WooCommerce product filters help shoppers find what they want fast. With filters, customers can sort products by things like price, color, size, or what’s in stock. This makes shopping easier and helps stores sell more. Using filters also keeps your online shop neat and easy to use.

So, how to add product filters in WooCommerce?

Add product filters in WooCommerce by using built-in filter options or plugins like Dynamic AJAX Product Filters. Create filters based on attributes, taxonomies, or custom fields, then display them on shop or category pages using widgets or shortcodes for a better user experience.

Keep reading this guide to learn the steps for adding filters to your WooCommerce store!

How to Add Product Filters in WooCommerce?

You can use the basic filter tools that come with WooCommerce, or you can use a plugin like Dynamic AJAX Product Filters for WooCommerce. Just set up filters for your products, like by category or color, and show them on your shop page with a widget or a simple code. 

Here in the following sections, we’ll guide you through both the built-in WooCommerce Filter and the third-party plugin with Dynamic AJAX Product Filters for WooCommerce:

WooCommerce’s built-in filter

WooCommerce comes with basic filter widgets for product categories, price, and attributes. To use these:

1. Go to Appearance > Widgets in your WordPress dashboard.
2. Add the desired filter widgets (e.g., “Filter Products by Price,” “Filter Products by Attribute”) to your sidebar or widget area.

3. Configure the widget settings as needed (e.g., choose which attribute to filter by).

4. Save your changes.

This method is simple but offers limited customization and display options.

Third party plugin: Dynamic AJAX Product Filters for WooCommerce

Adding a WooCommerce product filter for your store helps shoppers find products easily. Follow these steps to set up filters using Dynamic AJAX Product Filters for WooCommerce.

Step 1: Install the Plugin

For the Free Version:

1. Go to your WordPress Admin Dashboard.
2. Click on Plugins and then Add New Plugin.
3. In the search box, type Dynamic AJAX Product Filters for WooCommerce.
4. Click Install Now, then click Activate.

For the PRO Version:

1. Go to Plugins in your dashboard.
2. Click Add New Plugin.
3. Click Upload Plugin.
4. Click Choose File and select the plugin ZIP file from your computer.
5. Click Install Now and then Activate.

To Install Manually With FTP:

1. Download the plugin ZIP file to your computer.
2. Unzip the file—you’ll see a folder called dynamic-ajax-product-filters.
3. Open your FTP program (like FileZilla) and connect to your web server.
4. Go to the /wp-content/plugins/ folder on your server.
5. Upload the whole dynamic-ajax-product-filters folder here.
6. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Installed Plugins and click Activate next to Dynamic AJAX Product Filters for WooCommerce.

Step 2: Set Up Your Product Filters

1. In your WordPress dashboard, look for the new menu called AJAX Product Filters (or similar).
2. Click on it to open the plugin settings.
3. Click Add New Filter Group or similar.
4. Choose what you want to filter by (like color, price, size, or category).
5. Pick how you want the filter to look (checkboxes, dropdown, slider, etc.).
6. Save your changes.

Step 3: Add Filters to Your Shop Page

Option 1: Using a Widget

1. Go to Appearance > Widgets.
2. Drag and drop the Dynamic AJAX Product Filters widget to your sidebar or shop page area.

Option 2: Using a Shortcode

1. Go to the plugin settings and copy the shortcode for your filter group.
2. Paste the shortcode into any page or post where you want the filters to show.

Step 4: Test the Filters

1. Go to your shop page.
2. Try out the new filters to make sure they work.
   (For example, select a color or price range and see if the products update right away.)

What’s the Purpose of Product Filters in WooCommerce?

Shopping online can feel confusing when you see hundreds of products on one page. It’s easy to get lost and not know where to start. That’s why having helpful tools like product filters in your online store is so important. Take a look at the multiple purposes of product filters in WooCommerce. 

Better Shopping Experience

Product filters help shoppers find what they’re looking for without wasting time. Instead of scrolling forever, people can choose things like color, size, or price to see just the products they want. This makes the shop feel more organized and friendly. It helps customers feel good about shopping and makes them want to come back.

More Sales and Orders

When it’s easier for people to find products, they are more likely to buy something. If a customer can’t find what they want, they might leave your store without buying anything. Filters make it simple for them to see the right options. This means your store can get more sales and happy customers.

Discover New Products

Sometimes people only see the most popular products and miss out on other cool items. Filters let customers look at different categories or features, so they might find something new or unexpected. This helps your store show off all kinds of products, not just the bestsellers. It’s a great way to help more products get attention.

Easy Browsing

Nobody likes to scroll through pages of products that don’t match what they want. With filters, shoppers can just see the items that fit their needs. This saves time and keeps shopping simple. It makes it easier for everyone, even if they aren’t sure exactly what they’re looking for.

Stay Ahead

Stores with good filters stand out from the crowd. Shoppers remember websites where they can quickly find what they need. If your store is easy to use, people are more likely to visit again instead of going somewhere else. Good filters help your store look professional and trustworthy.

