Plugin and theme conflicts are unfortunately a fact of life with WordPress. Contact Form 7 plugs correctly into the WordPress architecture so that it does not cause conflicts with other plugins and themes.
However there are many plugins and themes that are not so well written. Like many other popular plugins, CF7 is frequently reported as not working in the WordPress Forums when the real cause is conflict from another theme or plugin.
Because it’s so popular, Contact Form 7 acts a bit like a canary in coal mine sniffing out plugin & theme conflicts.
Step by step approach to finding Plugin & Theme Conflicts
1.) Disable (temporarily) all plugins other than CF7
a.) Does it work now? – Turn back on plugins one by one until you find the conflict
b.) You may need to clear the browser cache between each one
2.) Disable (temporarily) your current theme and load one of the WordPress Default themes
a.) Does it work now? – The problem is with your current selected theme
3.) With everything disabled, try (if you can) to correct the problem by reinstalling elements that may have become corrupted.
You may need to :
1.) Deactivate Contact Form 7 and completely delete it. Then re-install it into your WordPress instance.
2.) Reinstall your theme.
3.) Delete and reinstall the plugin causing the conflict.
4.) Re-upload your wp-content folder with a fresh copy.
Common signs you have a Plugin or Theme Conflict
Contact Form 7 is a good WordPress community member in regards to it’s use of JavaScript.
However there are many plugins and themes that are not so well written and a host of CF7 email problems can be due to a JavaScript conflict with either your current WordPress theme or one of the other plugins you are using.
A spinning arrow continuing to spin after submitting a CF7 form, is a common symptom of a JavaScript conflict.
See JavaScript Conflict Problems to look at this issue in more detail.
Contact the developer of the plugin or theme developer causing the conflict
If you identify a conflict with a particular plugin or theme, you can & should write to the plugin or theme developer and suggest they might have a possible conflict with CF7.
CF7 is one of the most popular plugins in the WordPress Plugin Repository, so it makes sense for developers to deal with any potential conflicts.
Also if a plugin or theme conflicts with CF7, it probably also conflicts with many other plugins. It can be a sign of a poorly coded theme or plugin that people should avoid using.
Useful Links
When Plugins Collide: Best Practices For Dealing With WordPress Plugin Conflicts
Conflict Diagnosis Guide for WordPress plugins
Contact Form 7 Troubleshooter
If you would like some help from our support staff & are willing to help us by providing information on your use of Contact Form 7 & CF7 Skins, you should complete the following form:
This form is made with CF7 Skins + CF7 Skins Pro + CF7 Skins Ready + CF7 Skins Multi + CF7 Skins Logic
