Go to CF7Mate → Settings and turn on Save and continue. It starts off. Open the form in Contact Form 7, click the CF7 Mate tab and open Save progress. Tick Allow users to save their progress and return later, then click Save. It only works on forms where you tick that box.

Same browser only. Progress is tied to a random key in the visitor's browser storage. Another browser or device starts empty. Seven days. Saved progress expires after seven days. No email links. CF7 Mate does not send "resume your form" emails. No files. Uploaded files are not saved. The visitor attaches them again. Bounded. Very large or unusual saves are refused, and saving too often is briefly paused.

Save and Continue: Let Visitors Finish Later

Q: What does the visitor see?

A Save progress button appears under the form. Answers are also saved as the visitor types. A short status line confirms each save. When they come back in the same browser, their answers are filled in again and they see Progress restored. Fields that depend on an answer show or hide to match. Ticked and unticked checkboxes and multi-select choices come back as they were. After a successful submission, the saved progress is deleted and the browser gets a fresh key for next time.

Visitors can save a half-finished form and pick it up in the same browser for up to seven days. Turn it on for the site, then for each form that needs it.

Save and continue lets a visitor stop halfway and come back later. Their answers wait in the same browser for up to seven days. They do not need an account.

How do I turn it on?

Go to CF7Mate → Settings and turn on Save and continue. It starts off.
Open the form in Contact Form 7, click the CF7 Mate tab and open Save progress.
Tick Allow users to save their progress and return later, then click Save.

It only works on forms where you tick that box.

What does the visitor see?

A Save progress button appears under the form. Answers are also saved as the visitor types. A short status line confirms each save.

When they come back in the same browser, their answers are filled in again and they see Progress restored. Fields that depend on an answer show or hide to match. Ticked and unticked checkboxes and multi-select choices come back as they were.

After a successful submission, the saved progress is deleted and the browser gets a fresh key for next time.

What are the limits?

Same browser only. Progress is tied to a random key in the visitor’s browser storage. Another browser or device starts empty.
Seven days. Saved progress expires after seven days.
No email links. CF7 Mate does not send “resume your form” emails.
No files. Uploaded files are not saved. The visitor attaches them again.
Bounded. Very large or unusual saves are refused, and saving too often is briefly paused.

Where is the saved progress stored?

In your WordPress database, as temporary data that expires on its own. The browser only keeps the random key. The key is never stored with responses or sent to webhooks. Mention saved progress in your privacy notice.

FAQ

Does save and continue work with multi-step forms?

Yes. It suits long forms best. Answers in every step are saved.

A visitor cleared their browser data. Can they get their answers back?

No. Without the key in their browser, the saved progress cannot be found. It expires on its own after seven days.

Why is the Save progress button missing?

Check both switches: the site-wide feature, and the box in the form’s Save progress section. Then save the form.

What should I do next?

Split long forms into steps, and show only the fields that matter with conditional logic.