WooCommerce: How to Remove Product Ratings (A Beginner’s Guide)

Tired of those star ratings on your WooCommerce products? Maybe they’re cluttering your product pages, conflicting with your design, or you simply haven’t implemented a review system yet. Whatever the reason, removing product ratings in WooCommerce is easier than you think. This guide walks you through several methods, catering to different technical skill levels.

Why Remove Product Ratings?

Before we dive into the “how,” let’s address the “why.” There are several legitimate reasons to remove star ratings from your WooCommerce products:

• Aesthetics: Your theme’s design might clash with the default rating system, creating a visually unappealing product page. Imagine a minimalist store with bulky star ratings—it’s a jarring contrast!
• No Review System Implemented: Displaying empty star ratings can look unprofessional. If you haven’t integrated a robust review system, it’s best to remove them altogether.
• Brand Consistency: You might prefer a different way to showcase customer feedback, like testimonials or social proof, aligning better with your brand’s voice and aesthetic.
• Specific Product Requirements: Some products might not lend themselves to traditional star ratings. For example, a custom-made item might not have comparable ratings.

Method 1: Using a Plugin (Easiest Method)

The simplest way to remove WooCommerce product ratings is using a plugin. Many free and premium plugins offer this functionality as a simple setting.

• Pros: Easy to implement, requires no coding skills.
• Cons: Requires installing and maintaining another plugin (potential performance impact, though usually minimal).

Example: Imagine you’re selling handmade jewelry. A plugin like “Disable Comments & Ratings” would swiftly remove the ratings without any hassle, maintaining a clean and focused product page.

Method 2: Using Child Themes and Code (For Intermediate Users)

If you’re comfortable with child themes and a bit of code, this method offers more control and avoids plugin dependencies. This is generally the recommended approach for long-term maintainability and avoiding conflicts with other plugins.

• Crucial Note: Always use a child theme when modifying your WooCommerce theme’s code. This prevents your changes from being overwritten during theme updates.

Here’s how you could do it (this code snippet targets the display of the rating itself; adjust selectors based on your theme):

/* Add this to your child theme’s style.css file */

.star-rating {

display: none;

}

This CSS snippet targets the class `star-rating` (common in many WooCommerce themes) and hides it. You might need to inspect your website’s source code to find the correct class name if this doesn’t work.

• Pros: Clean solution, no extra plugins.
• Cons: Requires coding knowledge and working with child themes.

Method 3: Removing Ratings via WooCommerce Settings (Rare but Possible)

Some WooCommerce themes might offer built-in options to disable ratings within their settings. Check your theme’s documentation or look for options within the WooCommerce settings panel. This is the least common method.

• Pros: No coding or plugins needed (if your theme supports it).
• Cons: Highly theme-dependent; unlikely to be available in most themes.

Choosing the Right Method

The best method depends on your technical skills and comfort level.

• Beginners: Opt for a plugin (Method 1). It’s the fastest and easiest approach.
• Intermediate Users: Use a child theme and CSS (Method 2). This provides a cleaner, more sustainable solution.
• Advanced Users: Explore theme-specific settings (Method 3) if your theme offers that option.

Remember to always back up your website before making any code changes. If you’re unsure about any of these methods, seek help from a WordPress developer. Removing product ratings is a simple change that can significantly improve your website’s appearance and user experience.