and whether you want to filter the entries.

First, you’ll see the ‘Entry Information’ section. This area is neatly divided into two parts: Form Fields and Additional Information, giving you full control over what gets shared.

Under ‘Form Fields’, you’ll see the actual fields from your form—like Name, Email, and Comment or Message. Just check the boxes for the fields you want to include.

If you’re exporting a longer form with multiple inputs, you can use the ‘Select All’ option to save time.

Choose form fields to add in the exported file in WPForms

Then there’s the ‘Additional Information’ section. This includes extra details that WPForms tracks automatically, like Entry ID, Entry Date, Entry Notes, and Type.

You can select any combination of these fields to customize your export. I’ve found this especially useful if you only need a few key pieces of information for a weekly report or want to hide internal notes before sharing a file externally.

Choose Additional Information to add in exported file in WPForms

Below that is the ‘Filter’ section. This is where you can narrow down your export to include only the entries that meet certain conditions—for example, submissions from a certain date range or entries that include specific responses.

By default, WPForms sets the filter to ‘Any Field contains’, but you can customize this to narrow down entries based on specific form fields and values.

For example, if your contact form includes a dropdown like ‘Reason for Contact’, you could filter to only export entries where the reason is ‘Support Request’ or ‘Business Inquiry’.

This helps keep your exports focused on the types of messages you care about most.

Filter form entries based on different conditions in WPForms

You can also filter based on the status of the entry. WPForms lets you choose whether to include entries that are Published, Abandoned, or marked as Spam.

I recommend this filter if you want clean, finalized submissions in your export, or if you want to analyze incomplete or flagged messages separately.

Filter form entries based on publication status in WPForms

Additionally, you can choose to export all contact form entries or just the new submissions since your last export. This is a useful option for automating reports without duplicating data.

Once you’ve chosen which fields and filters to apply, WPForms will tailor the export exactly to your needs.

Use the export filter in WPForms
Step 5: Schedule WordPress Form Entries Export

Once your export settings and filters are in place, the final step is to schedule when you want WPForms to run the export automatically.

For this, scroll down to the ‘Schedule’ section.

You can start by choosing how often the export should happen. You can set it to run daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on how often you need updates.

Schedule Form entries export in WPForms

Next, pick the specific day(s) you want the export to run—like every Monday or the 1st of each month. You also need to add a start date and, optionally, an end date if you’re only exporting for a limited time.

WPForms will run the export at midnight by default, but you can customize the time of day to fit your team’s workflow or reporting schedule.

Once that’s done, the plugin takes care of the rest—automatically generating and sending the export file exactly as you configured.

💡Bonus Tip: To start collecting entries, you’ll also need to embed the form you just configured into a page on your website. For details, check out our step-by-step guide on how to embed forms in WordPress.

Step 6: Add a Task to Delete Form Entries After Export (Optional)

Once your form is live and the automation is running, you can go one step further by setting up a separate task to delete the entries after they’ve been exported.

WPForms doesn’t bundle this into the export task itself. Instead, you’ll need to create a new task with the ‘Delete Entries’ option and configure it to run after the export.

Don’t forget to toggle the ‘Run After Previous Task’ switch to make sure the tasks run in sequence.

Add the Delete Form Entries task in WPForms

You can even drag to reorder the tasks, so deletion only happens once the data has been safely exported.

This is a great way to keep your WordPress database lean and prevent data bloat. A smaller database helps your site run smoothly and makes your website backups smaller and faster to complete.

Drag and reorder automation tasks in WPForms

It’s also a good data privacy practice. 

By not storing user data on your website longer than necessary, you reduce risk and can more easily comply with privacy regulations like GDPR.

Step 7: Monitor Everything from the Automation Dashboard

If you’re managing multiple forms or scheduling regular exports, then having a clear overview of all your automated tasks is a game-changer.

The Automation Dashboard in WPForms makes this easy by showing all active tasks in one place.

I found this incredibly helpful when testing the feature because it gave me instant visibility into what was running, when, and whether everything was working as expected.

