Captcha FAQ

What happened to the text version of the captcha?

4chan doesn't support it anymore. Google shut it down on its end in 2018.

Sometimes I can post without filling out the captcha. Why is that?

Recently 4chan is allowing users who have completed a captcha successfully to post for a little less than 3 minutes before they are required to solve another one. This is done via a cookie set at post submission, and so requires cookies to be enabled.

The captcha is making me solve multiple tedious "click until gone" puzzles. Why does this happen and is there any way I can make it less annoying?

Google solves harder captchas to users its "risk analysis" engine believes are more likely to be bots. We don't know everything that it uses to make its decision, but we know that solving many captchas makes you look more like a bot, and the HTTP headers you send are important.

In some cases, this issue can be cleared up by deleting your Google cookies, signing in/out of Google, or configuring your privacy settings (e.g. allowing forging rather than blocking referrers).

(Update: As of 2019 Dec 15, the noscript captcha appears to have been disabled on 4chan.) You can also try checking the "Force Noscript Captcha" option. This will give you the captcha you'd get if Javascript was disabled, with some convenience enhancements from 4chan X. Google calls this a harder captcha, but in my and other users' experience, it is much easier. You may have to solve it multiple times, but there will be no "click until gone" puzzles. The downside is that for some users, Google will block them from using the noscript version of the captcha entirely.

Audio captcha may also be easier for some users.

The captcha says "Your computer or network may be sending automated queries. To protect our users, we can't process your request right now." What is happening and how can I fix this?

Google has blocked you from using Recaptcha entirely. If the strategies for the above question don't work, you can try changing your IP address, waiting it out, bypassing the captcha with a pass, or using other sites.

Can the captcha be automated? What is the captcha's effect on spam?

The captcha can be trivially automated by inputting a large number of random guesses, using multiple proxies to circumvent Google's rate limiting. Some have reported success with neural networks. The captcha does not stop spambots, but can slow them down. Spamming can also be done by paying humans for captcha solves. The Buster extension can be used to solve the audio version of Recaptcha.

Why do I have to copy a code when "Force Noscript Captcha" is turned on but other users don't?

Having to copy a code is the default behavior of Google's no-script fallback captcha, but 4chan X automates the process as part of the "Captcha Fixes" feature. If this feature is disabled or not working, you may need to copy the code yourself. Currently there is a bug in Greasemonkey 4 causing userscripts not to work on pages loaded in frames, which breaks the "Captcha Fixes" features. If this is important to you, try using Violentmonkey or Tampermonkey for now.

What else does "Captcha Fixes" do?

It allows you to solve captchas with the number pad or the "uiojklm,." characters. And if using the mouse on the noscript captcha, it allows you to click anywhere in the square instead of just on the checkbox.

What alternatives are available if I don't want to or can't solve the captcha or buy a pass?

The Buster extension can be used to solve the audio version of Recaptcha.

You can buy solved CAPTCHAs at captcha.guru, 2captcha, and similar services. They're a bit slow, but sufficient for image dumping. Depending on how much you post, this can be cheaper than a Pass, and it doesn't require cryptocurrency to purchase. 4chan X has integrated support for services that use 2captcha's API. Go to Advanced > Captcha Solving Service in the settings panel to set it up.

(Update: As of 2019 Dec 15, the noscript captcha appears to have been disabled on 4chan.) If you're thinking of buying a Pass because of annoying "Click verify once there are none left" captchas, you may be able to get rid of them for free by checking Force Noscript Captcha in your settings.

Most imageboards either don't require captchas to post at all or require them only in limited circumstances. Consider using another site. 4chan X works on many Tinyboard-based sites by default, and if your preferred site isn't on the default list, you can enable 4chan X on it by following these instructions.

If you know any other alternatives to a Pass / captcha, feel free to add them to this page.