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8 Ways to Customize WooCommerce Email Templates

8 Ways to Customize WooCommerce Email Templates

Want to make your WooCommerce emails stand out? Here are 8 practical ways to customize them for a polished, branded experience that boosts engagement and drives results:

  1. Basic Settings: Quickly adjust colors, logos, and footer text in WooCommerce’s built-in email settings.
  2. Child Themes: Safely modify email templates without affecting core files.
  3. Email Customizer Plugins: Use visual editors like YayMail or Kadence for drag-and-drop customization.
  4. Hooks & Filters: Add or modify content programmatically using PHP.
  5. CSS Styling: Fine-tune email designs with custom styles for consistent branding.
  6. Dynamic Content: Personalize emails with placeholders like {customer_name} or custom rules.
  7. Custom Email Templates: Create entirely new email notifications tailored to specific events.
  8. Thorough Testing: Preview and test emails across devices and platforms to ensure they look great everywhere.

Quick Comparison Table:

Method Skill Level Customization Options Tools Needed
Basic Settings Beginner Colors, logo, footer text WooCommerce Settings
Child Themes Intermediate Template structure, content edits Child Theme Files
Email Customizer Plugins Beginner Visual edits, pre-built templates YayMail, Kadence, FunnelKit
Hooks & Filters Advanced Custom content, conditional logic PHP Knowledge
CSS Styling Intermediate Layout, fonts, colors CSS, Email Stylesheets
Dynamic Content Advanced Personalized messages, rules PHP, WooCommerce Variables
Custom Email Templates Advanced Entirely new emails PHP, WooCommerce Email Classes
Testing Beginner Cross-device and platform compatibility Mailtrap, Email on Acid

Why it matters: Transactional emails have open rates over 70%, making them a powerful tool to engage customers. Start customizing today to boost branding, trust, and sales.

Customize All WooCommerce Email Templates

WooCommerce

1. Basic WooCommerce Email Settings

Set up and personalize WooCommerce emails using built-in tools to create a solid foundation for your store’s communication.

Finding Email Settings

Go to your WordPress dashboard, navigate to WooCommerce > Settings, and click on the Emails tab. This is your central hub for email customization.

Basic Email Design Options

WooCommerce allows you to tweak several design elements without needing coding skills. These updates apply to all email templates.

Design Element Customization Options
Header Image Upload your logo
Color Scheme Adjust base, background, and body text colors
Footer Text Add contact info, social links, or legal details
Email Format Choose Plain Text, HTML, or Multipart formats

You can preview your edits by clicking the "click here to preview your email template" link in the settings panel.

Email Template Settings

WooCommerce email notifications are tailored for specific purposes in your customer communication process:

Email Type Purpose Key Settings
New Order Alerts admin of new sales Recipients, subject line, heading
Processing Order Confirms payment receipt Customer messaging, branding elements
Completed Order Confirms shipment Tracking info placement, thank-you message
Refunded Order Details refund status Refund policy, next steps
Customer Invoice Shares payment details Payment link placement, due dates
Customer Note Sends order updates Note formatting, signature

To adjust any email type:

  • Click Manage next to the email type you want to edit.
  • Use the toggle to enable or disable it.
  • Update the recipient list, subject line, and email heading.
  • Save your changes.

Pro Tip: Match your email tone to your audience. For a professional audience, use formal language. If your brand is more casual, keep the tone conversational.

Next, explore how to safely edit these templates by creating a child theme.

2. Child Theme Customization

Using a child theme allows you to modify WooCommerce email templates without altering the core files.

Setting Up a Child Theme

Here’s how to set up a child theme:

  1. Go to wp-content/themes/ and create a new folder named your-theme-child.
  2. Inside the child theme folder, create two files:
    • style.css: Includes a reference to the parent theme.
    • functions.php: Adds WooCommerce support and links the parent theme’s stylesheet.
  3. Add this header to the style.css file:
/* Theme Name: Your Theme Child
Template: your-parent-theme
Version: 1.0
Description: Child theme for WooCommerce email customization */

Email Template Files

WooCommerce email templates can be customized by overriding them in your child theme. Here’s how the file structure works:

Template Location Purpose
/wp-content/plugins/woocommerce/templates/emails/ Original email template files
/wp-content/themes/your-child-theme/woocommerce/emails/ Location for your custom templates
/wp-content/plugins/woocommerce/templates/emails/email-styles.php File for global email styling

To customize an email template, copy it from the WooCommerce plugin directory to your child theme. For example:

  • Original file location:
/wp-content/plugins/woocommerce/templates/emails/customer-processing-order.php
  • New location in your child theme:
/wp-content/themes/your-child-theme/woocommerce/emails/customer-processing-order.php

Keeping Changes Safe During Updates

To ensure your customizations remain intact after updates, follow these tips:

  • Use template hooks instead of directly editing files.
  • Check for changes in template versions after updates.
  • Preserve the original hook structure to maintain functionality.

