# How to Change the Default Payment Gateway in WooCommerce: A Beginner’s Guide
Choosing the right payment gateway is crucial for any WooCommerce store. If you’re not happy with your current default, or need to add a new preferred method for your customers, changing it is easier than you think. This guide will walk you through the process, explaining everything in simple terms, even if you’re completely new to WooCommerce.
Why Change Your Default Payment Gateway?
Your default payment gateway is the one customers see first during checkout. Choosing the right one is vital for maximizing sales. You might want to change your default for several reasons:
- Better Fees: Some gateways offer lower transaction fees than others. Switching could save you money in the long run. For example, if you’re using PayPal and find Stripe offers lower rates, switching to Stripe as your default could significantly reduce your processing costs.
- Improved Customer Experience: Certain gateways offer a smoother, more user-friendly checkout experience. Consider customer feedback – are they complaining about a complicated payment process? A different gateway might solve the problem.
- Expanding Payment Options: Maybe you want to offer more options to your customers, such as Apple Pay or Google Pay, to cater to a wider audience and increase conversions.
- Security Concerns: If you have concerns about the security of your current gateway, switching to a more reputable provider is essential.
- Business Growth: As your business grows, your needs might change. You might need a gateway that can handle higher transaction volumes or offers more advanced features.
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
- Navigate to WooCommerce > Settings.
- In the WooCommerce Settings page, click on the Payments tab.
- You’ll see a list of your enabled payment gateways.
- Find the payment gateway you want to set as your default. For example, let’s say you want to switch to Stripe. Locate the Stripe section.
- You’ll usually see an option to enable/disable the gateway. Make sure it’s enabled. This is crucial. A disabled gateway can’t be a default.
- Look for a setting that controls the gateway’s ordering or prioritization. This is usually named something like “Order” or “Position.” WooCommerce often lists gateways in the order they appear, with the first one being the default.
- Once you’ve enabled your chosen gateway and adjusted its position, remember to click the “Save changes” button at the bottom of the page. This saves your settings.
- Testing: After changing your default gateway, always test the checkout process thoroughly. Make a test order to ensure everything works as expected.
- Gateway Specific Settings: Each gateway has its own specific settings (API keys, account details, etc.). Ensure you have correctly configured these settings before making it your default.
- Multiple Gateways: You can have multiple gateways enabled simultaneously. This gives your customers more choices. However, only one can be the default. The default simply appears first.
- Customer Communication: If you’re making a significant change to your payment options, consider informing your customers beforehand.
Step-by-Step Guide to Changing Your Default Payment Gateway
This guide assumes you already have at least one payment gateway installed and configured in your WooCommerce store. If not, you’ll need to install and configure your desired gateway first (e.g., Stripe, PayPal, etc.). You can find detailed instructions for each specific gateway on its respective website and WooCommerce’s documentation.
1. Accessing WooCommerce Settings
2. Selecting the Payments Tab
3. Choosing Your New Default Gateway
Example: Some gateways have a checkbox for “Enable/Disable” and a “Position” number. To make a gateway the default, enable it and adjust the position number so it is the lowest number.
4. Saving Changes
Important Considerations
Example: Switching from PayPal to Stripe
Let’s say your default is PayPal, and you want to switch to Stripe.
1. Follow steps 1 and 2 above to access the Payments tab.
2. Enable the Stripe gateway and disable the PayPal gateway (if you don’t want it as an option anymore). This is optional, but recommended to minimize checkout confusion.
3. Change the position of Stripe to be before PayPal. If Stripe has “Position: 2” and PayPal has “Position: 1”, changing Stripe to “Position: 1” will make Stripe the default.
4. Save changes.
By following these steps, you can easily adjust your WooCommerce default payment gateway, optimizing your checkout process and enhancing the overall customer experience. Remember to always test your changes after implementing them!
