
The go-to approach is to hide it is by using PHP. However, there are more than ONE way to hide/remove the ‘Add to Cart’ button in WooCommerce. It is, after all, a button, so you can hide it via CSS, JS, or PHP.
Have you ever needed to temporarily or permanently remove the Add to Cart button in WooCommerce? Whether it’s for customizing your store’s functionality, managing out-of-stock products, or requiring customers to contact you before purchasing, knowing how to hide the Add to Cart button can be incredibly useful.
WooCommerce is fantastic for creating engaging shopping experiences, but sometimes you need a bit more control over how your products are presented. Maybe you’re showcasing a product that’s not for direct sale, or you want to provide more information before a purchase is made.
In this article, I’ll show you the right way to hide the Add to Cart button in WooCommerce. We’ll go through step-by-step instructions to ensure you can do this without breaking your site or impacting the user experience.
If you run into any challenges or need customized solutions, don’t worry. Our WooCommerce experts are ready to help you out. Just reach out, and we’ll support you in optimizing your online store.
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How Does Hiding the Add to Cart Button in WooCommerce Help?
Hiding the “Add to Cart” button in WooCommerce can really change how your store works and how customers interact with it. Here’s how:
- Better Customer Experience: For high-value or customizable products, removing the button encourages customers to contact you for more information, leading to personalized interactions and better decision-making.
- Inventory Management: If an item is out of stock, hiding the button makes it clear it’s unavailable, preventing customer frustration.
- Cleaner Store Layout: Sometimes you have products just for display or promotions. Hiding the button keeps your site looking clean and professional, without confusing customers about what’s for sale.
Difference Between Hiding and Removing the Add to Cart Button
When it comes to managing your WooCommerce store, knowing whether to hide or remove the Add to Cart button can make a big difference.
Hiding the WooCommerce Add to Cart Button: Hiding the button means it’s still there on the product page, but customers can’t see it. It’s like putting a temporary cover over it. This is great for situations where you might want to make the product available again later, like if it’s out of stock or you’re doing some updates. The product page still shows all the details, but customers just can’t add it to their cart right now.
Removing the Add to Cart Button WooCommerce: Removing the button, on the other hand, means it’s completely gone from the product page. This is more of a permanent move and might need some extra work if you ever want to bring the button back. This option is good for products you never want to sell online, like discontinued items or those that require an in-person purchase.
How to hide add to cart button in WooCommerce
If you’re looking to hide the “Add to Cart” button in WooCommerce, there are a few different methods you can use. Here’s a brief overview:
- Using WooCommerce’s Default Settings: WooCommerce automatically hides the “Add to Cart” button for out-of-stock products. You just need to enable inventory management in the settings.
- Custom Code in functions.php: You can add custom code to your theme’s functions.php file to remove the “Add to Cart” button from product and shop pages.
- Using Filters: A simple and effective way is to use WooCommerce filters to control the visibility of the “Add to Cart” button based on product conditions.
- Plugins: There are several WooCommerce plugins available that allow you to hide the “Add to Cart” button easily without touching any code.
Now, let’s focus on the most effective method using a simple filter.
How to Hide the Add to Cart Button in WooCommerce – Using a Simple Filter
To hide the “Add to Cart” button efficiently, we can use a simple filter in WooCommerce. This method ensures that you don’t interfere with other functionalities or plugins. Here’s how you can do it:
Add the Filter in functions.php: Add the following code to your theme’s functions.php file. This code will make the product unpurchasable, thereby hiding the “Add to Cart” button for simple products and disabling the button for variable products.
php
Copy code
//This is to remove add-to-cart button from simple product page
add_filter( ‘woocommerce_is_purchasable’, ‘__return_false’ );
Hide Add to Cart Button WooCommerce for Simple Product


//This is to remove add-to-cart button from variable product page
remove_action( ‘woocommerce_single_variation’, ‘woocommerce_single_variation_add_to_cart_button’, 20 );
WooCommerce Hide Add to Cart Button for Variable Product


This small snippet of code effectively hides the “Add to Cart” button without causing compatibility issues with other plugins or WooCommerce updates. For simple products, the button will be removed entirely, while for variable products, the button will be disabled.

