Written by Admin on 2025-05-06

How to Download Files After Form Submission in WordPress

When creating a website, forms are important for getting user input, feedback and inquiries. More often than not, forms are used to collect user data such as name, email, and phone number. However, some forms may require users to upload files such as resumes, images, or documents.

As a website owner, it is important to have access to these files for various reasons such as reviewing resumes, verifying documents, or simply storing them for future reference. In this article, we will walk you through the steps on how to download files after form submission in WordPress.

1. Install and Activate a Form Builder Plugin

There are many form builder plugins available in WordPress that allows users to create custom forms. Some of the popular plugins include Gravity Forms, Contact Form 7, WPForms, and Ninja Forms. In this tutorial, we will be using WPForms as an example.

To install WPForms, login to your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Plugins -> Add New and search for WPForms. Install the plugin, activate it and follow the on-screen prompts to create your first form.

2. Add File Upload Field to the Form

After creating the form, you need to add a file upload field that allows users to upload files. To do this, select the "File Upload" field from the available form fields and drag it to your form.

Once added, you can customize the field label, maximum file size, acceptable file types, and more. Make sure to save your changes.

3. Configure Notification Settings

After a user submits a form, you need to configure the notification settings to receive an email alert when a form is submitted. This will ensure that you are notified as soon as a file is uploaded.

To accomplish this, navigate to the "Settings" tab in WPForms and select the "Notifications" option. From there, you can customize the email subject, recipient, and message. Make sure to save your changes.

4. Download files of Form Submissions

After a user submits the form, you will receive a notification email. Open the email and click on the link provided to download the files. Alternatively, you can also view and download the files directly within the WordPress dashboard. Navigate to WPForms -> Entries and click on the form name to view the submissions. Click on the "Download" button beside the file to download the file directly.

In conclusion, downloading files after form submission in WordPress is a simple process. By using a form builder plugin such as WPForms and following the above steps, you can easily collect files uploaded by your users and download them directly from the WordPress dashboard.