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Inaccessible reCAPTCHA audio challenge

Armin Sebastian edited this page Dec 15, 2022 · 8 revisions

You may experience a temporary block when trying to access or solve a reCAPTCHA audio challenge.

Visit the extension's options and install the client app to simulate user interactions and minimize the risk of a temporary block.

You can try to clear your browsing data and change your IP address to bypass the current block. The block could also be lifted on its own after a couple of days. Solving visual challenges as needed, and being signed in with a Google account while browsing the web, could also help increase your trust score, and give you access to the audio challenge.

Ultimately, there is no reliable way to bypass a temporary block, and you may experience it regardless of your use of the extension. If you cannot access the audio challenge by clicking on the headphone button, the extension won't be able to solve the challenge either.

The issue of inaccessible reCAPTCHA audio challenges is also documented in a W3C note that presents an extensive list of reCAPTCHA alternatives.

Most disappointingly, it now appears that audio CAPTCHAs previously available with v2 implementations are now sometimes no longer being provided. Instead users see a message that reads: "Your computer or network may be sending automated queries. To protect our users, we can't process your request right now." Users who have depended on audio CAPTCHA alternatives, who have previously been able to function with reCAPTCHA v2, are thus suddenly and seemingly capriciously locked out and denied service on sites still using V2.