How to Remove the “Add to Cart” Button in WooCommerce (Beginner’s Guide)

So, you’ve built a beautiful WooCommerce store, but you’re not using the standard “Add to Cart” button for every product. Maybe you’re offering services, digital downloads, appointments, or something completely unique. Whatever the reason, you need to remove that button. This guide will walk you through it, step-by-step, in a way that even complete beginners can understand.

Why Remove the “Add to Cart” Button?

There are many reasons why you might want to remove the standard WooCommerce “Add Check out this post: How To Set Up Multiple Shipping Methods In Woocommerce to Cart” button:

• You’re selling services, not physical products: A hair salon doesn’t need a cart; appointments are booked differently.
• You offer digital downloads with a different purchase flow: Maybe you use a membership system or a different payment gateway.
• You need a custom checkout process: Perhaps you require additional information before processing an order.
• You’re using a booking plugin: Plugins like WooCommerce Bookings handle adding appointments in a more streamlined way.
• You are using a custom form for order submissions: Some products require specific information prior to an order being placed, which the standard WooCommerce cart doesn’t cater for.

Let’s explore the most common ways to achieve this.

Method 1: Using a Plugin (Easiest Method)

The simplest way to remove the “Add to Cart” button is using a plugin. Many plugins offer this functionality as part of their features or as an add-on. Using a plugin is generally recommended for beginners because it avoids complex code modifications.

Here’s what to do:

• Search for a relevant plugin: Search the WordPress plugin directory (within your WordPress dashboard) for terms like “WooCommerce remove add to cart,” “WooCommerce custom add to cart,” or “WooCommerce hide add to cart button.”
• Install and activate: Once you’ve found a plugin that suits your needs, install and activate it as you would any other WordPress plugin.
• Configure the plugin: Most plugins will have a simple settings page where you can control which products or product categories have the “Add to Cart” button removed.

Example: A plugin might let you select specific product categories to disable the button on. If you’re selling digital products via a different system, you could disable the button for the “Digital Downloads” category.

Method 2: Using Custom Code (For Advanced Users)

If you’re comfortable with code, you can remove the “Add to Cart” button using custom code. This method requires some understanding of PHP and child themes and is not recommended for beginners. Improperly implementing code can break your website.

Here’s a basic example of how you might remove the “Add to Cart” button using a child theme’s `functions.php` file:

 add_filter( 'woocommerce_is_purchasable', 'remove_add_to_cart_button', 10, 2 ); function remove_add_to_cart_button( $purchasable, $product ) { // Replace 'your-product-category' with the actual slug of your product category if ( has_term( 'your-product-category', 'product_cat', $product->get_id() ) ) { return false; } return $purchasable; } 

Explanation: This code snippet checks if a product belongs to a specific category (“your-product-category”). If it does, it returns `false`, effectively hiding the “Add to Cart” button.

Important Considerations: Always back up your website before adding custom code. Incorrect code can severely damage your website.

Choosing the Right Method

For most users, using a plugin is the recommended approach. It’s much safer and simpler than manually editing code. Only use custom code if you’re confident in your abilities and understand the risks involved. Remember to always test your changes thoroughly after implementing either method.