diff --git a/changelog.d/7137.removal b/changelog.d/7137.removal
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..75266a06bb3d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/7137.removal
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Remove nonfunctional `captcha_bypass_secret` option from `homeserver.yaml`.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/sample_config.yaml b/docs/sample_config.yaml
index 276e43b732f8..2ef83646b320 100644
--- a/docs/sample_config.yaml
+++ b/docs/sample_config.yaml
@@ -872,10 +872,6 @@ media_store_path: "DATADIR/media_store"
 #
 #enable_registration_captcha: false
 
-# A secret key used to bypass the captcha test entirely.
-#
-#captcha_bypass_secret: "YOUR_SECRET_HERE"
-
 # The API endpoint to use for verifying m.login.recaptcha responses.
 #
 #recaptcha_siteverify_api: "https://www.recaptcha.net/recaptcha/api/siteverify"
diff --git a/synapse/config/captcha.py b/synapse/config/captcha.py
index f0171bb5b230..56c87fa296cb 100644
--- a/synapse/config/captcha.py
+++ b/synapse/config/captcha.py
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ def read_config(self, config, **kwargs):
         self.enable_registration_captcha = config.get(
             "enable_registration_captcha", False
         )
-        self.captcha_bypass_secret = config.get("captcha_bypass_secret")
         self.recaptcha_siteverify_api = config.get(
             "recaptcha_siteverify_api",
             "https://www.recaptcha.net/recaptcha/api/siteverify",
@@ -49,10 +48,6 @@ def generate_config_section(self, **kwargs):
         #
         #enable_registration_captcha: false
 
-        # A secret key used to bypass the captcha test entirely.
-        #
-        #captcha_bypass_secret: "YOUR_SECRET_HERE"
-
         # The API endpoint to use for verifying m.login.recaptcha responses.
         #
         #recaptcha_siteverify_api: "https://www.recaptcha.net/recaptcha/api/siteverify"