WooCommerce: How to Hide the Cart Total in Your Header (Beginner’s Guide)
So, you’re running a WooCommerce store, and you’re tweaking everything to perfection. You’ve got your products looking great, your checkout process streamlined, and your design popping. But there’s one tiny detail bugging you: the cart total displayed in your header. Maybe it clashes with your aesthetic, or perhaps you want to encourage browsing before committing to that final number. Whatever the reason, you want it gone!
Don’t worry! Hiding the WooCommerce cart total from your header is easier than you might think. This article will walk you through a few simple methods, even if you’re a total newbie to WordPress and WooCommerce. We’ll break it down step-by-step with real-world examples so you can customize your store to your heart’s content.
Why Hide the Cart Total Anyway? Real-World Scenarios
Before we dive into the how-to, let’s quickly consider why you might want to do this:
- Clean Design: Sometimes, the cart total can clutter up a minimalist header design. You might prefer a sleek, modern look without the constant dollar amount displayed. Think of Apple’s website – clean and focused on products, not prices, upfront.
- Encourage Browsing: Seeing a large total early on might scare off potential customers. By hiding it, you encourage them to explore your products without immediately focusing on the cost. Imagine walking into a boutique where the prices aren’t prominently displayed; you’re more likely to browse and find something you love before even thinking about the price.
- Upselling and Cross-selling: You might want to focus the customer’s attention on product pages that include upsells or cross-sells. Hiding the cart total can help prevent them from abandoning the cart before seeing these additional offers. Think of “frequently bought together” sections on Amazon.
- `.woocommerce-cart-form__contents .cart-subtotal`: This targets the subtotal displayed on the cart page itself.
- `.woocommerce-mini-cart__total`: This targets the total in the mini-cart dropdown (often found in the header).
- `display: none !important;`: This is the magic line! It hides the selected elements. `!important` makes sure this rule overrides other potentially conflicting styles.
Method 1: Using CSS (The Quick & Easy Way)
This is the simplest method and often works wonders. It’s like putting a piece of tape over the total amount, hiding it from view.
1. Access your WordPress Customizer: Go to Appearance > Customize in your WordPress dashboard.
2. Find the CSS section: Look for a section usually named “Additional CSS” or something similar.
3. Add the following CSS code:
.woocommerce-cart-form__contents .cart-subtotal {
display: none !important;
}
.woocommerce-mini-cart__total {
display: none !important;
}
Explanation:
4. Publish your changes: Click the “Publish” button at the top to save your modifications.
Important Note: This method hides the *display* of the cart total. The data is still there in the background. If your theme uses different class names for the cart total, you might need to inspect your website’s code (right-click and select “Inspect” or “Inspect Element” in your browser) to identify the correct class and update the CSS accordingly.
Method 2: Using a Theme’s Options (If Available)
Some WooCommerce themes offer built-in options to control the cart’s appearance in the header. This is the preferred method if your theme provides it, as it’s usually the cleanest and most reliable.
1. Check your theme’s documentation: Look for documentation that explains your theme’s options. Search for terms like “header customization,” “cart settings,” or “WooCommerce options.”
2. Navigate to the appropriate settings: This will vary depending on your theme, but it might be under Appearance > Theme Options or within the Customizer itself.
3. Look for a setting Learn more about How To Change The Order Of Products In Woocommerce to hide the cart total: Many themes will have a checkbox or setting specifically for this purpose.
4. Save your changes: Don’t forget to save your adjustments!
Method 3: Using a PHP Snippet (For the More Adventurous)
This method involves adding a small piece of PHP code to your theme. It’s a bit more technical but can be a robust solution.
Important: Be extremely careful when editing your theme’s files. Make a backup of your theme before making any changes! An alternative is to use a plugin like “Code Snippets” to add the PHP without directly modifying your theme’s files. This plugin helps avoid accidental damage to your theme.
1. Locate your `functions.php` file: This file is typically found in your theme’s directory: `/wp-content/themes/[your-theme-name]/functions.php`.
2. Add the following code snippet:
/**
Explanation:
- `add_filter( ‘woocommerce_widget_cart_total’, ‘__return_empty_string’ );`: This line hooks into a WooCommerce filter that controls the output of the cart total in the mini-cart widget. `’__return_empty_string’` tells WooCommerce to return an empty string, effectively hiding the total.
3. Save your `functions.php` file.
Using the “Code Snippets” Plugin (Recommended):
1. Install and activate the “Code Snippets” plugin.
2. Go to Snippets > Add New.
3. Paste the PHP code into the snippet editor.
4. Give the snippet a descriptive title (e.g., “Hide WooCommerce Cart Total”).
5. Set the snippet to run “Only on Front-end”.
6. Activate and Save the snippet.
Testing and Troubleshooting
After implementing any of these methods, be sure to:
- Clear your browser cache: Sometimes, cached versions of your website can prevent changes from appearing immediately.
- Test on different devices and browsers: Ensure the cart total is hidden consistently across various platforms.
- Inspect your code: If the CSS method isn’t working, double-check the CSS class names in your browser’s developer tools to make sure they match your theme’s structure.
By following these simple steps, you can easily hide the WooCommerce cart total in your header and create a more tailored and visually appealing online store. Good luck!
