Solving CAPTCHAs Automatically with Browserbear: A Beginner's Guide

CAPTCHA-solving tools allow browser automations to access bot-protected sites. In this article, learn how to integrate them with your Browserbear tasks.
by Julianne Youngberg · June 2023

Contents

    Browser automation has become integral to various tasks, ranging from web scraping and testing to data entry and repetitive online activities. But as online security measures evolve, so do the challenges faced by automation enthusiasts. CAPTCHAs, challenge-response tests designed to tell humans apart from bots, can get in the way of browser automation scripts.

    Fortunately, the rise of CAPTCHA-solving tools offers a solution. These tools are designed to automate the process of deciphering and responding to CAPTCHAs, enabling smoother and more efficient workflows. In this article, we will explore exactly what solvers do and how you can incorporate them into your Browserbear automation tasks.

    CAPTCHAs and Browser Automation

    Anyone using the internet will inevitably run into CAPTCHAs. While they can be inconvenient when you’re trying to navigate a website, they help filter malicious bots from accessing sensitive information or performing harmful actions.

    CAPTCHAs can be tricky when you’re setting up a browser task. Automation scripts can be stumped, requiring human intervention. This is where CAPTCHA-solving tools come in handy.

    What are CAPTCHAs?

    CAPTCHAs (Completely Automated Public Turing Test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) are challenge-response tests used to differentiate between humans and bots online. They are typically used to deter spam, automated abuse, and other kinds of malicious online behavior. CAPTCHAs come in many forms, such as:

    • Image-based
    • Audio recognition
    • Text recognition
    • Checkbox
    • reCAPTCHA

    Websites often employ CAPTCHAs to protect the more sensitive parts of their sites, especially those regarding user and payment information.

    How do CAPTCHA solvers work?

    Since they’re built to identify humans, CAPTCHAs can pose significant challenges for browser automation scripts. Automated tools have emerged to solve these puzzles, making it easier to incorporate browser automation into your workflows.

    There are two main types of CAPTCHA solvers:

    1. Technology-powered solvers: These employ various algorithms and techniques such as Optical Character Recognition (OCR) or Artificial Intelligence (AI) to recognize simpler types of CAPTCHAs, such as text.
    2. Human-powered solvers: These connect users to a team of people who quickly solve and submit answers.

    In the following sections, we will explore how you can use CAPTCHA solvers specifically with Browserbear.

    How to Solve CAPTCHAs with Browserbear

    The Solve Captcha action in Browserbear makes it possible to access bot-protected websites. This is invaluable for automated tasks such as filling out forms or testing login pages.

    Here's how you can add a CAPTCHA-solving action to a Browserbear task:

    Step 1. Get a 2Captcha API Key

    Browserbear uses 2Captcha to access bot-protected sites. 2Captcha solves a variety of CAPTCHA types for an affordable fee, including text-based puzzles and reCAPTCHA.

    To connect 2Captcha to Browserbear, you'll have to create an account, add funds, then get your API key.

    Create a 2Captcha Account

    Go to the 2Captcha website and click Sign up.

    Screenshot of 2Captcha home page

    Register an account by inserting an email and password, then agreeing to the Terms of Service. You can also sign up with Google or Facebook.

    Screenshot of 2Captcha registration page

    Verify your account via email to complete your registration.

    Add Funds to Your Account

    From your dashboard, click the Add funds button.

    Screenshot of 2Captcha dashboard

    Choose from the list of payment methods and insert how much you'd like to add to your account.

    Screenshot of 2Captcha balance replenishment page

    Then, fill out your payment information and submit your order.

    After your payment has been processed, you'll see the funds appear on your dashboard.

    Get Your API Key

    Your 2Captcha API key can be found on your dashboard by scrolling down to the Account settings section.

    Screenshot of 2Captcha dashboard with red arrow pointing to API Key

    Copy your key and save it to use in the next step.

    Step 2. Connect 2Captcha to Browserbear

    To add the captcha solver to Browserbear, you first have to select the right workspace. Click on the profile icon on the top right corner of your dashboard, then click Workspaces.

    Screenshot of Browserbear dashboard with red arrow pointing to Workspaces

    Select the applicable workspace from the Workspaces list.

    Screenshot of Browserbear Workspaces page with red arrow pointing to selected workspace

    Click Settings.

    Screenshot of Browserbear My Workspace page with red arrow pointing to Settings

    Now, insert your 2Captcha API key in the Captcha api key field.

    Screenshot of Browserbear Workspace Settings page

    Click Save.

    Step 3. Add the “Solve Captcha” Action to Your Task

    The Solve Captcha can be added to any task at the specific point where the automation encounters a CAPTCHA, such as when a web form is submitted.

    Add a Solve Captcha Step

    From your task page, click Add Step.

    Screenshot of Browserbear task page

    Select the solve_captcha action and specify the CAPTCHA type (supported types are reCAPTCHA V2 and hCaptcha).

    Screenshot of Browserbear solve_captcha action setup

    Click Save.

    Add a Click Step

    Add another step from your task page, and select the click action. Insert the XPath config for the Submit button in the Helper section, which you can acquire using the Browserbear Helper Chrome extension.

    Screenshot of Browserbear click action setup

    Bear Tip 🐻: For more help using the Browserbear Helper Chrome extension, refer to this article!

    Click Save.

    And that’s it! You should now be able to complete the rest of your task, run it, and make further adjustments as needed.

    Conclusion

    Solving tools have emerged to solve the challenge of CAPTCHAs getting in the way of browser automation scripts. Someemploy algorithms and OCR/AI techniques to recognize simpler CAPTCHAs, while others connect users to a team to solve and submit answers.

    Browserbear integrates with 2captcha to offer the "Solve Captcha" action, which allows you to access bot-protected websites for tasks such as:

    • Submitting web forms
    • Completing registration pages
    • Testing login pages

    Simply by getting a 2Captcha API key, connecting the service to Browserbear, and adding a solve CAPTCHA action to your task, you can access a variety of sites that would otherwise be limited by these protective measures.

    About the authorJulianne Youngberg@paradoxicaljul
    Julianne is a technical content specialist fascinated with digital tools and how they can optimize our lives. She enjoys bridging product-user gaps using the power of words.

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    Solving CAPTCHAs Automatically with Browserbear: A Beginner's Guide
    Solving CAPTCHAs Automatically with Browserbear: A Beginner's Guide