How to Hide, Remove, or Disable the “Add to Cart” Button in WooCommerce

The WooCommerce platform offers extensive options for flexible online store customization. One of the key store-management features is controlling the availability of the «Add to Cart» button. This is not just a user-interface control; it’s an important marketing and sales-management tool that can significantly influence consumer behavior and the efficiency of business processes.

The need to manage the Add to Cart button can arise in various situations. For example, when a product is temporarily or permanently out of stock, it makes sense to hide or disable this button to avoid confusion and customer dissatisfaction. It can also be useful if you want to use the store as an online catalog without purchasing enabled, which is relevant for showcasing a product range without direct sales.

Reasons to Disable the “Add to Cart” Button in WooCommerce

Disabling the «Add to Cart» button in a WooCommerce store can be driven by different business needs and strategic decisions. Here are some key reasons why store owners may choose to remove this option temporarily or permanently:

1. Using WooCommerce as a catalog: Many stores prefer to display products without the option to purchase online. This may be due to the desire to simply showcase the assortment, run exclusive sales through other channels, or the nature of products that require an individualized sales approach.
2. Product unavailability: If a product is temporarily or permanently out of stock, disabling the Add to Cart button helps prevent customer disappointment and manage buyer expectations. It also supports more efficient inventory management and reduces support inquiries about stock status.
3. Specific logical restrictions: In some cases, you may need to hide the button for certain user groups. For example, you can restrict purchases to registered users or special roles, which is used for private marketing campaigns or exclusive offers.
4. Products not yet available for purchase: For new or announced products that have not yet gone on sale, hiding the button helps avoid premature orders and creates anticipation among consumers, which can contribute to a more successful product launch.
5. Required interaction before purchase: When special interaction is needed before purchase (e.g., individual consultations, preliminary conditions, or agreements), disabling the standard purchase button encourages consumers to engage more closely with the seller.

Methods to Disable the Button with Code

Disabling the «Add to Cart» button can be implemented by adding specific code to your WooCommerce theme files. Below are methods and code examples to help you hide this button for various use cases.

Disable for Non-Logged-In Users

If you want to make purchases available only to registered users, you can hide the «Add to Cart» button for all non-logged-in users. This can be useful for stores offering exclusive products or special pricing for registered customers. Example:

add_action('woocommerce_before_add_to_cart_button', 'remove_add_to_cart_button_non_logged_in');

function remove_add_to_cart_button_non_logged_in() {
if ( ! is_user_logged_in() ) {
remove_action('woocommerce_single_product_summary', 'woocommerce_template_single_add_to_cart', 30);
echo '<a href="' . get_permalink(wc_get_page_id('myaccount')) . '">Log in to make purchases</a>';
}
}

add_action('woocommerce_before_add_to_cart_button', 'disable_add_to_cart_for_specific_products');

function disable_add_to_cart_for_specific_products() {
global $product;
$specific_ids = array(624, 625); // Replace with your product IDs
if (in_array($product->get_id(), $specific_ids)) {
remove_action('woocommerce_single_product_summary', 'woocommerce_template_single_add_to_cart', 30);
echo 'This product is temporarily unavailable for purchase.';
}
}

add_action('woocommerce_before_add_to_cart_button', 'disable_add_to_cart_for_categories');

function disable_add_to_cart_for_categories() {
global $product;
$category = 'laptops'; // Replace with the required category slug
if ( has_term($category, 'product_cat', $product->get_id()) ) {
remove_action('woocommerce_single_product_summary', 'woocommerce_template_single_add_to_cart', 30);
echo 'This product is not available for online purchase.';
}
}

/* Hide the purchase button on the catalog page */
.shop-item__buttons{
display: none !important;
}