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WooCommerce checkout setup depends first on whether your store uses the Checkout block or the classic
Identify your checkout type
Open the page assigned as your checkout page in the WordPress editor. If its content includes a Checkout block, the store uses block checkout. If it contains the
For stores started after WooCommerce 8.3, released in November 2023, Cart and Checkout blocks became the default. Older stores can still use the classic shortcode, and a store owner or developer may have changed the setup since installation. WooCommerce’s Cart and Checkout blocks documentation explains the block experience and its controls.
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Choose the right checkout mode for your store
Neither mode is automatically the right choice for every store. Compare the actual editing workflow and compatibility requirements before switching a live checkout.
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| Consideration | Checkout block | Classic shortcode |
|---|---|---|
| Editing workflow | Configure the block in the page editor; block themes also offer a Checkout template in the Site Editor. | Use the Customizer for documented checkout field and policy settings; the page contains the shortcode. |
| Field configuration | Use Checkout Fields block controls for supported fields, including visibility and requiredness options for Company, Address Line 2, Address, and Phone. | Set Company, Address Line 2, and Phone fields to optional, required, or hidden in the Customizer. |
| Payments | Displays available gateways configured to support the Checkout block. Confirm that the exact gateway and method work with this mode. | Confirm that the gateway is enabled, configured, and available for the store’s location and order. |
| Extensions | Extensions that add checkout fields or markup may need specific block integration. | May be a practical fallback for extensions that do not support block checkout. |
| Fallback | The editor can transform Checkout to classic; when returning to classic, WooCommerce advises reverting both Cart and Checkout. | Uses the shortcode checkout experience. |
These are differences in editing and compatibility, not evidence that one mode universally converts better. WooCommerce describes some design choices as conversion-focused, but its documentation does not provide an independently attributable, quantified conversion result for them.
Set up and customize block checkout
Assign the correct checkout page
Place the Checkout block on the page you want customers to use, then assign that page in WooCommerce > Settings > Advanced. WooCommerce says the selected page must be designated there for the block to function properly. If checkout is blank or a different page appears to be in use, confirm this assignment first. See the official Cart and Checkout blocks guide.
Configure fields and order totals
The Checkout block contains customer-detail fields and an order-totals area. In the Checkout Fields block, the documented controls include form-step heading options and visibility or requiredness settings for Company, Address Line 2, Address, and Phone. In the totals area, you can remove the Coupon Form block; most other totals blocks are locked.
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Changing field visibility or requiredness is a configuration choice, not a proven sales improvement. WooCommerce’s documentation describes the available controls but does not quantify the effect of removing fields on sales.
Edit the Checkout template in a block theme
If the site uses a block theme, open Appearance > Editor > Templates > WooCommerce > Page: Checkout. The default template uses a simplified header, and the editor lets you rearrange or style included blocks. WooCommerce presents the reduced-distraction header as an intended design rationale; the documentation does not attach a measured conversion result to it. Details are in WooCommerce’s template and checkout-block documentation.
Check express checkout availability
The Express Checkout block appears only when an active payment gateway supports express methods such as WooPay, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. Availability depends on the gateway and the store’s geography; check the provider’s current requirements for your location before planning around a particular button. WooCommerce recommends WooPayments where available, but this is not a guarantee that the service or a specific express method is offered in every region.
Configure classic shortcode checkout
For classic checkout, open the WordPress Customizer and use its WooCommerce checkout controls. The documented options cover whether Company, Address Line 2, and Phone are optional, required, or hidden, along with assigning terms and privacy policy pages and setting privacy-policy text. These settings are for the classic shortcode experience; they are not the block editor’s controls. Follow WooCommerce’s classic checkout customization guide for the relevant Customizer workflow.
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Troubleshoot missing payment methods
“There are no payment methods available”
On block checkout, this message can appear when every active gateway is incompatible with the Checkout block. An enabled gateway is not necessarily a block-compatible gateway, and checkout only displays methods supported by the gateway configuration for the current store and order. WooCommerce explains this behavior in its Cart and Checkout blocks documentation.
- Confirm the gateway is enabled and complete its required configuration.
- Check that the gateway supports the active checkout type, and that the payment method is available for the store’s geography and the customer’s order.
- If the store uses block checkout and its active gateways are incompatible, use the Checkout block’s settings sidebar to switch to classic checkout as a fallback.
- Recheck payment choices on the actual checkout page after the change.
Compatibility can vary by gateway, method, region, plugin version, and store configuration. For example, WooCommerce’s PayPal Payments documentation describes support for selected block functionality, including some express buttons and card processing, while noting that additional features were in development on that page. Treat that as a statement about the documentation’s published state, not a guarantee for every PayPal method or current installation; consult the live integration documentation for the exact setup.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Check extension compatibility before switching
Extensions that inject checkout markup through hooks, including extensions that add custom fields, may need integration work to support Checkout blocks. WooCommerce says an incompatibility warning and an option to return to classic checkout can appear when a plugin declares that it is incompatible. Since Cart and Checkout blocks work together, WooCommerce advises reverting both when returning to the classic experience. See its block compatibility and fallback guidance.
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Quick Recap
Use this checklist before publishing checkout changes
- Identify whether the assigned page uses the Checkout block or the
- Confirm the correct page is assigned under WooCommerce > Settings > Advanced.
- Use the editor or Customizer that matches the checkout implementation.
- Verify that the chosen gateways support the checkout mode and are available for the store’s location and order.
- Check every checkout-field, add-on, and gateway extension against the active WooCommerce version before switching modes.
- If returning to classic checkout, revert both Cart and Checkout.
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