How to Remove the WooCommerce Cart in Header: A Complete Guide
The WooCommerce cart in the header is a convenient feature for many online stores, providing quick access to the shopping cart and encouraging conversions. However, sometimes it doesn’t align with your design, impacts site speed, or simply isn’t needed. This article will walk you through different methods to remove the WooCommerce cart icon from your header, catering to various skill levels and theme setups. We’ll cover everything from simple theme options to code snippets and plugin solutions, allowing you to customize your website’s appearance perfectly.
Why Remove the WooCommerce Cart in Header?
Before diving into the how-to, let’s understand why you might want to remove the cart icon:
- Design Consistency: The cart icon might clash with your overall website design or branding, especially if you have a minimalist aesthetic.
- Improved Performance: Removing unnecessary elements can slightly improve your website’s loading speed, particularly if the cart icon loads additional scripts or resources.
- Specific Sales Funnel: You might be implementing a highly curated sales funnel where you want to guide customers directly to the checkout page, bypassing the standard cart process.
- Mobile Optimization: On mobile devices, the cart icon can take up valuable screen real estate, potentially impacting the user experience.
- No Need for a Cart (Rare Cases): If you’re selling digital products or services where immediate payment is preferred, a cart might be unnecessary.
- Steps:
- Go to WordPress Dashboard > Appearance > Customize.
- Look for a section related to Header, WooCommerce, or Layout. The exact name will vary depending on your theme.
- Within that section, you should find an option to disable or hide the cart icon. Look for checkboxes, dropdowns, or toggles related to “Show Cart,” “Display Cart Icon,” or similar.
- Uncheck the box or select the appropriate option to hide the cart.
- Save and Publish your changes.
- Steps:
- Identify the CSS class or ID associated with the cart icon element. You can do this using your browser’s developer tools (right-click on the cart icon and select “Inspect” or “Inspect Element”). Look for classes like `woocommerce-cart`, `cart-contents`, or similar.
- Go to WordPress Dashboard > Appearance > Customize > Additional CSS.
- Add the following CSS code, replacing `your-cart-class` with the actual class or ID you identified:
- Important: The `!important` declaration ensures that your CSS rule overrides any other conflicting styles.
- Save and Publish your changes.
- Example: If the cart icon has a class of `cart-contents`, the CSS would be:
- Steps:
- Identify the file responsible for displaying the header. This is typically `header.php` or a template part included in the header. You might need to consult your theme’s documentation or inspect the code to find the relevant file.
- Locate the code snippet that displays the WooCommerce cart icon. This code usually involves WooCommerce functions like `woocommerce_cart_dropdown()` or `woocommerce_cart_link()`.
- Remove or comment out the code that displays the cart icon.
Now that we understand the reasons, let’s explore the methods for removing the WooCommerce cart.
Removing the WooCommerce Cart Icon: Multiple Methods
We’ll cover the following methods, starting with the simplest and progressing to more technical solutions:
1. Theme Customizer Options (The Easiest Approach)
Many modern WooCommerce themes provide built-in options to manage header elements, including the cart icon. This is the easiest and safest method, as it doesn’t involve code modifications.
2. Using CSS to Hide the Cart Icon (Quick and Dirty)
If your theme doesn’t offer a direct option, you can use CSS to hide the cart icon. This method is relatively simple but might require some basic understanding of CSS selectors.
.your-cart-class {
display: none !important;
}
.cart-contents {
display: none !important;
}
3. Modifying Theme Files (Advanced – Use with Caution!)
This method involves editing your theme’s files, which can be risky if done incorrectly. Always back up your theme before making any changes! This method is generally only recommended if other solutions don’t work, and you understand PHP and WordPress theming.
- Save the modified file.
- Upload the modified file to your theme directory using FTP or your hosting control panel’s file manager.
Important Considerations:
- Child Theme: Never modify the parent theme directly! Create a child theme and make your changes there. This ensures that your modifications won’t be overwritten when you update the parent theme.
- Backups: Always back up your theme files before making any changes.
- Technical Skills: This method requires a good understanding of PHP and WordPress theming.
4. Using a Plugin (Flexible and User-Friendly)
Several plugins allow you to customize your WooCommerce store, including the ability to remove or modify the cart icon. This is a good option if you’re not comfortable editing code.
- Examples of Plugins:
- Header Footer Elementor: If you are using Elementor, you can edit the header using Elementor and remove the cart element.
- WooCommerce Cart Page: If you are not using cart pages, you can use a plugin to redirect the user to the checkout page.
- Additional CSS Editor: This plugin is designed to add and manage CSS codes.
- Steps:
- Install and activate the plugin from the WordPress plugin repository.
- Configure the plugin according to its documentation. Most plugins will provide settings to hide or remove the cart icon from the header.
- Save your changes.
Conclusion: Choosing the Right Method
Removing the WooCommerce cart icon from your header can be a simple way to customize your website’s appearance and improve the user experience. The best method depends on your technical skills and theme setup.
- Theme Customizer: Try this first, as it’s the easiest and safest option.
- CSS: A good option for quick fixes if your theme doesn’t offer a direct option.
- Theme Files: Use with caution and only if you understand PHP and WordPress theming. Always back up your theme and use a child theme.
- Plugins: A user-friendly option if you’re not comfortable editing code.
Remember to test your website after making any changes to ensure that everything is working as expected. By carefully considering your needs and following the steps outlined in this article, you can successfully remove the WooCommerce cart icon from your header and create a website that perfectly reflects your brand. Remember that user experience must always be the priority.