Troubleshooting Common Issues with WooCommerce Filters

WooCommerce filters are essential for a smooth shopping experience, but they can sometimes malfunction. Here are the most common issues and how to troubleshoot them:

Common Issues and Solutions

Filters Don’t Appear or Disappear

• Cause: The filters may not be set to display on the current page, or a theme or plugin is overriding the filter display.
• Solution: Check the filter plugin settings and ensure the filters are enabled for the correct pages. Switch to a default theme to test for theme conflicts.

Filters Don’t Work (No Results or Wrong Results)

• Case: Product attributes may be incorrectly set up, or there could be a conflict with another plugin or theme.
• Solution: Verify that products have the correct attributes assigned and that the filter logic matches your product data. Disable other plugins to check for conflicts.

Filters Reset or Overlap After Selection

• Cause: Multiple product shortcodes on a page or conflicting AJAX requests can cause filters to reset or overlap.
• Solution: Specify the correct product container selector in your filter settings if using multiple product grids.

Page Reloads or Filters Don’t Update

• Cause: JavaScript or AJAX errors, or caching issues, may prevent filters from updating dynamically.
• Solution: Clear browser and server caches. Use browser developer tools to check for JavaScript errors and fix them.

Incorrect or Outdated Data Shown

• Cause: Caching plugins or CDN settings may serve old data, or product metadata may not be updated.
• Solution: Clear all caches (browser, plugin, server). Ensure product data is up to date.

Filters Not Working on Mobile or With Page Builders

• Cause: Theme styles or insufficient breakpoint settings can hide filters on mobile devices. Page builders may not be compatible with filter plugins.
• Solution: Adjust mobile breakpoint settings in your filter plugin. Enable compatibility options for page builders if available.

Too Many Filters or High Traffic

• Cause: Using too many filters or experiencing high visitor traffic can overload the site, making filters unresponsive.
• Solution: Reduce the number of active filters or optimize your site for better performance.

Troubleshooting Checklist

• Check Theme Compatibility: Switch to a default WooCommerce theme (like Storefront) to see if the issue persists.
• Disable Plugins: Deactivate all plugins except WooCommerce and your filter plugin, then reactivate them one by one to identify conflicts.
• Verify Product Attributes: Ensure all products have the correct attributes and are properly assigned.
• Clear Caches: Clear browser, plugin, and server caches.
• Rebuild Permalinks: Go to WordPress Settings > Permalinks and click “Save Changes” to refresh permalink settings.
• Check for JavaScript Errors: Use browser developer tools to identify and fix script errors.
• Test on a Staging Site: Always test changes on a staging site before applying them to your live store.

Quick Tips to Optimize Your Product Filters for Maximum Performance

Shopping online should be fast and fun, not slow or confusing. Product filters are a big help, but only if they work well for everyone. If your filters are hard to use, people might leave your store. Let’s look at some simple ways to make your product filters better for everyone.

Ajax Filtering

Using Ajax filters means shoppers don’t have to wait for the whole page to reload every time they pick an option. This makes shopping feel super fast and smooth. People see the new products right away, so they don’t get bored. It’s a smart way to keep everyone happy and interested.

Relevant Attributes

Only show filter choices that actually have products available right now. If someone clicks a filter and nothing comes up, they can get annoyed. Showing only real choices keeps things simple and clear. This way, shoppers always see options that lead to real results.

Collapsible Filters

If your store has lots of filters, let shoppers open or close each section. This keeps the page neat and not crowded. People can focus on what matters to them and ignore the rest. It helps everyone find what they need without feeling lost.

Key Attributes First

Put your most important filters at the top, like price, brand, or color. Shoppers look for these options first. Keeping them easy to find saves time and makes people happier. It’s all about making things quick and simple.

Visual Filters

Use pictures, color swatches, or icons for things like color or style. Shoppers can pick what they want just by looking, not reading. This makes it easier and a lot more fun. Visual choices can help people decide faster.

Mobile Friendly

Lots of people shop on their phones now, so your filters should work well on small screens. Make sure buttons are big enough and easy to tap. A good mobile filter means nobody has to zoom in or struggle. Happy mobile shoppers come back more often.

Limit Filters

Don’t fill your page with too many filter options at once. Too many choices can be confusing and slow down your site. Keep only the filters that really help your customers. This keeps things running fast and makes shopping more pleasant.

Caching System

A caching system helps your store load faster, especially if you have many products. It stores the results so you don’t have to start from zero each time. Fast loading makes everyone’s experience better. Shoppers will stick around instead of clicking away.

Check Analytics

Look at which filters your customers use the most. You can adjust your filters based on what people really want. This way, you keep improving your store all the time. Listening to your shoppers always pays off.

Advanced Search

If you have a really big shop with lots of items, try using a strong search tool like Elasticsearch. It can find the right products quickly, even in huge catalogs. This makes filtering fast and accurate. Your customers will thank you for the smooth shopping experience.

Final Thoughts

Adding product filters to your WooCommerce store helps your customers find things quickly and easily. When you know how to add product filters in WooCommerce, you make shopping better for everyone.

You can use WooCommerce’s own filters or a plugin like Dynamic AJAX Product Filters. Always check that your filters work the right way and fix them if something is wrong. Good filters make your shop easy to use, so people will want to come back and shop again.