The Terrible "Required" Text on Squarespace Forms

We love Squarespace. Truly, we do. The designs are gorgeous, the interface is sleek, and it's one of the few website builders that manages to feel both powerful and genuinely user-friendly. But there's one tiny little thing that drives us up the wall: the "Required" text on form fields. You know the one. It pops up like a bossy schoolteacher with a clipboard, making sure you check all the boxes, cross your t's, and dot your i's before you hit submit.

Here's the thing: sometimes we just don't want it there.

Imagine you've carefully designed a beautiful contact form, a seamless little experience that's meant to feel inviting and easy. You've chosen a stylish font, picked just the right colors, and positioned everything in perfect harmony with your site. It's looking chic. It's looking modern. And then, bam, there it is. The dreaded "Required" label, awkwardly perched next to your fields like an overzealous hall monitor.

We get it, Squarespace. You're just trying to help. You want people to fill out your forms correctly and not leave anything blank. But the "Required" text isn't exactly winning any design awards. It can feel like a misstep in an otherwise polished site, disrupting the flow and screaming "Hey, pay attention to me!" when we'd rather it just blend in.

Why we wish there was a built-in way to remove the "Required" label

1. It interrupts the aesthetic

Your site is your brand's visual identity, and every detail is a chance to make a statement. The "Required" text can feel like a clunky afterthought that doesn't match the sleek vibe you worked so hard to curate. It's like showing up to a fancy dinner in a tuxedo and then adding a neon green fanny pack. It just doesn't go.

2. It's not always necessary

Sometimes we don't need a bold reminder that a field is required. If we're asking for a name and an email address, it's pretty clear those are essential. The "Required" label is a bit like someone reminding you to breathe during a deep-breathing exercise.

3. The UX doesn't always need a push

Good user experience is all about trust. If someone is filling out your contact form, they're already committed to reaching out. A bold "Required" label can come off as too demanding, as if you don't trust your visitors to make informed decisions. A subtler hint, or no hint at all, often makes for a smoother, more intuitive interaction.

4. Customization should be king

The beauty of Squarespace is its flexibility. You can customize templates, fonts, colors, and even code to make a site truly your own. But with form fields you're stuck with the "Required" label like it's a permanent tattoo. Wouldn't it be nice to toggle it off or change the wording? Something like "Name (please)" or simply "Email" gets the message across without barking orders.

5. It's just not pretty

In a world where clean, minimal design is the whole point, that awkward "Required" label just doesn't fit. It's like hanging a fancy painting and realizing you left a sticky note stuck to the corner. It doesn't matter how nice the painting is. That sticky note is all you can see.

What we really want: the option to turn it off

Look, we're not saying "Required" fields shouldn't exist. Of course we need to make sure people provide the essentials. We'd just love a simple, built-in way to remove or restyle that label. Picture a checkbox in the form block settings that hides "Required" labels with one click, or a little more freedom to customize validation messages so they fit your site's voice and design.

The hack: hide the required text and swap in an asterisk

In the meantime, here's a quick fix that hides the required text and replaces it with a tidy asterisk. Copy the following code and place it into your Custom CSS:

/* Squarepaste Hide Required Form Text */

.form-wrapper .react-form-contents .field-list .description.required {
  color: transparent;
}

.form-wrapper .react-form-contents .field-list .description.required::before {
  content: "*";
  color: initial;
}

That's it. The "Required" labels disappear, a clean asterisk takes their place, and your form goes back to looking exactly the way you designed it.