Pro Tip: Always back up your original template files before making any changes. This helps you track modifications and revert if necessary.

Once your child theme is set up, you can also try email customizer plugins for more advanced changes.

3. Email Customizer Plugins

Email customizer plugins let you tailor WooCommerce emails with visual editors and ready-to-use templates, giving your emails a polished, branded appearance.

Here are some standout plugins for customizing WooCommerce emails:

  • YayMail

    • Free version available
    • Premium starts at $59/year
    • Drag-and-drop editor
    • Rated 9.4/10 for ease of use
    • Includes live preview functionality
  • FunnelKit Automations

    • Offers automation features
    • Professional plan priced at $249.50/year
    • Includes workflow builder and advanced customization options
    • Free version available with basic features
  • Kadence WooCommerce Email Designer

    • Completely free
    • Supports importing pre-built templates
    • Integrated with the WordPress visual customizer
    • Works with WooCommerce Subscriptions and Memberships

Once you’ve chosen a plugin, follow the steps below to start customizing your email templates.

Plugin Setup Guide

To get started with your chosen plugin:

  1. Install and activate the plugin.
  2. Go to the settings and pick the email template you want to edit.
  3. Use the visual editor to adjust:
    • Header design (e.g., logo)
    • Email colors and typography
    • Layout and spacing
    • Footer content, including social media links
  4. Preview your design on different devices.
  5. Send test emails to ensure everything looks right.

Plugin Comparison

Feature YayMail FunnelKit Kadence
Price $59/year $249.50/year Free
Visual Editor Drag-and-drop Yes WordPress customizer
Templates No pre-made Yes Yes
Automation No Yes No
Third-party Integration Limited Extensive Good
Live Preview Yes Yes Yes

When selecting a plugin, keep compatibility in mind. Some plugins may not fully work with custom email types created by third-party WooCommerce extensions. To improve email deliverability, consider pairing your email customizer with WP Mail SMTP to ensure your emails land in recipients’ inboxes.

4. Using Hooks and Filters

Hooks and filters provide a more advanced way to customize WooCommerce email templates without altering core files. While this approach requires some knowledge of PHP, it gives you precise control over the content and functionality of your emails.

Basic Hook Concepts

WooCommerce offers two main types of hooks for email customization:

  • Action hooks: These allow you to insert new content at specific points in the email.
  • Filter hooks: These let you modify existing content before the email is sent.

You can add custom code to your child theme’s functions.php file or use a plugin like Code Snippets to ensure your changes persist through updates.

Adding New Content

You can use action hooks to enhance order emails with custom messages. For instance, add a thank-you message with a discount code:

add_action( 'woocommerce_email_order_details', 'add_custom_thank_you_message', 20, 4 );
function add_custom_thank_you_message( $order, $sent_to_admin, $plain_text, $email ) {
    echo '<p>Thank you for your purchase! As a token of appreciation, enjoy 10% off on your next order with the code: THANKYOU10.</p>';
}

Or include payment instructions for cash-on-delivery orders:

add_action( 'woocommerce_before_email_order', 'add_order_instruction_email', 10, 2 );
function add_order_instruction_email( $order, $sent_to_admin ) {
    if ( ! $sent_to_admin ) {
        if ( 'cod' == $order->payment_method ) {
            echo '<p><strong>Instructions:</strong> Full payment is due immediately upon delivery: <em>cash only, no exceptions</em>.</p>';
        }
    }
}

Email Hook Reference

Here’s a quick guide to some useful WooCommerce email hooks and their purposes:

Hook Name Purpose Example Usage
woocommerce_email_header Modify email header content Add a custom logo or banner
woocommerce_email_footer Customize footer information Include social media links
woocommerce_email_order_details Add content near order details Show estimated shipping times
woocommerce_email_subject_new_order Change email subject lines Include the order number in the subject
woocommerce_email_recipient_new_order Adjust email recipients Send emails to multiple admins

For example, to customize the subject line of the "New Order" email, you can use this filter:

add_filter( 'woocommerce_email_subject_new_order', 'change_new_order_email_subject', 1, 2 );
function change_new_order_email_subject( $subject, $order ) {
    return 'New Order Received: #' . $order->get_order_number() . ' - Please Review';
}
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5. CSS Styling Guide

Use CSS to customize email designs while ensuring they work seamlessly across various email platforms.