You can access it by going to the WPForms » Tools » Entry Automation page, where you’ll be able to:

  • View all forms with automation tasks configured.
  • Review task types, schedules, and current status.
  • Confirm whether export or delete tasks have run successfully.
Form entry automation dashboard

It’s the simplest way to stay organized and ensure everything is running exactly as planned.

🔄 Bonus: Take Automation Even Further with Uncanny Automator

Automatically exporting data from your WordPress forms is just one way you can save time. I also recommend setting up more automated workflows with Uncanny Automator.

It is the best WordPress automation plugin and comes with built-in integration for WPForms, so you can trigger powerful workflows the moment someone submits a form.

Uncanny Automator

While WPForms’ Entry Automation is perfect for managing the entries themselves (like exporting or deleting them), Uncanny Automator lets you use a form submission as a trigger to perform actions in other plugins or apps.

For example, you can automatically send a notification to Slack, create a new user account, enroll someone in a course, or even generate a WooCommerce coupon when someone fills out a form.

Creating an automation workflow for WPForms and Google Sheets

This can save you tons of time and streamline tasks that used to take hours. It’s a great way to level up your site’s automation without writing any code.

To get started, just see our tutorial on how to create automated workflows in WordPress with Uncanny Automator.

Frequently Asked Questions About WordPress Form Entries

Here are some questions that are frequently asked by our readers about auto exporting WordPress form entries:

What are the limitations of using email to auto export form data?

The main limitation is that the data isn’t stored in a central dashboard. Instead, it lives in your email inbox. That means you’ll need to manually sort, organize, or back up the data if you want to keep records long-term.

There’s also a higher risk of missing something important if your inbox gets cluttered.

In my experience, this setup works well for smaller sites or solo business owners who just want a quick way to check form entries without logging into WordPress.

But as your site grows, you might need something more scalable.

When that time comes, WPForms makes it easy to switch to cloud storage options like Dropbox or Google Drive, so your entries are always backed up and easy to manage.

Is there a way to stop form spam from being exported?

Yes. WPForms includes built-in spam protection tools like Google reCAPTCHA, hCaptcha, and its own smart honeypot feature that help block junk submissions before they ever reach your inbox.

On top of that, WPForms also has a form entry filter that ignores abandoned or partial form submissions. That means your exports only include complete and legitimate entries, which saves time and keeps your records clean.

For details, see our guide on how to block contact form spam in WordPress.

Can exporting form entries reduce database bloat?

Yes, this helps keep your database clean and optimized. When you export entries and then delete them from WordPress, you avoid unnecessary data buildup. This makes backups faster and your admin area more responsive.

Will auto-exporting form entries slow down my WordPress site?

No, auto-exporting form entries won’t affect your site’s speed if set up correctly.

The export process happens in the background, so visitors won’t notice any slowdown when submitting a form. Think of it like a scheduled task on your computer—it runs quietly at a set time without interrupting what you’re doing. 

I didn’t experience any performance issues during testing, even on a site with multiple forms running.

I hope this article helped you learn how to auto export WordPress form entries. You may also be interested in our beginner’s guide on how to create GDPR compliant forms in WordPress and our list of best practices for contact form page design.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post How to Auto Export WordPress Form Entries (The Easy Way) first appeared on WPBeginner.

How to Create a Do Not Sell My Info Page in WordPress

11 July 2025 at 10:00

Creating a website that people trust starts with protecting their personal information.

Privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA are designed to help with that, but they can feel confusing when you’re just trying to do the right thing.

Many of these rules ask you to add a ‘Do Not Sell My Info’ page to your site, and it’s not always clear where to start. I’ve been there myself.

After trying several different approaches, I found a step-by-step method that actually works for beginners.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the exact process I use to build a professional ‘Do Not Sell My Info’ page in WordPress. I’ll also show you how to handle incoming requests, so you can protect your visitors’ privacy and stay compliant with international data laws.

How to Create a Do Not Sell My Info Page in WordPress

⚠️ The term ‘Do Not Sell My Info’ comes directly from the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

Adding this page to your site also helps you follow Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This is because you’re giving visitors a way to stop their personal data from being processed, which meets the GDPR’s Right to Object requirement.

However, the GDPR does not specifically say you must add a ‘Do Not Sell My Info’ page to WordPress.

