The Ultimate Guide to Gravity Forms Shortcodes 2025

If you’re using WordPress, chances are you’ve heard of Gravity Forms—one of the most powerful form builder plugins available. It’s flexible, user-friendly and packed with features that make creating forms a breeze. But what truly sets Gravity Forms apart is its use of shortcodes. Shortcodes allow you to embed forms anywhere on your website without touching a single line of code. Want to display a form in a blog post? Done. Need to pre-fill fields dynamically? Easy. In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about Gravity Forms shortcodes, from basic usage to advanced techniques.

What Are Gravity Forms Shortcodes?

Shortcodes in WordPress are simple snippets of text enclosed in square brackets (e.g.,

Oops! We could not locate your form.

). These snippets act as placeholders that tell WordPress to render a specific element—in this case, a Gravity Form. Instead of manually inserting a form’s HTML code, you can use a shortcode to place the form anywhere on your site.

Why Use Shortcodes in Gravity Forms?

✅ Flexibility – You can insert forms anywhere, including posts, pages, widgets, and custom post types.
✅ Customisation – Shortcodes let you tweak form settings without modifying the form itself.
✅ Dynamic Behaviour – You can pre-populate fields, control visibility, and even track submissions.

Shortcodes make Gravity Forms more powerful and versatile, helping you streamline your workflow.

Chat with our friendly team about your Gravity Forms custom form design needs

Getting Started with Gravity Forms Shortcodes

Installing and Activating Gravity Forms

Before using shortcodes, you need to install and activate the Gravity Forms plugin. Since it’s a premium plugin, you’ll need a valid licence. Once installed, create a form from Forms > Add New in your WordPress dashboard.

Understanding Shortcode Syntax

The most commonly used shortcode format in Gravity Forms is:

html

                
                        
                            Get Started
                            
                        

                        Your Email*

Here’s a breakdown:

id="1" – Specifies the form ID (change this to match your form).

Additional attributes that are commonly used include:

title="false" – Hides the form title.
description="false" – Hides the form description.
ajax="true" – Enables AJAX to submit the form without page reload.

Where to Place Gravity Forms Shortcodes in WordPress

You can insert Gravity Forms shortcodes almost anywhere in WordPress:

📌 Posts & Pages – Simply paste the shortcode into the content editor.
📌 Widgets – Add a shortcode in a text widget.
📌 Custom Templates – Use shortcodes inside theme files via PHP

Common Gravity Forms Shortcodes and Their Uses

Embedding a Basic Form

To display a form, use:

html

                
                        
                            WP Runner Activate Account
                            
                        

                        Your Website URL*
Your WordPress Admin Username*
Your WordPress Admin Password*
Your Website Hosting / cPanel URL*
Your Website Hosting / cPanel Username*
Your Website Hosting / cPanel Password*

Just replace the ID with your actual form’s ID, and the form will appear on the page.

Pre-Populating Form Fields

Using Query Strings for Pre-Population

Want to fill in form fields automatically? Add values to the URL:

url

https://yourwebsite.com/form-page/?name=John&[email protected]

Or, modify the shortcode like this:

html

                
                        
                            WordPress Developer Job Application
                            
                        

                        Your name
Your email
                            
                        
Your application letter
Please add some links to your previous work

Dynamic Population via Hooks and Filters

For advanced users, Gravity Forms provides filters that allow dynamic population via PHP. For example:

php

add_filter('gform_field_value_name', function() {
return 'John Doe';
});

This pre-fills the “name” field with John Doe.

Customising Form Display with Parameters

Hiding the Title and Description

If you don’t want the form title and description to appear, use:

html

                
                        Your Name
Your Email
                            
                        
Your Website URL
Tell Us About What You Do

Enabling AJAX for a Seamless User Experience

Want to submit forms without reloading the page? Enable AJAX:

html

                
                        
                            Referral
                            
                        

                        Your name*
Your email*
                            
                        
Your contact number
Your website address (if you have one)
How can we help?
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Who referred you to us?

Setting the Form’s Default Tab Index

To control the order in which fields are selected when users press “Tab”:

html

                
                        
                            Contact Us
                            
                        

                        Facebook
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Your Name*
Email Address*
                            
                        
Contact Number
Message*

Advanced Gravity Forms Shortcode Techniques

Displaying Form Entries with Shortcodes

Gravity Forms allows you to display submitted form entries using third-party plugins like GravityView:

html

[gravityview id="7"]

Conditional Shortcodes for Form Visibility

You can hide or show forms based on user roles or conditions using conditional shortcodes like:

html

                
                        
                            Book a Call
                            
                        

                        Your name*
Your email*
                            
                        
Your contact number
Your website address (if you have one)
Date*
					
				
				
			
Please choose one or two times between 9am - 5pm AEST.*

This makes the form visible only to logged-in users.

Embedding Forms Within Other Content Types

Shortcodes work inside custom post types, WooCommerce pages, and even pop-ups, making them incredibly versatile.

Troubleshooting Gravity Forms Shortcodes

Common Issues and How to Fix Them

⚠️ Shortcode Displays as Plain Text – Make sure you’re using the correct format.
⚠️ Form Not Appearing – Check that the form ID is correct.
⚠️ AJAX Not Working – Ensure your theme or plugins aren’t blocking AJAX requests.

Shortcodes Not Working? Here’s What to Check

Ensure Gravity Forms is Installed and Activated.
Test on a Default WordPress Theme to rule out theme conflicts.
Disable Other Plugins to check for compatibility issues.

Best Practices for Using Gravity Forms Shortcodes

Keeping Shortcodes Organised and Maintainable

If you’re using multiple shortcodes, document them within your content to keep track of their functions.

Optimising Forms for SEO and Performance

Enable AJAX to improve form submission speed.
Minimise unnecessary fields to reduce load times.

Ensuring Compatibility with Themes and Plugins

After updating your theme or plugins, test your forms to ensure they still function correctly.

Conclusion

Gravity Forms shortcodes make it effortless to embed and customise forms within WordPress. Whether you’re a beginner looking for a simple form solution or an advanced user aiming for dynamic field population, mastering these shortcodes will enhance your form-building capabilities.

Now that you’ve got the shortcode magic in your hands, go ahead and optimise your forms like a pro! 🚀

Frequently asked questions

1. Can I use Gravity Forms shortcodes in Elementor?

Yes! Simply paste the shortcode into an Elementor Shortcode Widget, and the form will appear.

2. How do I find my form ID for the shortcode?

Go to Forms > All Forms in your WordPress dashboard. The ID is listed next to each form.

3. Can I use multiple Gravity Forms shortcodes on the same page?

Absolutely! Just make sure each form has a unique ID to prevent conflicts.

4. Do Gravity Forms shortcodes work with caching plugins?

Yes, but if you experience issues, exclude form pages from caching to ensure proper functionality.

5. Is there a shortcode for displaying Gravity Forms submission data?

Yes, but you’ll need GravityView or a custom plugin to display form entries dynamically.