Use the visual editor
Write the short link text, select it, choose Insert or edit link and enter exactly $regurl$ or $url$ as the destination. Do not add https:// before the variable.
Contest Gallery documentation
Contest Gallery documentation
Build WordPress photo, video and mixed-media galleries with uploads, voting, comments, accounts and ecommerce.
Contest Gallery 33.xFREEPROLast verified August 2026
Choose what you want to do
Start with a complete workflow or open the guide for the feature you are configuring.
Start here
Create your first gallery
Create a gallery, add entries, publish the shortcode and verify the result.
Open guide →DisplayGallery and entry views
Configure gallery controls, full-window entry views and dedicated entry landing pages.
Open guide →ParticipationUpload form and activation
Build the frontend form and configure activation and email notifications.
Open guide →EngagementVoting and comments
Configure one-star, average or cumulative voting with optional or required comments.
Open guide →IdentityRegistration, login and PIN
Protect participation with WordPress accounts, email PIN verification or Google Sign-In.
Open guide →ReferenceShortcodes
Find the correct shortcode for galleries, uploads, accounts and ecommerce.
Open guide →PROEcommerce
Sell shipped products, downloads, services or upload-based products with PayPal or Stripe.
Open guide →PRO integrationPayPal setup
Connect Sandbox and Live credentials and verify a complete test checkout.
Open guide →PRO integrationStripe setup
Connect test and live API keys and configure supported payment methods.
Open guide →PRO integrationGoogle Sign-In
Create a current Google web client and connect it to Contest Gallery.
Open guide →SupportTroubleshooting and FAQ
Resolve common shortcode, cache, voting, email and payment problems.
Open guide →Documentation that follows the plugin
Current interface
Every guide is verified against Contest Gallery 33.x and uses the labels visible in the plugin.
FREE and PRO
Edition badges show which steps are available in each version without duplicating the complete guide.
Safe examples
Credentials, personal email addresses and real customer data never appear in screenshots.
Documentation overview. Explore the current gallery, upload form builder and two-step voting experience.
Make email links clickable
Contest Gallery email editors support $regurl$ for registration confirmation links and $url$ for entry confirmation or activation links. Use only the variable shown in the email editor you are configuring.
Use the HTML editor
Registration example: <a href="$regurl$">Confirm your registration</a>
Entry example: <a href="$url$">View your entry</a>
Send a real test
Trigger the relevant frontend workflow and verify the received email, destination URL and mobile rendering before opening the form publicly.
Visual editor example
First select the text that should become the clickable link. Then open the WordPress link editor and use the Contest Gallery variable as the destination.
$regurl$ or $url$ as the URL and keep the remaining link fields empty.HTML editor example
In Text or Code view, enter the complete anchor element directly. Keep the variable inside the href attribute.
Keep this URL stable: Current and earlier Contest Gallery versions link directly to this section.
Open the upload and activation email guide → Open the registration and login guide →