protected function prepare_value() {

		// Never autoload passwords and or fields with an explicit value (except radio and checkbox).
		if ( 'password' === $this->settings['type'] || ! empty( $this->settings['value'] && ! in_array( $this->settings['type'], array( 'checkbox', 'radio' ), true ) ) ) {
			return;
		}

		$user_val = null;

		// Attempt to populate field data from the most recent $_POST action.
		if ( 'POST' === strtoupper( getenv( 'REQUEST_METHOD' ) ) ) {
			$posted = wp_unslash( $_POST ); // phpcs:ignore WordPress.Security.NonceVerification.Missing -- nonce is verified prior to reaching this method.
			if ( isset( $posted[ $this->settings['name'] ] ) ) {
				$filter_options = is_array( $posted[ $this->settings['name'] ] ) ? array( FILTER_REQUIRE_ARRAY ) : array();
				$user_val       = llms_filter_input_sanitize_string( INPUT_POST, $this->settings['name'], $filter_options );
			}
		}

		// Auto-populate field from the datastore if we have a user and datastore information.
		if ( is_null( $user_val ) && ( isset( $this->data_source ) && 'wp_user' === $this->data_source_type ) && $this->settings['data_store_key'] ) {
			$user_val = $this->data_source->get( $this->settings['data_store_key'] );
		}

		// Set the value to the user's submitted or stored value.
		if ( ! is_null( $user_val ) ) {
			if ( in_array( $this->settings['type'], array( 'checkbox', 'radio' ), true ) && ! $this->is_input_group() ) {
				$this->settings['checked'] = ( $this->settings['value'] === $user_val );
			} else {
				$this->settings['value'] = $user_val;
			}
		}

		// Handle "default" alias "selected".
		if ( isset( $this->settings['selected'] ) && '' !== $this->settings['selected'] ) {
			$this->settings['default'] = $this->settings['selected'];
		}

		// Add default value if there's no explicit value and a default value is set.
		if ( ! $this->settings['value'] && ! is_array( $this->settings['value'] ) && '' !== $this->settings['default'] ) {
			$this->settings['value'] = $this->settings['default'];
		}

	}