How to Remove Categories and Tags from WooCommerce Product Pages (Even if You’re a Beginner!)
So, you’ve got your WooCommerce store up and running, products are listed, and you’re ready to start raking in the sales. But… you notice something. On each product page, there are categories and tags displayed below the product description. While categories and tags are Read more about How To Reorder Color Variation In Woocommerce super helpful for *organizing* your products and helping customers *find* them using filters, you might decide they don’t aesthetically fit with your brand, clutter the design, or are unnecessary for your specific product range.
Don’t worry! Removing them is usually a pretty straightforward process, even if you’re new to WordPress and WooCommerce. This guide will walk you through a few easy ways to remove categories and tags, explaining *why* each method works and helping you choose the best option for your needs.
Why Remove Categories Discover insights on How To Get To Woocommerce Products On Page and Tags?
Before we jump in, let’s quickly understand why someone might want to remove these elements:
- Clean Design: A minimalist approach can highlight your product better without distractions. Imagine you’re selling high-end, handcrafted leather goods. You want to showcase the quality of the product, not a list of categories and tags.
- Simplified User Experience: Sometimes, less is more. Removing these elements can streamline the user experience, especially if your product catalog is small or highly focused. Think of a store selling only three types of artisanal coffee beans – the category display becomes redundant.
- Branding Aesthetics: Your brand might have a specific visual identity. Categories and tags might not align with your overall aesthetic. A modern, sleek brand might prefer a cleaner product page without extra text.
- SEO Considerations (Sometimes): While categories and tags can *help* SEO, Explore this article on How To Download A Pdf Of An Order Woocommerce if poorly managed they can lead to thin content and internal link dilution. Removing them can be part of a wider SEO cleanup strategy *if* your categories and tags aren’t well-optimized. However, be careful here – thoughtfully implemented categories and tags are generally good for SEO.
Method 1: Using WooCommerce Settings (If Available – Explore this article on How To Delete Customer In Woocommerce Limited)
Unfortunately, WooCommerce doesn’t offer a built-in setting to directly remove categories and tags from the product page. This used to be more common in older versions, but now you’ll typically need to use code snippets or plugins. However, it’s worth checking your theme’s settings, as some themes *do* offer options for controlling product page elements. Look for settings related to WooCommerce or product display options within your theme’s customizer (Appearance > Customize).
Why this is limited: Most modern themes expect categories and tags to be present and rely on code to display them. Simply disabling theme options might not be possible.
Method 2: Using a Code Snippet (The Most Common & Flexible)
This is the most reliable and flexible method. We’ll use a simple code snippet that removes the function responsible for displaying the categories and tags. Don’t be intimidated! It’s just a few lines of code.
Here’s how:
1. Access Your Theme’s `functions.php` File (Not Recommended): You can access this file via FTP or the WordPress theme editor (Appearance > Theme Editor). However, directly editing the `functions.php` file is generally NOT recommended. If you make a mistake, it can break your website.
2. Use a Plugin Like Code Snippets (The Recommended Way): Install and activate the “Code Snippets” plugin (search for it in Plugins > Add New). This plugin allows you to add code snippets without directly modifying your theme files.
3. Add the Code Snippet: In the Code Snippets plugin, click “Add New”. Give your snippet a title like “Remove WooCommerce Categories and Tags.”
4. Paste the following code:
remove_action( 'woocommerce_single_product_summary', 'woocommerce_template_single_meta', 40 );
5. Save and Activate the Snippet: Make sure the snippet is active.
Explanation of the code:
- `remove_action( ‘woocommerce_single_product_summary’, ‘woocommerce_template_single_meta’, 40 );`
- `remove_action()`: This function removes an action from a WordPress hook.
- `’woocommerce_single_product_summary’`: This is the WordPress hook where the product summary (including categories and tags) is displayed.
- `’woocommerce_template_single_meta’`: This is the function that displays the product meta information, including categories and tags.
- `40`: This is the priority of the `woocommerce_template_single_meta` function on the hook. You need to specify the correct priority to ensure you remove the right function.
Why this works: WooCommerce uses “actions” and “filters” to add functionality. This code snippet removes the action that displays the category and tag information on the product page.
Real-life example: Let’s say you run a niche online store that sells only minimalist watches. Your customers are after simplicity and elegance. This code snippet helps you achieve that clean, distraction-free product page, letting the beauty of your watches shine.
Important Note: This Learn more about How To Add Choose Color In Woocommerce For Product snippet removes *both* categories and tags. If you only want to remove one or the other, you’ll need a slightly more complex code snippet. See Method 4 for a plugin that gives you more granular control.
Method 3: Using CSS (For Hiding, Not Removing – Not Recommended for SEO)
This method uses CSS to simply *hide* the categories and tags. It’s quick and easy, but it’s not ideal for SEO because the information is still present in the HTML source code, even if it’s not visible to users.
Here’s how:
1. Access Your Theme’s Custom CSS: Go to Appearance > Customize. Look for a section like “Additional CSS” or “Custom CSS.”
2. Add the following CSS:
.product_meta {
display: none !important;
}
Explanation of the code:
- `.product_meta`: This CSS selector targets the HTML element that contains the categories and tags on the product page.
- `display: none !important;`: This hides the element. The `!important` ensures that this rule overrides any other CSS rules that might be affecting the element’s display.
Why this works: CSS allows you to control the visual appearance of your website. This code simply tells the browser not to display the element containing the categories and tags.
Why this is NOT recommended for SEO: Search engines still see the hidden content. If you’re hiding content for purely aesthetic reasons, it’s better to *remove* it from the HTML source code (using the code snippet method).
Real-life example (when to *consider* CSS): You’re in a rush to launch a sale and don’t have time to properly adjust the theme or use code snippets. Hiding the categories/tags with CSS is a quick band-aid solution, but remember to properly remove them later.
Method 4: Using a Plugin (For More Control – Requires Research)
There are several WooCommerce plugins that can give you more control over product page elements, including the ability to selectively remove categories or tags, or even customize their appearance.
Example plugins (research before installing):
- WooCommerce Product Page Customizer: Many plugins exist offering varying levels of customization to WooCommerce product pages.
- Advanced Custom Fields (ACF): While not specifically designed for this purpose, ACF can be used in conjunction with custom code to conditionally remove categories and tags based on product attributes or other criteria.
Why use a plugin:
- No Coding Required: Plugins typically offer a user-friendly interface to manage product page elements.
- Granular Control: Some plugins allow you to remove only categories or only tags, or even customize their appearance.
- Conditional Logic: Some plugins allow you to remove elements based on specific conditions (e.g., only remove tags for products in a certain category).
Real-life example: You want to display categories on some products but not others. A plugin with conditional logic would allow you to create a rule like “If product is in the ‘Books’ category, display categories. Otherwise, hide categories.”
Important Note: Always research plugins thoroughly before installing them. Read reviews and check compatibility with your version of WooCommerce and WordPress. Too many plugins can slow down your site.
Conclusion
Removing categories and tags from your WooCommerce product pages is a simple way to achieve a cleaner, more streamlined design and improve the user experience. While directly editing `functions.php` is possible, using the “Code Snippets” plugin is the safest and most recommended approach for adding code. Using CSS to hide the information is a quick fix but not ideal for SEO. Plugins offer the most flexibility and control, but require careful selection and testing. Choose the method that best suits your technical skills and the specific needs of your online store. Good luck!
