How to Disable Registration Validation

Introduction

BuddyBoss does not provide a built-in option to disable registration validation. By default, new users must complete the activation/validation process before their accounts become active. However, you can bypass this behavior using a custom function that automatically activates users upon registration.

Custom Workaround

Before proceeding, make sure you have a complete site backup.

1. Go to Appearance > Theme Editor in your WordPress admin dashboard.
2. Under Select theme to edit, choose your active theme (preferably a BuddyBoss Child Theme), then click Select.
3. From the Theme Files list, open Theme Functions (functions.php).
4. Add the following code just before the closing PHP tag (?>):

function disable_validation( $user_id ) {
    global $wpdb;

    // Ensure the user is marked as active
    $wpdb->query(
        $wpdb->prepare(
            "UPDATE $wpdb->users SET user_status = 0 WHERE ID = %d",
            $user_id
        )
    );

    // Get all inactive signups
    $users = $wpdb->get_results(
        "SELECT activation_key, user_login FROM {$wpdb->prefix}signups WHERE active = '0'"
    );

    foreach ( $users as $user ) {

        // Activate the signup
        bp_core_activate_signup( $user->activation_key );
        BP_Signup::validate( $user->activation_key );

        // Assign default role
        $user_id = $wpdb->get_var(
            "SELECT ID FROM $wpdb->users WHERE user_login = '$user->user_login'"
        );

        if ( $user_id ) {
            $u = new WP_User( $user_id );
            $u->add_role( 'subscriber' );
        }
    }
}

add_action( 'bp_core_signup_user', 'disable_validation' );
add_filter( 'bp_registration_needs_activation', '__return_false' );
add_filter( 'bp_core_signup_send_activation_key', '__return_false' );

5. Click Update File to save the changes.

This code automatically activates newly registered users, skips email activation, and assigns them the Subscriber role.

Note: Modifications are typically considered custom work, but we are making an exception in this case. Please review the BuddyBoss Support Policy.

Troubleshooting and FAQs

Q: Users are still receiving activation emails.
A: Make sure all three filters (bp_registration_needs_activation, bp_core_signup_send_activation_key, and the action hook) are present and added correctly. Clear any caching plugins and test again.

Q: Will this affect existing users?
A: No. This only affects new registrations going forward.

Q: Is this safe to use on public sites?
A: Disabling validation increases the risk of spam registrations. It’s recommended to pair this with CAPTCHA, reCAPTCHA, or other anti-spam measures.

Q: Can I revert this change easily?
A: Yes. Remove or comment out the code from functions.php and save the file.

Q: Will this work with custom registration forms?
|A: It works with BuddyBoss/BuddyPress-based registrations. Third-party registration plugins may require additional handling.