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Instantly hide the Add to Cart button to avoid confusion and improve your store experience.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Initially, you might think of removing actions directly to hide the “Add to Cart” button. Here’s why that might not be the best approach:
Direct Action Removal:
php
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remove_action(‘woocommerce_after_shop_loop_item’, ‘woocommerce_template_loop_add_to_cart‘);
remove_action(‘woocommerce_single_product_summary’, ‘woocommerce_template_single_add_to_cart‘, 30);
- This method can seem straightforward, but it often leads to issues because these actions are tied to other functionalities within WooCommerce. Removing them might break other parts of your site or interfere with other plugins.
Why This Filter Method is Better
The filter method is cleaner and ensures compatibility. By simply returning false for the purchasable condition, you avoid deeper issues with WooCommerce’s hook system and maintain the integrity of your site’s functionality.
Using Plugins to Hide the Add to Cart Button in WooCommerce
If coding isn’t your thing or you want an easier solution, there are several WooCommerce plugins available that can hide the “Add to Cart” button without any hassle. Here are a few reliable options:
- YITH WooCommerce Catalog Mode: This plugin allows you to transform your WooCommerce store into a catalog by hiding the “Add to Cart” button for all or specific products. It also offers other features like disabling reviews and prices for a streamlined catalog experience.
- WooCommerce Product Catalog: This plugin helps you hide the “Add to Cart” button, prices, and more. You can apply these changes to specific products, categories, or the entire store.
- Disable Add to Cart Button: A straightforward plugin that hides the “Add to Cart” button globally or on specific product pages. It’s easy to use and doesn’t require any coding skills.
These plugins provide a simple, user-friendly way to customize your WooCommerce store without plunging into code. They ensure your site looks clean and professional while preventing customers from purchasing certain products.
Using WooCommerce’s Default Settings to Hide The “Add to Cart” Button
WooCommerce automatically hides the “Add to Cart” button for out-of-stock products. To take advantage of this feature, you just need to enable inventory management in your settings. Here’s how:
- Enable Inventory Management:
- Go to your WordPress dashboard.
- Navigate to WooCommerce > Settings > Products > Inventory.
- Check the “Manage stock” option.
- Set Product Inventory:
- Go to the product page in your WooCommerce dashboard.
- Scroll down to the “Product Data” section.
- Click on the “Inventory” tab.
- Enable “Manage stock” and set the stock quantity.
When a product’s stock reaches zero, WooCommerce will automatically hide the “Add to Cart” button, making it clear to customers that the product is out of stock. This feature helps you manage inventory efficiently and improves the customer experience by preventing them from trying to purchase unavailable items.
Common Issues When Hiding or Removing the Add to Cart Button
When you hide or remove the “Add to Cart” button in WooCommerce, you might encounter a few common issues:
- Plugin Conflicts: Some plugins rely on the “Add to Cart” functionality, and hiding the button can cause conflicts. Always test changes in a staging environment first.
- Theme Compatibility: Not all themes handle this change the same way. Custom templates might override WooCommerce behavior, so ensure your theme is compatible and test thoroughly.
- User Experience: Hiding the button can confuse customers if they don’t understand why they can’t purchase a product. Provide clear information on the product page, such as indicating the item is out of stock or requires contact for purchase.
- Persistent Cache: Changes might not appear immediately due to caching. Clear your site and browser cache after making updates to see the changes in real-time.
Being aware of these potential issues can help you implement the changes smoothly. If you encounter problems, our WooCommerce experts are here to assist.
Conclusion
Hiding or removing the Add to Cart button in WooCommerce can be a useful tool for managing your online store.
Quite often than not, we turn to Google (or Bing if you prefer) to look for an answer. But there isn’t a guarantee that the most popular answer is the right answer. As a general guideline, always remember to do the needed research before implementing the solution. This will help you avoid common issues and ensure a smoother implementation process.
If you face any challenges or need assistance with WooCommerce customization, our experts are here to help. Don’t hesitate to reach out for support. We’re ready to provide you with the solutions you need to optimize your online store.
FAQs
How can I hide the ‘Add to Cart’ button on specific product pages in WooCommerce?
Use the woocommerce_is_purchasable filter to check specific product IDs and conditionally hide the button, or use a plugin for a user-friendly solution.
Is there a way to remove the ‘Add to Cart’ button for out-of-stock items in WooCommerce?
Yes, use the woocommerce_is_purchasable filter set to false for out-of-stock products to hide the button.
Can I disable the ‘Add to Cart’ button for certain user roles in WooCommerce?
Yes, add custom code to your theme’s functions.php file using the woocommerce_is_purchasable filter to hide the button for specific user roles.
What plugins are available to hide the ‘Add to Cart’ button in WooCommerce?
Popular plugins include WooCommerce Catalog Mode, YITH WooCommerce Catalog Mode, and WooCommerce Product Catalog for easy customization.
That’s all from me for now! Until next time, happy coding :-)
Read More: How to Hide Pricing & ‘Add to Cart’ in WooCommerce without Need to Code