# Send Contact Form 7 Messages to the Post Author

> When a Contact Form 7 form is placed on a post, listing or profile page, the message goes to that post's author instead of the site admin.

- Type: PHP
- Runs: Run everywhere
- Category: [Forms](https://wpide.com/library/category/forms/)
- Tags: contact-form-7, notifications, authors
- Author: WPIDE Team
- Installs: 0
- Updated: 2026-10-28
- Page: https://wpide.com/library/cf7-email-post-author/

## Code

```php
$wpide_cf7_author_post_types = array( 'post' ); // Post types whose author receives the message.

add_filter( 'wpcf7_mail_components', function ( $components, $contact_form = null, $mail = null ) use ( $wpide_cf7_author_post_types ) {
    $submission = class_exists( 'WPCF7_Submission' ) ? WPCF7_Submission::get_instance() : null;

    if ( ! $submission || ( $mail && method_exists( $mail, 'name' ) && 'mail' !== $mail->name() ) ) {
        return $components;
    }

    $post = get_post( (int) $submission->get_meta( 'container_post_id' ) );

    if ( ! $post || ! in_array( $post->post_type, $wpide_cf7_author_post_types, true ) ) {
        return $components;
    }

    $author = get_userdata( (int) $post->post_author );

    if ( $author && is_email( $author->user_email ) ) {
        $components['recipient'] = $author->user_email;
    }

    return $components;
}, 10, 3 );
```

## Notes

Limit it to certain post types with the list at the top; on other pages the form's own recipient is used.

## How to use it

Install the free WPIDE plugin (https://wordpress.org/plugins/wpide/), find "Send Contact Form 7 Messages to the Post Author" in its snippet library and add it in one click; or create a new PHP snippet in WPIDE (or any code snippets plugin) and paste the code above. More snippets: https://wpide.com/library/