Email CSS Files

WooCommerce emails rely on a primary stylesheet called "email-styles.php". To make adjustments:

  1. Open wp-content/plugins/woocommerce/templates/emails/email-styles.php.
  2. Copy it to wp-content/themes/your-child-theme/woocommerce/emails/.
  3. Modify the copied file to include your custom styles.

Adding Custom Styles

Different email clients support CSS features to varying degrees. Here’s a quick compatibility breakdown:

CSS Feature Gmail Outlook Apple Mail Yahoo Mail
Inline Styles Yes Yes Yes Yes
External Stylesheets No Limited Yes No
Media Queries Yes No Yes Limited
Flexbox/Grid No No Yes No

For the best results, stick to inline styles. Here’s an example of table styling:

<table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin-bottom: 20px;">
  <tr style="background-color: #f8f8f8;">
    <th style="padding: 12px; border: 1px solid #ddd; text-align: left;">Product</th>
    <th style="padding: 12px; border: 1px solid #ddd; text-align: right;">Price</th>
  </tr>
</table>

Next, adapt your CSS to match the quirks of specific email clients.

Email Client CSS Support

Email clients interpret CSS differently. Here are a few tips to address common issues:

  1. Cross-Client Compatibility

Use these CSS rules to ensure consistent rendering across platforms:

.ExternalClass {
    width: 100%;
    line-height: 100%;
}

body {
    -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;
    -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;
}
  1. Layout Guidelines
  • Stick to table-based layouts instead of Flexbox or Grid for better compatibility.
  • Focus on basic styles, like colors, fonts, and spacing.
  • Test your designs across platforms using tools like Litmus or Email on Acid.

For complex designs, prioritize simplicity and universal support over advanced CSS techniques.

6. Dynamic Content Setup

Dynamic content takes your email templates to the next level by adding personalization. WooCommerce offers tools to create tailored emails using template variables and custom rules, helping you connect with your customers on a more personal level.

Template Variables

WooCommerce includes built-in placeholder variables that automatically fill emails with key details. These variables work across all email templates:

Variable What It Displays
{customer_name} Customer’s full name
{order_number} Unique order ID
{order_date} Purchase date
{order_total} Total amount paid
{shipping_method} Selected shipping option

To use these variables:

  • Go to WooCommerce → Settings → Emails.
  • Choose the email template you want to update.
  • Add the variables using the {variable} format.

These placeholders are a great starting point, but you can add even more customization with specific order details.

Custom Order Information

If you want to go beyond the standard variables, WooCommerce hooks let you include additional order details. For instance, here’s how you can add a custom message for high-spending customers:

add_action('woocommerce_email_after_order_table', 'add_custom_order_info', 10, 4);
function add_custom_order_info($order, $sent_to_admin, $plain_text, $email) {
    $total_spent = $order->get_total();
    if ($total_spent > 100) {
        echo "<p>As a valued customer spending over $100, you've earned free shipping on your next order!</p>";
    }
}

This method allows you to tailor your emails based on specific conditions, making them more relevant to your audience.

Content Rules

Conditional content lets you customize emails even further by adapting them to specific customer or order details. The YayMail Conditional Logic addon can simplify this process, offering an intuitive way to set up dynamic rules. Here are some practical examples:

  • Provide different shipping instructions depending on the customer’s location.
  • Highlight special offers for orders exceeding a certain amount.
  • Include care instructions for specific products.
  • Share loyalty program details with repeat customers.

For instance, you can create location-based content using billing country variables:

if ('{billing_country}' == 'US') {
    // Display US-specific shipping timeline
} else {
    // Display international shipping information
}

7. New Email Template Creation

Building new email notifications in WooCommerce allows you to create tailored messages for specific events, going beyond simple tweaks to existing templates. This section outlines how to set up entirely new email notifications step-by-step.

Template Structure

To create a custom email notification, you’ll need three key components:

  • Email Manager File (custom-email-manager.php): Handles triggers and queuing.
  • Email Class File (class-custom-email.php): Defines the settings and behavior of the email.
  • Template Files: Includes both HTML and plain text versions of the email.