Why Do You Need a ‘Do Not Sell My Info’ Page?

A ‘Do Not Sell My Info’ page gives your visitors a clear way to say they don’t want their personal data shared with outside companies. In many cases, this is required by law, but it’s also a smart way to build trust.

Some site owners assume that these kinds of privacy laws don’t apply to them because they’re not selling anything.

But under some laws, like the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), “selling” personal information doesn’t just mean trading it for money. It can also include sharing user data with other companies for things like ads, tracking, or analytics—even if no money is involved.

For example, if your site uses ad networks, tracking pixels, or embedded YouTube videos, then you may still be seen as “selling” or “sharing” personal information under these laws.

Because the definitions are so broad, adding a ‘Do Not Sell My Info’ page helps you stay on the safe side of privacy rules while giving users more control over how their information is used.

As a website owner, it’s important to follow these laws and give your visitors real control over their data. While each regulation is different, most require you to let users opt out of having their personal information shared or sold to third parties.

An example of a 'Do not sell my info' page in WordPress

This type of page is a specific requirement under the CCPA. Even though the GDPR doesn’t mention it by name, adding a ‘Do Not Sell My Info’ page can help meet its requirement to give users control over how their data is used.

But this isn’t just about legal compliance.

When visitors see that you take privacy seriously, they’re more likely to sign up for your email list, make a purchase, or stick around longer.

Overall, a ‘Do Not Sell My Info’ page helps meet modern privacy expectations and makes your site more trustworthy in the process.

How to Create a Do Not Sell My Info Page in WordPress

With privacy regulations getting stricter all the time, creating a ‘Do Not Sell My Info’ page is no longer just a good idea, but a legal requirement.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the process of creating a ‘Do Not Sell My Info’ page on your WordPress website step-by-step. I’ll also show you how to manage user requests effectively, so you stay on the right side of the law.

Step 1. Set Up WPConsent

The easiest way to add a Do Not Sell My Info page in WordPress is by using WPConsent. This is the best privacy compliance plugin that helps you meet key privacy standards by giving users more control over their personal data.

WPConsent includes helpful features like cookie banners, privacy policy generators, and a consent log to track user permissions, which are all useful if you’re ever audited.

It also offers a Do Not Track addon, which lets you create a dedicated form page in just a few clicks. Visitors can fill out this form to tell you not to sell their personal information.

An example of a 'Do Not Sell My Info' page, created using WPConsent

These requests are stored locally in a custom table on your site, so you can review and respond to them right away.

⭐ We use WPConsent to manage user consent and display cookie banners across all our websites, including WPBeginner. This firsthand experience has shown us how effective and straightforward WPConsent is to use. 

Want to learn more about our direct experiences with WPConsent? Then be sure to check out our in-depth WPConsent review.

If you’re working with a limited budget, there’s also a free version of WPConsent available on WordPress.org.

It includes many essential features to help you comply with laws like the GDPR.

The free WPConsent WordPress privacy and compliance plugin

To use the Do Not Track addon, you’ll need the premium version. If you need help upgrading, take a look at our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Once the plugin is active, you’ll see a quick onboarding wizard that walks you through setup, usually in under five minutes.

When you’re ready, click the ‘Let’s Get Started’ button to begin.

Setting up a WordPress compliance and privacy plugin

This setup wizard will guide you through several important tasks, such as scanning your site for third-party scripts and creating a cookie popup.

Completing these steps will help you comply with crucial privacy laws like the Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL), so I encourage you to go through the entire onboarding process.

After you’ve finished the setup, WPConsent will take you back to the WordPress dashboard.

Step 2: Create a WordPress Page 

WPConsent lets you add a Do Not Sell My Info form to any page or post on your WordPress site. However, to keep things simple, I suggest creating a new page especially for this important form.

In your WordPress dashboard, head over to Pages » Add Page.

How to add a new page to your WordPress blog or website

You can now give this page a clear title, something like ‘Do Not Sell My Info.’ You can also add any other information you think is important, such as an introduction explaining what the form is for and why someone might want to use it.

When you’re happy with how the page looks, save it as a draft for now.

