How to check if your WooCommerce checkout is still working

A WooCommerce store can look functional while errors prevent customers from completing checkout. Test the purchase process after updates to check that customers can still place an order.

Use the manual checks below after WordPress, plugin, or theme updates.

Test the Checkout Manually

Follow the purchase process as a customer would, from adding a product to completing checkout.

1. Make a test product: Create a product for testing, for example at €0.01. Use your payment gateway’s test mode when available; live payments may have minimum amounts and fees.
2. Act as a Customer: Use the User Switching plugin to switch to a customer account. Add the item to the cart and continue to checkout.
3. Evaluate the Checkout: Complete the fields and payment step. Record any errors or obstacles.

Test for Plugin Conflicts

A plugin conflict is one possible cause of a checkout failure. Take a full backup and run these tests on a staging copy of the store.

1. Deactivate: On the staging site’s Plugins screen, deactivate plugins except WooCommerce and the extensions involved in the checkout issue.
2. Test the Checkout: Repeat the same purchase steps. If the issue disappears, investigate the plugins you disabled.
3. Reactivate One at a Time: Reactivate each plugin and repeat the checkout test. Record which activation brings the issue back.

Test for a Theme Conflict

If plugin testing does not resolve the issue, check whether the theme is involved.

1. Switch to Default: On staging, temporarily switch to a default WordPress theme. My recommendation in this guide is Twenty Twenty-One.
2. Repeat the Test: Run the checkout process after changing themes and record whether the issue persists.

Always take a full backup before changing themes or plugins. Use a staging site that replicates production so your tests do not interrupt customers.

Use Health Check & Troubleshooting Plugin

Health Check & Troubleshooting offers a troubleshooting session for testing plugins and themes with your own user account.

1. Check Compatibility: Review the Health Check & Troubleshooting plugin’s current compatibility and maintenance status before installing it. Test it on staging first.
2. Enable Troubleshooting Mode: This mode uses a default theme and disables plugins for your session. Enable WooCommerce and the checkout extensions you need within that session before testing.
3. Repeat the Checkout: Record the result, then enable other plugins one at a time to test for conflicts.

If the issue persists, ask for help and share the errors and test results you recorded.