---
title: "How to Receive Reviews From Non-Registered Users in ReviewX"
description: "Allow guest and non-registered customers to leave reviews without an account."
url: "https://reviewx.io/docs/how-to-receive-reviews-from-non-registered-users/"
updated: "2026-09-30"
category: Configuration
tags:
  - FAQ
  - ReviewX
  - WooCommerce
  - WordPress
---

# How to Receive Reviews From Non-Registered Users in ReviewX

Requiring customers to create a user account and log in before leaving product feedback can severely reduce review submission rates. Many online shoppers prefer quick guest checkouts and will abandon the review process if confronted with registration forms or forgotten password prompts.

**ReviewX** enables store owners to accept authentic reviews from non-registered guest users while maintaining strong anti-spam defenses, multi-criteria evaluations, and media attachments.

  ![ReviewX Guest Reviews and Non-Registered Customer Submission Settings](https://reviewx.io/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/rvx_guest_reviews_policy_annotated-scaled.png)

Essential Best Practice: Enable reCAPTCHA & Moderation

When accepting reviews from anyone (including non-registered users), always pair the setting with **Google reCAPTCHA v2 / v3** or Math-based reCAPTCHA and set **Review auto approval** to OFF. This ensures all incoming guest reviews enter a moderation queue where administrators can verify their legitimacy before they go live on your storefront.

## How ReviewX Handles Guest Reviewers

ReviewX includes a robust data architecture designed specifically for non-registered users:

1. **Guest Submission Form:** When non-registered users open the review form on single product pages, ReviewX renders clean input fields for **Name** and **Email Address** alongside ratings, criteria sliders, and photo upload zones.
2. **SaaS Identity Tracking:** ReviewX generates a unique guest identifier using `CustomerPayload::guest($email, $name)` with a deterministic hash based on `md5(lowercase email)`.
3. **Account Migration Resilience:** If a guest shopper later registers for an account using that same email address, ReviewX automatically maps their historical guest reviews to their new user profile.
4. **Moderation Queue:** Guest submissions are saved in `wp_comments` with `comment_approved = 0` (pending), triggering an admin notification for prompt review and approval.

## Step-by-Step Guide: Enabling Guest Reviews

### Step 1: Open Review Settings

In your WordPress admin panel, go to **ReviewX → Reviews** and click on the **Review settings** tab.

### Step 2: Set Submission Policy to "Anyone"

Under **Who can send reviews on your shop?** (marked with **Badge 1** in the illustration above):

- Select the **Anyone** radio button.
- This opens review submission capabilities to all visitors, including guest purchasers and non-registered shoppers.

### Step 3: Configure Review Auto-Approval

Locate the setting titled **Review auto approval** (marked with **Badge 2**):

- For guest reviews, we strongly recommend toggling this switch **OFF**.
- Incoming guest submissions will be held in pending status until approved by a store administrator under **ReviewX → Reviews → Pending**.

### Step 4: Enable reCAPTCHA Protection

Navigate to **ReviewX → Settings → Security Settings** and activate **Google reCAPTCHA** or select **Math-based reCAPTCHA**. This prevents automated spam bots from flooding your product pages with low-quality comments.

### Step 5: Enable Consent Checkbox (GDPR Compliance)

In **Review settings**, scroll down to **Allow consent checkbox** and switch it ON. This adds a GDPR-compliant opt-in checkbox confirming that the customer consents to having their name, email, and review stored and displayed on your website.

### Step 6: Save Settings

Click **Save** to activate guest review capabilities across your storefront.

## Guest Moderation Workflow

Managing incoming guest reviews in ReviewX is quick and straightforward:

| ReviewX Admin Action | Description | Storefront Impact |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Approve | Accepts the review and moves it to published status. | Immediately visible on the product page and included in aggregate star scores. |
| Spam | Marks submission as spam and flags the IP/email. | Permanently hidden from storefront and excluded from ratings. |
| Trash | Moves review to the trash bin for eventual deletion. | Omitted from product reviews and statistics. |

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Will guest reviews receive a Verified Owner badge?

If the guest buyer enters the exact email address used during a past WooCommerce checkout, ReviewX automatically identifies the order and attaches the **Verified Owner** badge. If the guest has no matching purchase record, the review is published without the verified badge.

### Can non-registered users upload photos and videos?

Yes. If **Allow photo review** and **Allow Video review** are enabled in Review settings, guest users can attach media files alongside their ratings.

### Can I disable guest reviews for specific products only?

ReviewX submission policies apply per post type. If you need product-level restrictions, you can set the global policy to *Only verified owners* and invite specific non-buyers via direct email invitations.

## Related Guides

- [How to Receive Reviews Only From Verified Purchasers](https://reviewx.io/docs/how-to-receive-reviews-only-from-verified-purchasers/)
- [How to Show a Verified Purchaser Badge in ReviewX](https://reviewx.io/docs/verified-badge/)
- [How to Configure Google reCAPTCHA Protection in ReviewX](https://reviewx.io/docs/setup-recaptcha/)
- [How to Display a Censored Reviewer's Name in ReviewX](https://reviewx.io/docs/how-to-display-censored-reviewers-name/)