Validation messages and errors

A submission is checked twice: by the visitor’s browser before it is sent, and by the site when it arrives. This page lists what visitors see from the site, and the errors you see when saving a form. Most messages follow the site’s language where a translation exists.

Where messages appear

Field messages appear under the field, which is highlighted and announced to screen readers. They clear when the visitor changes the field.
Form messages appear in a box above the fields, and the page scrolls to it.

Before anything is sent, the browser checks required fields, email format, pattern, date limits and lengths, and shows its own wording, which differs between browsers. On a multi-step form with validate_on_next, those messages appear under the fields when Next is selected.

Field messages

{Label} is the field’s label, or its key made readable when it has none.

Message	When
This field is required.	A required field is empty.
Check this box to continue.	A required single tick box is not ticked.
Choose at least one option.	A required checkbox group has nothing ticked.
{Label} must be a valid email address.	An `email` field holds something that is not an address.
{Label} contains invalid characters.	A `tel` field has characters other than digits, spaces, `+`, `-` and brackets.
{Label} must be a valid phone number.	A `tel` field has fewer than 7 digits.
{Label} format is invalid.	A `text` field does not match its `pattern`.
{Label} must not exceed N characters.	Longer than `maxlength`.
{Label} must be at least N characters.	Shorter than `minlength`.
{Label} has an invalid selection.	A choice that is not one of the field’s options.
{Label} must be a valid date.	A `date` field is not a real date.
{Label} must be on or after {date}. / on or before {date}.	Outside the field’s `min` or `max`.

When any field fails, the form message is Please correct the errors below.

Form messages

Message	Cause
Please wait a moment before submitting.	Sent within 3 seconds of the form appearing. See Spam protection.
Too many submissions. Please try again later.	A rate limit for the visitor’s IP address.
This form is receiving too many submissions. Please try again later.	More than 30 submissions to the form in a minute.
Your first attempt is still being processed. Please wait a few seconds, then try again.	The same submission was sent again, for example by a double tap, while the first was still being saved. Once the first is saved, a repeat gets its success message.
We could not confirm whether your submission went through…	The answer from the site was lost, for example to a timeout. The entry may exist; retrying on the same page does not create a duplicate.
Your session expired. The form has been refreshed.	The security token was rejected twice. The form retries once on its own first.
Input data exceeds maximum allowed length.	A single answer longer than 100,000 characters.
An error occurred processing your submission. Please try again.	An unexpected error on the site.

File upload messages

Message	Cause
This type of file is not accepted here. Allowed file types: {list}	The extension is not in `allowed_types`. Shown as soon as the file is chosen.
File type not allowed.	A blocked type, such as a program file.
This file is larger than {size}. Please choose a smaller file.	Larger than the field’s `max_size`, or the server’s limit if that is lower. Shown as soon as the file is chosen.
Your files add up to more than {size}. Please send fewer or smaller files.	All files in the submission together are over the form’s total.
Your files are larger than this website can accept in one go ({size}). …	The whole submission is over the server’s request limit; raise the host’s `post_max_size`.
This file is not really a {type} file. …	The file is a different type from its name, and that type is not allowed.
This file does not look like a valid {type} file. …	The file’s contents do not start the way that type does, often a damaged or renamed file.
This image appears to be damaged and cannot be opened. …	An image that does not open.
This file contains program code, which we cannot accept for security reasons. …	PHP code inside the file.
This SVG contains scripts or links to other files…	An SVG with scripts, event handlers or links to outside files.
This file is too small to be a real {type} file…	A design file below its minimum size (for example 1 KB for `.ai`).
The file did not finish uploading. Please check your connection and try again.	The connection dropped during the upload.

Until version 1.11.0, most genuine images, PDFs and design files were refused with File contains potentially dangerous content. That check was replaced; the message no longer appears.

Errors when saving a form

Shown above the form on Form Entries → Forms; nothing is saved.

Error	Fix
Invalid JSON syntax: …	A missing comma, quote or bracket, or a trailing comma.
Configuration must have a “fields” array.	Add `"fields": [ … ]`.
The “fields” array cannot be empty.	Add at least one field.
Field at index N is missing required “key” property.	Give the field a `key`.
Duplicate field keys found: …	Make each `key` unique.
Invalid field type …	Use one of the 13 field types.
Field “x” requires an “options” array.	Add `options` to the `select` or `radio`.
Duplicate step keys found: …	Make each step `key` unique.
settings.notification.from_email cannot contain a {field:…} token …	Use a fixed address; put `{field:email}` in `reply_to`.
Form ID must be lowercase alphanumeric with dashes or underscores only.	Change the Form ID.
Webhook URL cannot point to private or internal IP addresses.	Use a public `https://` address.