How To Remove Cart Button In Woocommerce

How to Remove the Cart Button in WooCommerce: A Beginner’s Guide

So, you’ve built your WooCommerce store and everything looks great… except that pesky “Add to Cart” button is showing up on places you don’t want it to. Maybe you only want to use your store as a catalog, or you’re selling digital products where adding to a cart doesn’t make sense. Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Removing the “Add to Cart” button in WooCommerce is a common task, and thankfully, it’s pretty straightforward.

This guide will walk you through several methods, from the simplest (using plugins) to the slightly more technical (using code snippets). We’ll explain *why* these methods work, so you understand what’s happening behind the scenes. Think of this as your friendly neighborhood WooCommerce helper, making your life easier.

Why Remove the Add to Cart Button?

Before we dive in, let’s consider *why* you might want to remove the “Add to Cart” button:

• Catalog Mode: You want to showcase your products without allowing direct purchases. This is common for businesses that provide custom quotes or prefer phone orders. Imagine a furniture store that sells bespoke sofas – they might want customers to browse but then contact them for a personalized consultation before placing an order.
• Digital Products: You’re selling digital downloads that are delivered instantly. In this case, you might prefer a “Download Now” button that takes users directly to the download link after purchase, bypassing the cart altogether.
• Wholesale Pricing: You only want registered wholesalers to be able to purchase products. Removing the “Add to Cart” button Check out this post: How To Upload Csv File Woocommerce Products Once for regular customers can encourage them to register for a wholesale account.
• Specific Products Only: You might only want to disable the button for specific products, perhaps those that are out of stock or require special ordering.

Method 1: Using a Plugin (The Easiest Option)

For beginners, a plugin is generally the easiest and safest way to remove the “Add to Cart” button. Several plugins are available, both free and premium, that can handle this task. Here’s how to use one:

1. Install and Activate a Plugin: Go to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress dashboard. Search for plugins like “WooCommerce Catalog Mode,” “YITH WooCommerce Catalog Mode,” or “Remove Add to Cart Button.” For this example, let’s use “WooCommerce Catalog Mode.” Click Install Now and then Activate.

2. Configure the Plugin: After activation, look for the plugin settings. It’s usually located under WooCommerce settings, a dedicated menu item, or within the general WordPress settings.

3. Enable Catalog Mode: Most “Catalog Mode” plugins will have a simple checkbox or toggle switch to enable catalog mode. Enable it!

4. Customize (Optional): Some plugins offer customization options, such as:

• Removing price displays.
• Replacing the “Add to Cart” button with a “Contact Us” or “Request a Quote” button.
• Restricting catalog mode to certain user roles.

Why this works: Plugins provide a pre-built interface for modifying WooCommerce functionality. They handle the underlying code changes for you, preventing you from having to mess with complex PHP files.

Example: You have a jewelry store showcasing high-end pieces. You want customers to inquire about pricing and customization options directly. A catalog mode plugin allows you to display the beautiful jewelry without an “Add to Cart” button, encouraging them to contact your sales team.

Method 2: Using Code Snippets (For the More Adventurous)

If you’re comfortable with a little bit of code, you can remove the “Add to Cart” button using code snippets. This method is more direct and gives you finer control, but it also requires more caution.

Important: Always back up your website before making any code changes! A small error in your code can break your site. Also, use a child theme so your changes won’t be overwritten during theme updates.

#### Removing the Button Globally

This code snippet removes the “Add to Cart” button from all product pages.

1. Access your theme’s `functions.php` file (using a child theme!). You can access this file through the WordPress Theme Editor (Appearance > Theme File Editor) or via FTP.

2. Add the following code snippet to the end of your `functions.php` file:

3. Save the changes.

Why this works:

• `remove_action()` is a WordPress function that removes an action from a specific hook.
• `woocommerce_after_shop_loop_item` is a hook that’s fired after each product in a product listing (e.g., shop page, category pages).
• `woocommerce_template_loop_add_to_cart` is the function that displays the “Add to Cart” button on product listings.
• `woocommerce_single_product_summary` is a hook within the single product page.
• `woocommerce_template_single_add_to_cart` is the function that displays the “Add to Cart” button on the single product page.
• The number `10` or `30` specifies the priority of the hook; this is important to ensure that the action is removed correctly.

Example: You’re selling software licenses that are handled by a third-party platform. You don’t want the “Add to Cart” button; instead, you want users to click a button that redirects them to the third-party platform to purchase a license. This code ensures that the standard WooCommerce button is removed from all product pages.

