Cart & checkout pages
What the WooCommerce cart and checkout pages are, why they matter, and how to manage them safely.
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Your cart and checkout pages are the two most critical pages in your store. Without them, customers cannot complete a purchase. This guide explains what they are, why they must not be deleted, and what you can safely change.
Quick summary
WooCommerce creates a Cart page and a Checkout page automatically during setup. These pages contain the WooCommerce Cart and Checkout blocks (or, on older setups, shortcodes) that power the shopping experience. Never delete them. You can change their names, URLs, and some of their styling — but the WooCommerce content inside must remain.
Your store's special pages
WooCommerce creates several important pages automatically. The most critical are:
| Page | What it does | Where it's set |
|---|---|---|
| Cart | Shows items in the customer's cart, allows coupon entry, and links to checkout | WooCommerce → Settings → Advanced |
| Checkout | The full checkout form for payment | WooCommerce → Settings → Advanced |
| My Account | Customer login, orders, and profile | WooCommerce → Settings → Advanced |
| Shop | The main product listing page | WooCommerce → Settings → Products |
You can see which pages are assigned as Cart, Checkout and My Account under WooCommerce → Settings → Advanced → Page setup.
The Cart page
The Cart page shows customers:
- All items they've added with quantities and prices
- A coupon code entry field
- Subtotal, shipping estimate, and total
- A "Proceed to checkout" button
The WooCommerce Cart block (or, on older setups, the [woocommerce_cart] shortcode) powers this page. If you see a blank cart page or an error, the block or shortcode may have been accidentally removed.
Do not delete the Cart page
If the Cart page is deleted, customers lose the ability to review their cart and proceed to checkout. A missing page can be recreated (see below), but it's better to avoid deleting it at all.
The Checkout page
The Checkout page is where customers:
- Enter their name, email, and addresses
- Choose a shipping method
- Enter payment details
- Place the order
The WooCommerce Checkout block (or, on older setups, the [woocommerce_checkout] shortcode) powers this page. Like the Cart page, never delete or remove the WooCommerce content from this page.
Customizing these pages
There are things you can safely change and things you should not touch:
Safe to change
- Page title and URL slug (afterwards, check that the page is still selected under WooCommerce → Settings → Advanced → Page setup)
- Adding text, images, or banners above or below the WooCommerce block
- Styling via your theme or Elementor (around the checkout, not inside it)
- Adding trust badges or security icons near the payment section
Do not change
- The WooCommerce shortcode or block inside the page
- The page's published status (keep it Published)
- Deleting the page
- Restricting access (these pages must be publicly accessible)
If a page is missing or broken
If a customer reports that cart or checkout is not working:
Go to WooCommerce → Settings → Advanced → Page setup. Check that the correct pages are assigned.
Open the Cart or Checkout page in the WordPress editor.
Check that the WooCommerce shortcode or block is present. It should say [woocommerce_cart] or [woocommerce_checkout] (or show the WooCommerce Cart/Checkout block in the block editor).
If the block or shortcode is missing, add it back. If the pages were deleted, go to WooCommerce → Status → Tools and click Create pages (under "Create default WooCommerce pages"). This recreates any missing default pages without touching the ones you still have.
We can recreate these pages
If your cart or checkout pages are badly broken, contact us. We can restore them quickly.
Common questions
Can I use a page builder (like Elementor) to design my checkout page?
This requires care. Standard page builders wrap around the WooCommerce checkout, which can break the checkout form. We use specialized tools and plugins to safely customize the checkout appearance. Ask us before attempting this.
My cart page shows but the checkout button does nothing. What's wrong?
A common cause is a conflict: another plugin or your theme interfering with WooCommerce. Try deactivating recently installed plugins one at a time to find the one causing it. Or contact us and we'll diagnose it.
Can I redirect customers to checkout directly (skip the cart)?
Yes, using a plugin or a small code snippet. Some stores do this, especially single-product stores, to streamline the experience. Contact us if you'd like this set up.
Related guides
- Understanding the checkout experience
- Your store's key pages
- Understanding abandoned carts
- Troubleshooting order problems
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