How to Set Up SureForms with Autoptimize

Use this guide to configure Autoptimize while keeping SureForms submissions, field validation, and payments working.

Before you begin

Update SureForms and your optimization plugin. Save your current settings and test changes on a staging site when possible. Avoid running the same JavaScript optimization in multiple plugins.

With SureForms 2.6.0 or later, form pages generally do not need a page-cache exclusion. SureForms uses a time-based security token instead of a WordPress nonce. Do not treat the token’s validity as an unlimited cache lifetime. For older versions, update or exclude pages containing forms.

1. Keep dynamic requests out of page caching

Autoptimize Free optimizes and caches assets; it does not provide full-page caching. Do not look for a Never Cache URLs field in its standard settings. If a host, another plugin, or Autoptimize Pro provides page caching, exclude these dynamic URL groups in that caching layer:

/wp-json/sureforms/
/wp-json/sureforms-pro/
/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php

/wp-json/sureforms/
/wp-json/sureforms-pro/
/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php

Use that caching layer’s supported matching syntax so the SureForms namespaces and all their child routes bypass caching. If you use Autoptimize Pro, confirm the active page-cache engine and its exclusions before enabling caching of dynamic requests.

The SureForms namespace covers submissions and Stripe webhooks. The Pro namespace covers Pro features and PayPal webhooks. admin-ajax.php handles requests such as payment intent creation. Omit the Pro rule if Pro is not installed.

Reference: Autoptimize features and page caching

2. Exclude SureForms JavaScript

Open Settings → Autoptimize → JS, CSS & HTML. In Exclude scripts from Autoptimize, append the following comma-separated entries. Keep all existing exclusions, including WordPress dependencies.

plugins/sureforms/, plugins/sureforms-pro/,
js.stripe.com, paypal.com/sdk/js

plugins/sureforms/, plugins/sureforms-pro/,
js.stripe.com, paypal.com/sdk/js

Under Misc Options, turn off Minify excluded CSS and JS files (the wording may vary). Otherwise an excluded, unminified file may still be minified.

Reference: Autoptimize exclusion behavior

SureForms scripts to identify

Core: formSubmit.js and frontend.min.js. Payments: stripe-payment.js and payment-manager.js. These are normally under the sureforms plugin folder.

Pro, when active: pageBreak.js, datePicker.js, conditional-logic.min.js, file-upload.js, signature.js, signature_pad.umd.min.js, repeater.js, and the Save & Resume bundle. Find their actual URLs under the sureforms-pro folder or the browser’s Network panel; filenames can change.

3. Check script loading options

Keep SureForms and payment scripts out of any Async JavaScript list under Extra. For a compatibility-first setup, leave aggregation of inline JavaScript off. If a Pro delay feature is active, exclude these scripts there too or turn it off for testing.

A plugin folder exclusion does not necessarily exclude inline initialization code or WordPress dependencies. If the console reports a missing variable, ask support to identify the related script and its dependency rather than excluding all JavaScript.

4. Keep payment scripts external

For payment forms, ensure Stripe.js loads directly from Stripe and the PayPal SDK loads directly from PayPal. Do not combine them into local bundles, block them, or replace them with locally cached copies.

https://js.stripe.com/v3/
https://www.paypal.com/sdk/js

https://js.stripe.com/v3/
https://www.paypal.com/sdk/js

Use the actual SDK URL loaded by your form when an exact URL is required. PayPal URLs can include query parameters. These external scripts do not belong in your site’s page-cache URL exclusion list.

5. Clear the cache and test

Click Save Changes and Empty Cache (or Save changes & clear cache). Then purge any separate page cache so cached HTML does not reference old optimized files.

Open the form in a private or incognito window. Test once, reload, then test again so the checks include cached pages. Repeat on desktop and mobile.

Submit a test entry. Confirm the success message or redirect and the saved entry under SureForms → Entries.

Check required fields, multi-step navigation, conditional logic, uploads, and other active Pro features.

For payments, use test or sandbox mode. Confirm fields load, payment completes, and the status updates. Check Save & Resume if enabled.

Troubleshooting

Temporarily turn off Optimize JavaScript Code, save, and clear the relevant caches. Retest before re-enabling it. If needed, also disable inline JS/CSS minification under HTML options while investigating.

If submissions still fail, inspect the /wp-json/sureforms/ request in Developer Tools → Network. Check the status and JSON response. HTML can indicate caching, a redirect, or a security block; it does not prove a cache problem.