There are websites where you may encounter prompts to solve a puzzle to prove you are not a robot. While this is an effective way to prevent hackers from using bots to access these sites, it can also be a significant time-waster. It becomes even more frustrating if you accidentally misclick and have to start the puzzle all over again.
Most internet users find these annoying CAPTCHAs frustrating. CAPTCHA stands for “Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart.” They can take several forms, including:
1. Checkboxes: You are asked to confirm that you are not a robot by clicking a box.
2. Graphics: You have to click on specific images as prompted.
3. Text input: You need to type a series of characters into a textbox.
4. Multimedia: You may be required to watch or listen to an audio or video clip and then answer a question to gain access to the site.
Regardless of their form, CAPTCHAs can be a significant drain on your time. However, there are CAPTCHA-bypassing browser extensions or plugins available that can automatically solve these puzzles for you, saving you from spending unnecessary minutes proving your humanity.
Some popular options include reCaptcha Solver, Buster, 2Captcha, DeathByCaptcha, and Anti-Captcha. These services utilise advanced algorithms to crack captchas, saving you time and hassle. Just remember to use them responsibly and in accordance with the website’s terms of service.
- Go to Google and search for “reCaptcha Solver”
- Click on the result, and install the extension.
- Add it to Chrome, and that’s it—no settings needed.
Once it’s active, every time a captcha challenge pops up, you’ll see a small yellow icon with a checkmark next to it (see image on the right). Just click on it, and your challenge is instantly solved!
The very tests intended to distinguish humans from machines are now being routinely bypassed by those same machines. It’s just like telling AI to prove it’s human, and AI saying, ‘Challenge accepted!’ That’s Incredible!
Conclusion
While browser extensions offer a current workaround, the future of CAPTCHA may lie in automated solutions built directly into browsers. Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are both exploring ways to auto-skip CAPTCHAs, potentially eliminating the need for them altogether in many cases.
As reported by Tapiwa Mutisi, these browsers are experimenting with features that allow websites to store a ‘proof of humanity’ token, which can then be used by other sites to verify the user without requiring them to solve a CAPTCHA every time. Read more about the report here: Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge could soon auto-skip CAPTCHAs