Step 3: Install the Do Not Track Addon

WPConsent includes tools to help you follow major privacy laws right away. But if you want to add a Do Not Sell My Info page, then you’ll need to install an extra addon.

In your WordPress dashboard, go to WPConsent » Do Not Track. When that screen loads, just click the ‘Install Do Not Track Addon’ button.

How to install the privacy-conscious Do Not Track add-on

After a moment, WPConsent will automatically install and activate the addon for you.

Step 4: Create the ‘Do Not Sell My Info’ Form

Next, you need to head over to WPConsent » Do Not Track, and open the ‘Configuration’ tab.

Configuring the WPConsent compliance form

Here, you’ll be able to choose where the form should appear.

Simply open the ‘Do Not Track Page’ dropdown and select the page you created earlier. This will automatically add a basic form to that page.

Adding a privacy form to your WordPress website, blog, or online store

By default, the form includes a few essential fields:

  • First Name
  • Last Name
  • Email

These are needed to identify the visitor, so WPConsent won’t let you remove them.

That said, you can update the labels if you want to use different wording—just change the text in the ‘Field Label’ box.

Customizing the field labels on a GDPR, CCPA, or similar form

If you need more details from your users, you can also enable extra fields like:

  • Address
  • ZIP Code
  • City State
  • Country
  • Phone

To include one, just check the box that says ‘Enable this field.’

Adding more fields to your WordPress compliance form

These extra fields are optional by default.

But if there’s something you want to make mandatory, you can check the ‘Make this field required’ box.

Marking fields as compliant in WordPress

Just like before, you’re free to update any of the field labels to match your site’s tone.

Once everything looks the way you want, scroll to the bottom and click the ‘Save Changes’ button.

Making a privacy and compliance form live on your website

Step 5: Adding the Form to Your Page

Now, you’re ready to add this form to the page you created earlier. In your WordPress dashboard, open that page for editing. 

Find the spot where you want to add the form and click the + icon.

Adding a compliance form to a WordPress page or post

In the box that appears, start typing ‘Shortcode’ to find the right block.

When the shortcode block appears, click on it to add it to the page.

Adding a shortcode block to your WordPress website

You can now paste the following shortcode into the block: 

[wpconsent_do_not_track_form]

With that done, simply publish the page as you normally would.

You can now visit your WordPress blog or website to see the ‘Do Not Sell My Info’ page in action.

Step 6: Add Links to Key Areas

Now that you’ve created a ‘Do Not Sell My Info’ page, it’s important to make it easy for visitors to find.

One way to do this is by inserting a link from your Privacy Policy page to your ‘Do not sell info’ page. You might also consider placing it in a prominent spot like your website footer.

Adding links to your website's privacy policy

These small steps can go a long way in building trust. When visitors see that you’re open about your data practices, they’re more likely to feel confident browsing your site.

Step 7: Manage Incoming Requests 

Now that everything is set up, WPConsent will automatically log each request and display it in your WordPress dashboard. This makes it easier to stay on top of privacy requests as they come in.

To check your current requests, go to WPConsent » Do Not Track and make sure the ‘Requests’ tab is selected. You’ll see a list of all submissions along with key details for each one.

Tracking incoming 'do not sell' requests

How you respond depends on how you manage customer information. For example, you might add a note to your CRM tool to mark the user as opted out.

You can also export your list of requests as a CSV file. This can be helpful for recordkeeping or auditing.

To do that, just open the ‘Export’ tab under WPConsent » Do Not Track.

Exporting 'do not sell my info' requests from the WordPress dashboard

First, click the ‘From’ field and choose a start date.

Then, select the end date by clicking the ‘To’ field.

How to create a detailed compliancy log

By default, WPConsent includes all requests, both processed and unprocessed.

If you only want to see requests that still need attention, it’s a good idea to check the box that says ‘Export only “not processed” entries.’

Exporting user records from WordPress to prove compliancy

Planning to act on those requests right away?

You might also want to check the box that says ‘Mark exported data as processed.’ That way, WPConsent will automatically update the status in your dashboard.

How to automatically mark 'do not sell my personal info' requests as completed

If you do that, make sure to follow through and complete each request. That helps keep your dashboard accurate.

Once everything’s ready, simply click the ‘Export’ button to download your CSV file.

