WooCommerce: How to Remove the Default Sorting Dropdown (SEO-Friendly Guide)
Introduction:
WooCommerce, the leading e-commerce platform for WordPress, provides a range of default features to get your online store up and running quickly. One such feature is the default product sorting dropdown, which allows customers to sort products by popularity, average rating, newest, price (low to high), and price (high to low). While helpful in many scenarios, there might be instances where you want to remove this dropdown. Perhaps you have a highly curated product selection where default sorting doesn’t make sense, or you want to implement a custom sorting solution tailored to your specific products and customers. This article will guide you through the process of removing the default WooCommerce sorting dropdown, providing you with options and clear instructions for each.
Main Part:
Removing the default sorting dropdown in WooCommerce can be achieved through several methods. Let’s explore the most common and effective approaches:
Method 1: Using a Custom Code Snippet (functions.php)
This is the most common and recommended method, as it involves adding a small code snippet to your theme’s `functions.php` file (or preferably a child theme’s). This approach avoids directly modifying core WooCommerce files, ensuring your changes are preserved during updates.
Here’s the code snippet you need:
function remove_woocommerce_default_catalog_ordering() { remove_action( 'woocommerce_before_shop_loop', 'woocommerce_catalog_ordering', 30 ); } add_action( 'after_setup_theme', 'remove_woocommerce_default_catalog_ordering' );
Explanation:
- `remove_woocommerce_default_catalog_ordering()`: This Learn more about How To Send A Test Email Woocommerce function defines the action to remove.
- `remove_action( ‘woocommerce_before_shop_loop’, ‘woocommerce_catalog_ordering’, 30 );`: This line removes the `woocommerce_catalog_ordering` function, which is responsible for rendering the dropdown, from the `woocommerce_before_shop_loop` action hook. The priority `30` is important to match the original function’s priority.
- `add_action( ‘after_setup_theme’, ‘remove_woocommerce_default_catalog_ordering’ );`: This line hooks your custom function to the `after_setup_theme` action, ensuring it runs after the theme is fully loaded.
- `.woocommerce-ordering`: This targets the container element of the sorting dropdown.
- `display: none !important;`: Explore this article on How To Force Email Customer Invoice For Woocommerce This hides the element. Discover insights on How To Fulfill Orders In Woocommerce `!important` is used to override any other CSS rules that might be affecting the element.
- The dropdown’s code still executes, wasting resources.
- It might be overridden by other CSS rules without using `!important`.
- It’s generally better to remove the functionality entirely if it’s not needed, rather than just hiding it.
- Child Theme: Always use a child theme when making modifications to your theme’s files. This ensures your changes are not lost when the parent theme is updated.
- Testing: After implementing any of these methods, thoroughly test your shop pages to ensure the dropdown is indeed removed and that your website functions as expected.
- Backup: Before making any changes to your theme files, always back up your website. This allows you to restore your website if anything goes wrong.
Steps:
1. Access your WordPress dashboard.
2. Navigate to Appearance > Theme Editor (or Theme File Editor). Important: If you are not using a child theme, create one now. Modifying the parent theme directly will result in your changes being overwritten during theme updates.
3. Locate the `functions.php` file in your theme’s folder (usually at the root).
4. Paste the code snippet at the end of the `functions.php` file.
5. Click “Update File”.
Method 2: Using a Plugin (Code Snippets)
If you’re uncomfortable directly editing your theme’s files, you can use a plugin like “Code Snippets” to achieve the same result. This plugin allows you to add and manage custom code snippets without modifying your theme files.
Steps:
1. Install and activate the “Code Snippets” plugin.
2. Navigate to Snippets > Add New.
3. Give your snippet a descriptive title (e.g., “Remove WooCommerce Sorting Dropdown”).
4. Paste the code snippet from Method 1 into the code editor.
5. Ensure the snippet is set to “Run snippet everywhere”.
6. Click “Save Changes and Activate”.
Method 3: CSS (Not Recommended for Complete Removal)
While not a true removal, you *can* hide the dropdown using CSS. However, this is not recommended as it only hides the element visually; the code still Read more about How To Display Woocommerce Products On Page runs in the background, potentially affecting performance.
.woocommerce-ordering {
display: none !important;
}
Explanation:
Steps:
1. Access your WordPress dashboard.
2. Navigate to Appearance > Customize > Additional CSS.
3. Paste the CSS code into the editor.
4. Click “Publish”.
Why CSS is not the best approach:
Method 4: Via Child Theme Overriding (Advanced)
This method involves overriding the `woocommerce_catalog_ordering()` function or the relevant template file (e.g., `loop/orderby.php`). This is a more advanced method and generally not necessary since using the `remove_action()` method in `functions.php` is simpler and equally effective.
Key Considerations:
Conclusion:
Removing the default WooCommerce sorting dropdown is a straightforward process. The recommended approach involves using a custom code snippet in your `functions.php` file (or via the “Code Snippets” plugin). This method ensures the dropdown is completely removed without directly modifying core WooCommerce files, making it the most reliable and update-safe option. Avoid using CSS to simply hide the dropdown, as it can impact performance. Remember to always use a child theme and back up your website before making any changes to your theme files. By following these instructions, you can easily tailor your WooCommerce store to perfectly match your specific requirements.
