diff --git a/changelog.d/17984.feature b/changelog.d/17984.feature
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..609f3a7cd8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/17984.feature
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Add `recaptcha_private_key_path` and `recaptcha_public_key_path` config option.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/usage/configuration/config_documentation.md b/docs/usage/configuration/config_documentation.md
index 1fff68ed0a..1d48f8110e 100644
--- a/docs/usage/configuration/config_documentation.md
+++ b/docs/usage/configuration/config_documentation.md
@@ -2357,6 +2357,21 @@ Example configuration:
 recaptcha_public_key: YOUR_PUBLIC_KEY
 ```
 ---
+### `recaptcha_public_key_path`
+
+*(string|null)* An alternative to [`recaptcha_public_key`](#recaptcha_public_key): allows the public key to be specified in an external file.
+
+The file should be a plain text file, containing only the public key. Synapse reads the public key from the given file once at startup.
+
+_Added in Synapse 1.134.0._
+
+Defaults to `null`.
+
+Example configuration:
+```yaml
+recaptcha_public_key_path: /path/to/key/file
+```
+---
 ### `recaptcha_private_key`
 
 *(string|null)* This homeserver's ReCAPTCHA private key. Must be specified if [`enable_registration_captcha`](#enable_registration_captcha) is enabled. Defaults to `null`.
@@ -2366,6 +2381,21 @@ Example configuration:
 recaptcha_private_key: YOUR_PRIVATE_KEY
 ```
 ---
+### `recaptcha_private_key_path`
+
+*(string|null)* An alternative to [`recaptcha_private_key`](#recaptcha_private_key): allows the private key to be specified in an external file.
+
+The file should be a plain text file, containing only the private key. Synapse reads the private key from the given file once at startup.
+
+_Added in Synapse 1.134.0._
+
+Defaults to `null`.
+
+Example configuration:
+```yaml
+recaptcha_private_key_path: /path/to/key/file
+```
+---
 ### `enable_registration_captcha`
 
 *(boolean)* Set to `true` to require users to complete a CAPTCHA test when registering an account. Requires a valid ReCaptcha public/private key.
diff --git a/schema/synapse-config.schema.yaml b/schema/synapse-config.schema.yaml
index 26f0e7f0bc..24fbf2419a 100644
--- a/schema/synapse-config.schema.yaml
+++ b/schema/synapse-config.schema.yaml
@@ -2692,6 +2692,21 @@ properties:
     default: null
     examples:
       - YOUR_PUBLIC_KEY
+  recaptcha_public_key_path:
+    type: ["string", "null"]
+    description: >-
+      An alternative to [`recaptcha_public_key`](#recaptcha_public_key): allows
+      the public key to be specified in an external file.
+
+
+      The file should be a plain text file, containing only the public key.
+      Synapse reads the public key from the given file once at startup.
+
+
+      _Added in Synapse 1.134.0._
+    default: null
+    examples:
+      - /path/to/key/file
   recaptcha_private_key:
     type: ["string", "null"]
     description: >-
@@ -2700,6 +2715,21 @@ properties:
     default: null
     examples:
       - YOUR_PRIVATE_KEY
+  recaptcha_private_key_path:
+    type: ["string", "null"]
+    description: >-
+      An alternative to [`recaptcha_private_key`](#recaptcha_private_key):
+      allows the private key to be specified in an external file.
+
+
+      The file should be a plain text file, containing only the private key.
+      Synapse reads the private key from the given file once at startup.
+
+
+      _Added in Synapse 1.134.0._
+    default: null
+    examples:
+      - /path/to/key/file
   enable_registration_captcha:
     type: boolean
     description: >-
diff --git a/synapse/config/captcha.py b/synapse/config/captcha.py
index 57d67abbc3..ea1a5e0b32 100644
--- a/synapse/config/captcha.py
+++ b/synapse/config/captcha.py
@@ -23,7 +23,17 @@ from typing import Any
 
 from synapse.types import JsonDict
 
-from ._base import Config, ConfigError
+from ._base import Config, ConfigError, read_file
+
+CONFLICTING_RECAPTCHA_PRIVATE_KEY_OPTS_ERROR = """\
+You have configured both `recaptcha_private_key` and
+`recaptcha_private_key_path`. These are mutually incompatible.
+"""
+
+CONFLICTING_RECAPTCHA_PUBLIC_KEY_OPTS_ERROR = """\
+You have configured both `recaptcha_public_key` and `recaptcha_public_key_path`.
+These are mutually incompatible.
+"""
 
 
 class CaptchaConfig(Config):
@@ -38,6 +48,13 @@ class CaptchaConfig(Config):
                 "Config options that expect an in-line secret as value are disabled",
                 ("recaptcha_private_key",),
             )
+        recaptcha_private_key_path = config.get("recaptcha_private_key_path")
+        if recaptcha_private_key_path:
+            if recaptcha_private_key:
+                raise ConfigError(CONFLICTING_RECAPTCHA_PRIVATE_KEY_OPTS_ERROR)
+            recaptcha_private_key = read_file(
+                recaptcha_private_key_path, ("recaptcha_private_key_path",)
+            ).strip()
         if recaptcha_private_key is not None and not isinstance(
             recaptcha_private_key, str
         ):
@@ -50,6 +67,13 @@ class CaptchaConfig(Config):
                 "Config options that expect an in-line secret as value are disabled",
                 ("recaptcha_public_key",),
             )
+        recaptcha_public_key_path = config.get("recaptcha_public_key_path")
+        if recaptcha_public_key_path:
+            if recaptcha_public_key:
+                raise ConfigError(CONFLICTING_RECAPTCHA_PUBLIC_KEY_OPTS_ERROR)
+            recaptcha_public_key = read_file(
+                recaptcha_public_key_path, ("recaptcha_public_key_path",)
+            ).strip()
         if recaptcha_public_key is not None and not isinstance(
             recaptcha_public_key, str
         ):
diff --git a/tests/config/test_load.py b/tests/config/test_load.py
index a5456ac6f8..b72365b6e3 100644
--- a/tests/config/test_load.py
+++ b/tests/config/test_load.py
@@ -138,6 +138,8 @@ class ConfigLoadingFileTestCase(ConfigFileTestCase):
             "turn_shared_secret_path: /does/not/exist",
             "registration_shared_secret_path: /does/not/exist",
             "macaroon_secret_key_path: /does/not/exist",
+            "recaptcha_private_key_path: /does/not/exist",
+            "recaptcha_public_key_path: /does/not/exist",
             "form_secret_path: /does/not/exist",
             "worker_replication_secret_path: /does/not/exist",
             "experimental_features:\n  msc3861:\n    client_secret_path: /does/not/exist",
@@ -167,6 +169,14 @@ class ConfigLoadingFileTestCase(ConfigFileTestCase):
                 "macaroon_secret_key_path: {}",
                 lambda c: c.key.macaroon_secret_key,
             ),
+            (
+                "recaptcha_private_key_path: {}",
+                lambda c: c.captcha.recaptcha_private_key.encode("utf-8"),
+            ),
+            (
+                "recaptcha_public_key_path: {}",
+                lambda c: c.captcha.recaptcha_public_key.encode("utf-8"),
+            ),
             (
                 "form_secret_path: {}",
                 lambda c: c.key.form_secret.encode("utf-8"),