Exporting your compliance log as a spreadsheet

If you didn’t mark them as processed automatically, you’ll need to close each one manually. To do that, hover over the request in your dashboard and click the ‘Mark as processed’ link.

Processed requests will be clearly labeled, so you can quickly see which ones are still open.

Managing your 'do not sell my info' page in WordPress

What to Do When Someone Opts Out

When one of your website visitors asks you not to sell or share their personal information, logging the request is just the first step.

The next step is to delete that user’s personal data from your website.

Fortunately, WordPress includes a built-in erase tool that lets you remove a user’s data on request.

You can find it by going to Tools » Erase Personal Data in your dashboard.

How to access the built-in WordPress Erase Personal Data tool

Using this tool helps you stay compliant with laws like the CCPA and GDPR, especially if you’ve collected contact information through forms, comments, or email signups. It’s a simple way to make sure you’re following through on privacy requests.

Do Not Sell My Info Pages: FAQs

Data compliance is a serious topic, so it’s understandable if you still have some questions.

To help you out, I’ve collected all the most frequently asked questions about setting up a ‘Do Not Sell My Info’ page in WordPress.

What is WPConsent, and why should I use it?

WPConsent is a comprehensive plugin designed to help WordPress website owners comply with various privacy regulations, such as the Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados (LGPD), CCPA, and GDPR. 

WPConsent makes it easier to create and manage essential privacy pages and features on your site, allowing you to meet legal requirements and build trust with your audience.

How does a ‘Do Not Sell My Info’ page differ from other privacy pages?

A ‘Do Not Sell My Info’ page serves a specific purpose: it lets users opt out of the sale of their personal data. This is required by various privacy laws, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

Typically, your website will have other privacy-related pages, but they won’t offer this particular function.

Can I use other privacy plugins alongside WPConsent for enhanced compliance?

Yes, you can use WPConsent with other privacy and security tools. For example, you might use WPConsent to manage your ‘Do Not Sell’ requests. At the same time, you might use a plugin like Sucuri to check your site for security weaknesses that could cause a data breach.

What should I do when a user sends me a ‘do not sell’ request?

Once you receive a request, you need to make sure you honor it properly. This means updating your internal data handling practices in order to reflect the user’s wishes.

For example, you might need to:

  • Update your records: Mark the user’s profile in your database or CRM system. For example, you could add a ‘Do Not Sell’ tag to their contact record in your CRM software. This makes it clear to your team that their data should not be sold.
  • Notify relevant teams: Ensure everyone involved in data processing knows about the request. After that, they can avoid any actions that would violate the user’s preferences.
  • Review data flows: If you share data with third parties, then confirm this user’s data is no longer included in those transfers.
  • Document the action: Keep a clear record of when you received the request and how it was processed. This documentation will also help you demonstrate compliance if you’re ever audited. The good news is that some tools log all user requests automatically, such as WPConsent.

If you don’t honor these requests, then you could face legal penalties, including significant fines and serious damage to your website’s reputation.

With that in mind, it’s essential that you take immediate action every time you get a ‘Do Not Sell’ request.

Is it important to regularly update the ‘Do Not Sell My Info’ page?

Absolutely. Regular updates are vital to ensure you’re complying with the latest legal requirements. 

Privacy laws can evolve over time, and new regulations might come into effect. By keeping your page up-to-date, you can avoid potential penalties and other legal issues.

You also need to ensure your compliance reflects any changes you make in how you handle data. For example, if you start collecting new types of data or partnering with new third parties, then your ‘Do Not Sell My Info’ page should reflect those changes.

When it comes to reviewing and updating your ‘Do Not Sell My Info’ page, I recommend adding this task to your website maintenance checklist.  

Additional Resources for Privacy Compliance

Navigating data privacy can be complex, but having the right resources to hand makes things much easier.

With that said, here’s a list of extra articles and guides to help you continue your compliance journey:

I hope this guide has helped you add a Do Not Sell My Info page to your WordPress website. Next, you may want to see our expert picks for the best WordPress security plugins or our ultimate WordPress security guide.

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The post How to Create a Do Not Sell My Info Page in WordPress first appeared on WPBeginner.

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