#### Removing the Button for Specific Products

Sometimes, you only want to remove the button for certain products. Here’s how:

1. Get Discover insights on How To Make Elementor Woocommerce Elements Override Themes the Product ID: Go to Products > All Products in your WordPress dashboard. Hover over the product you want to modify. The product ID will appear in the URL. For example, if the URL is `post.php?post=123&action=edit`, the product ID is `123`.

2. Add the following code snippet to your `functions.php` file (using a child theme!):

 <?php // Remove Add to Cart button for specific product IDs function remove_add_to_cart_specific_products( $product_id ) { $product_ids = array( 123, 456, 789 ); // Replace with your product IDs 

if ( in_array( $product_id, $product_ids ) ) {

remove_action( ‘woocommerce_after_shop_loop_item’, ‘woocommerce_template_loop_add_to_cart’, 10 );

remove_action( ‘woocommerce_single_product_summary’, ‘woocommerce_template_single_add_to_cart’, 30 );

}

}

add_action( ‘woocommerce_before_single_product’, ‘remove_add_to_cart_specific_products’ );

add_action( ‘woocommerce_before_shop_loop_item’, ‘remove_add_to_cart_specific_products’ );

function return_product_id() {

global $product;

if ( is_a( $product, ‘WC_Product’ ) ) {

return $product->get_id();

} else {

return false;

}

}

function remove_add_to_cart_specific_products_id() {

$product_ids = array( 123, 456, 789 ); // Replace with your product IDs

$product_id = return_product_id();

if ( in_array( $product_id, $product_ids ) ) {

remove_action( ‘woocommerce_after_shop_loop_item’, ‘woocommerce_template_loop_add_to_cart’, 10 );

remove_action( ‘woocommerce_single_product_summary’, ‘woocommerce_template_single_add_to_cart’, 30 );

}

}

add_action( ‘woocommerce_before_single_product’, ‘remove_add_to_cart_specific_products_id’ );

add_action( ‘woocommerce_before_shop_loop_item’, ‘remove_add_to_cart_specific_products_id’ );

?>

3. Replace `123, 456, 789` with the actual IDs of the products you want to modify. You can add as many product IDs as you need, separated by commas.

4. Save the changes.

Why this works:

• This code snippet defines a custom function `remove_add_to_cart_specific_products()` that checks if the current product ID is in the array of product IDs.
• If it is, it removes the “Add to Cart” button using the `remove_action()` function, similar to the global removal method.
• The `add_action()` function hooks this custom function into the `woocommerce_before_single_product` and `woocommerce_before_shop_loop_item` hooks, ensuring it runs before the product details are displayed. We check each hook to make sure the button is removed from both the single product page and product listings.

Example: You have a range of products, but only a few are currently unavailable due to supply chain issues. Instead of marking them as “out of stock” (which might deter customers), you can remove the “Add to Cart” button for those specific products, replacing it with a message like “Coming Soon!”. This gives customers a reason to return and check back later.

Method 3: Using CSS (Less Reliable, but Quick)

While not the recommended method, you *can* hide the “Add to Cart” button using CSS. However, this method only hides the button visually; it doesn’t actually remove it from the website’s code. This means the button’s functionality might still exist, and it could be accessible through other means.

1. Go to Appearance > Customize > Additional CSS in your WordPress dashboard.

2. Add the following CSS code:

.woocommerce .product .add_to_cart_button {

display: none !important;

}

.woocommerce ul.products li.product .add_to_cart_button {

display: none !important;

}

3. Publish the changes.

Why this works:

• This CSS code targets the HTML elements that display the “Add to Cart” button and sets their `display` property to `none`. The `!important` declaration ensures that this CSS rule overrides any other conflicting styles.

When to Use This: Only use this method for quick testing or temporary fixes. For a permanent and reliable solution, use a plugin or code snippet.

Important Notes:

• Caching: After making any of these changes, clear your website’s cache (if you’re using a caching plugin) and your browser’s cache to ensure the changes are displayed correctly.
• Theme Compatibility: The specific CSS classes used in the CSS method might vary depending on your theme. Inspect the “Add to Cart” button in your browser’s developer tools to identify the correct CSS classes.

By following these steps, you can easily remove the “Add to Cart” button from your WooCommerce store, tailoring it to your specific business needs. Remember to choose the method that best suits your technical skill level and the desired outcome. Good luck!