# How to Change Default Filter Options in WooCommerce: A Beginner’s Guide
WooCommerce is a powerful e-commerce plugin, but its default filtering options might not always suit your specific needs. Perhaps you want to show prices in a different currency, prioritize certain attributes, or simply improve the user experience. This guide will show you how to easily customize those default filters, even if you’re a complete beginner.
Understanding WooCommerce Filters
Before Check out this post: How To Set Up Sqaure With Woocommerce we dive into changing things, let’s understand what we’re dealing with. WooCommerce uses filters to control how product data is displayed and sorted. Think of them as customizable knobs and dials that influence the shopping experience. Changing a filter means altering how those knobs and dials work to present your products in the way you want.
For example, the default might show products sorted by popularity. You might want to change that to sort by price (low to high), making it easier for budget-conscious shoppers to find what they need. Or perhaps you sell clothing, and the default only filters by size. You may want to add color as a filter option too.
Method 1: Using WooCommerce’s Built-in Settings (Easiest Method)
The simplest way to adjust some default filter options is through WooCommerce’s own settings. This method doesn’t require any coding.
- Access Settings: Navigate to WooCommerce > Settings > Products > Display in your WordPress dashboard.
- Default Sorting: Under the “Default product sorting” section, you can select from options like “Menu order,” “Popularity,” “Rating,” “Date,” “Price (low to high),” and “Price (high to low).” Select the option that best suits your needs and save changes. This directly affects how products are initially displayed on shop pages.
- Product Attributes: While you can’t directly change *all* filter behavior here, carefully selecting the attributes you enable (under the “Product attributes” section) impacts what filter options are available to shoppers. Enabling more attributes provides more filtering choices for your customers.
- Customize the order of filters.
- Add or remove specific filters.
- Create custom filter layouts.
- Integrate with other plugins.
- WooCommerce Advanced Filter: A powerful and highly-rated option offering Check out this post: How To Add Cod Charges In Woocommerce extensive customization.
- YITH WooCommerce Filters: Another popular plugin with a user-friendly interface.
Method 2: Using a Plugin (For Advanced Customization)
For more granular control over your filters – beyond what the basic Learn more about How To Change User Template Woocommerce settings offer – you might need a plugin. Many plugins offer advanced filtering options, allowing you to:
Popular choices include:
Note: Always check plugin reviews and compatibility before installing.
Method 3: Using Code (For Developers) – Advanced Technique
If you’re comfortable with PHP, you can directly modify WooCommerce’s core functionality. This is the most powerful but also the riskiest method. Incorrectly modifying code can break your website. Always back up your website before making code changes.
Let’s illustrate a simple example: changing the default sorting order to “Price (low to high).” You’d add this code to your `functions.php` file (or a custom plugin):
add_filter( 'woocommerce_get_catalog_ordering_args', 'custom_catalog_ordering_args' ); function custom_catalog_ordering_args( $args ) { $args['orderby'] = 'price'; $args['order'] = 'asc'; return $args; }
This code snippet overrides the default sorting parameters. `orderby` specifies the sorting field (`price`), and `order` sets the direction (`asc` for ascending, `desc` for descending). This is a simple example; more complex changes require a deeper understanding of WooCommerce’s code structure and filtering mechanisms.
Disclaimer: Modifying core code without proper understanding can lead to problems. If you’re unsure, using a plugin is a safer approach.
Real-Life Example: A Clothing Store
Imagine you own an online clothing store. Your default filter only includes size. By using Method 2 (a plugin) or Method 3 (code), you can add filters for color, brand, and material. This allows customers to easily find the perfect shirt, drastically improving their shopping experience and potentially boosting sales.
Conclusion
Changing WooCommerce’s default filter options can significantly improve your online store’s usability and user experience. Choose the method that best suits your technical skills and desired level of customization. Remember to always back up your website before making any major changes, especially when using code. Start with the simplest method (Method 1) and progress to more advanced techniques as needed.