Here’s an example of a custom email class structure:

class WC_Custom_Email extends WC_Email {
    public function __construct() {
        $this->id = 'custom_email';
        $this->title = 'Custom Notification';
        $this->description = 'Sends custom notifications for specific events';
        $this->template_html  = 'emails/custom-email.php';
        $this->template_plain = 'emails/plain/custom-email.php';
        parent::__construct();
    }
}

Adding New Email Types

To integrate your custom email into WooCommerce, add it to the email classes:

add_filter('woocommerce_email_classes', 'add_custom_email_class');
function add_custom_email_class($email_classes) {
    $email_classes['WC_Custom_Email'] = new WC_Custom_Email();
    return $email_classes;
}

Then, define when the email should send using the trigger method:

public function trigger($order_id) {
    if ($order_id) {
        $this->object = wc_get_order($order_id);
        $this->recipient = $this->object->get_billing_email();

        $this->send(
            $this->recipient,
            $this->get_subject(),
            $this->get_content(),
            $this->get_headers(),
            $this->get_attachments()
        );
    }
}

Template Management

Once your email is set up and ready to trigger, it’s important to manage it effectively. Follow these practices:

  • Organize Files: Store your custom email templates in a dedicated plugin folder for better structure:

    woocommerce-custom-emails/
├── emails/ (contains custom-email.php and plain text version)
├── includes/ (contains class-custom-email.php)
└── woocommerce-custom-emails.php
  • Define Settings: Use the init_form_fields() method to set up email options, like enabling/disabling the email or customizing the subject line:

    public function init_form_fields() {
    $this->form_fields = array(
        'enabled' => array(
            'title' => 'Enable/Disable',
            'type' => 'checkbox',
            'label' => 'Enable this email notification',
            'default' => 'yes'
        ),
        'subject' => array(
            'title' => 'Subject',
            'type' => 'text',
            'description' => 'Email subject line',
            'default' => 'Your {site_title} notification'
        )
    );
}

"WooCommerce 2.0 introduced a lot of new features to the core plugin, one being a new class-based implementation for emails. This makes it really easy to add your own custom email types to WooCommerce." – GoDaddy

8. Testing Your Changes

Once you’ve made your customizations, thorough testing is key to ensuring everything works as expected. Focus on these three areas: previews, common issues, and device compatibility.

Email Preview Tools

Previewing your email templates is crucial, and several tools can help:

  • Preview E-mails for WooCommerce: A highly-rated plugin (4.9/5 stars by 82 WordPress.org users) that allows you to preview templates without needing to place test orders.
  • Mailtrap Email Testing: Paired with WP Mail SMTP, Mailtrap provides a sandbox environment to test email delivery and formatting.

"After weeks of research and some trial and error, I can firmly say – it is impossible to thoroughly test emails and email sending using any WooCommerce built-in features or plugins."
– Denys Kontorskyy, Technical Content Writer, Mailtrap

Common Problems

Before rolling out your emails, watch for these common issues:

  • Ensure HTML and plain text templates are stored in the child theme directory.
  • Double-check that the "Email Type" setting is set to HTML.
  • Include shipping line items (even if priced at $0) to ensure addresses display correctly.

Once these issues are resolved, test your emails across multiple devices to confirm consistent performance.

Device Testing

Testing emails on different devices is a must. Use the table below to guide your checks:

Client Type Testing Tools Key Focus Areas
Desktop Outlook, Gmail, Apple Mail Layout, images, fonts
Mobile iOS Mail, Gmail App Responsive design, text scaling
Web-based Browser preview, Litmus CSS compatibility, links

For a deeper dive, tools like Email on Acid let you preview emails on more than 100 devices and clients.

"Email on Acid has become integral to what we do. As more devices and email client versions roll out, it’s become essential to use Email on Acid to make sure our clients’ emails look great."
– Doug Dennison, Founder and CEO, MailNinja

Conclusion

Let’s tie everything together and see how these techniques contribute to building a strong brand presence through WooCommerce email customization.

Summary

Customizing WooCommerce email templates can transform your customer communications into a professional, branded experience. Start with simple changes using WooCommerce settings, move on to child themes for more secure template modifications, and explore hooks and filters for adding dynamic content. Here’s a quick breakdown:

Customization Level Best Method Ideal For
Basic WooCommerce Settings Quick updates like colors and basic branding
Intermediate Child Themes & Plugins Template tweaks and layout changes
Advanced Hooks & Dynamic Content Adding custom features and personalized messages

Each approach addresses different needs, but together, they ensure your emails align perfectly with your brand.

Further Help

Need more guidance? WOW WP offers detailed tutorials and code examples for WooCommerce email customization. Their resources cover everything from using hooks and filters to testing email designs across devices and clients.

To make the most out of your WooCommerce emails, focus on these key steps:

  • Use a well-configured child theme as your starting point.
  • Test your emails across multiple devices for consistent performance.
  • Add dynamic content to tailor messages to your audience.
  • Keep your branding consistent across all email templates.

By following these practices, you can create a polished and professional communication experience for your customers.

"Email on Acid has become integral to what we do. As more devices and email client versions roll out, it’s become essential to use Email on Acid to make sure our clients’ emails look great."
– Doug Dennison, Founder and CEO, MailNinja

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