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How to Customize WooCommerce Emails using Code & Plugins?

Why customize WooCommerce emails? How to customize WooCommerce email templates? Which are the best WooCommerce email customizer plugins for 2022? Learn everything here.

customize WooCommerce emails

Last updated on March 4, 2024

Howdy WooCommerce users! If you want to build your unique brand identity and encourage repeat purchases, you can easily do it with customized WooCommerce email templates.

We’ll walk you through the default WooCommerce email templates, how to customize them with code, and which WooCommerce email customizer plugins work best for you.

Let’s get started.

Standard WooCommerce emails templates types

Essentially, WooCommerce is equipped with eleven built-in email templates that are sent to customers and admin related to the orders and account updates.

WooCommerce email templates default
  • Order on-hold email – sent to the customer after an order is placed on hold.
  • Order processing email – sent to the customer after the payment is done.
  • Order completed email – sent to customers when their orders are marked completed, and indicates that order has been shipped.
  • Order refunded email – sent to the customer when the orders are marked refunded.
  • New Order – sent to the store admin when a new order is placed on their site.
  • Cancelled Order – sent to the store admin to notify them of a cancelled order.
  • Failed Order – sent to the store admin to notify them of a failed order.
  • Customer invoice email – sent to the customer and contains order information and payment links.
  • Customer note email – sent to the customer when a customer note is added from the edit order admin.
  • Password reset email – sent to the customer when they forget the password and requests for a new password.
  • New account email – sent to the customer when they sign up via checkout or account sign up page.

A sample order completed email looks like the below snapshot.

Default WooCommerce email template
Default WooCommerce email template

In short, the emails consist of the following details – product information, the total price including taxes and shipping charges, mode of payment, shipping & billing address.

Why need to customize WooCommerce emails?

Being a transactional email, the open and click rates will naturally be higher than for other types of emails.

These WooCommerce order emails, however, appear simple, boring, and unattractive, as you can see from the email template above.

It lacks the oomph factor. It doesn’t carry your brand and positioning. It poorly reflects on your value proposition.

If you continue to use these templates, your consumers, including your loyal ones, may have a negative impression of your brand, resulting in a higher churn rate.

I’m sorry to say but this is true. A big opportunity lost!

Eight out of ten people will never change their email templates. If you’re one of them, make the switch right away.

Everyone still reads emails…and you should look good in them. You don’t want to give your customers a bad impression of your brand if they decide to buy something, do you?

So why not customize WooCommerce emails in the first place?

Customized WooCommerce emails builds a unique brand and relationship

Customized WooCommerce email template
Customized WooCommerce email template

Customizing WooCommerce emails is not rocket science to comprehend. Rather a cakewalk (if you use plugins). One can play with styles of the email, colors, alignment, images and a lot more.

Compare the above email template (provided by Email Customizer Pro For WooCommerce plugin) with the default WooCommerce email. You would easily notice the difference.

From their initial email, we may deduce their brand image. Because we have a natural predisposition to be excited by the colors and patterns we perceive. The use of your brand’s colors, fonts, and language establishes consistency and reinforces your brand. You create a swag of your own.

With every dollar spent on email marketing, a maximum sum of $38 can be earned, proven fact.

Your company benefits from the sense of emotional connectedness. Customers become your devoted fans in the long term. It gives your brand more traction.

It aids in your recall. Additionally, including related products and coupon codes may result in additional purchases.

That said, these customized WooCommerce transactional emails are a hook point with your customers. The moment you lock your base audience, business picks up pace and financials look promising.

How to customize WooCommerce emails using code?

We’ll walk you through the process of personalizing these emails now.

What do you enjoy doing? Take a straightforward approach by using plugins and getting started. OR do you want to experiment with coding?

Both of them are discussed in this article.

Let’s customize WooCommerce emails using the technical way. Following that, we’ll look at several popular plugins.

Customize WooCommerce emails using Settings, Hooks & Filters

This is not everyone’s cup of tea. This is for folks who know programming.

There are now two methods for customizing emails with code.

  1. Customize WooCommerce email templates that already exist
  2. Using custom code, create new WooCommerce email templates

We’ll cover the first method. For the second method, refer to this blog – create custom WooCommerce email templates.

Essentially WooCommerce allows customizing emails in three different verticals – settings, overriding and action/filters (hooks).

  1. Settings: One can change the background color, text color, base color. The catch comes in the form of restricting any changes to the layout and email body.
  2. Overriding: In case you wish to change the layout of the email, you can alter the HTML of the template.
  3. Hooks: In addition to the above changes, you can also add additional content through hooks without disturbing the layout.

Let’s learn each of the three in detail.

Customizing email templates using Settings

First, let’s see how you can customize an email template individually.

For this, you have to open the template by clicking the name of the template or the Manage button on the right.

woocommerce email templates default

You can customize the content of an individual email template. Once you open an email template, you can customize several aspects of it. These are the options that you get as shown in the image (courtesy – LearnWoo.com)

editing individual WooCommerce email template
  • Enable/Disable – This checkbox that lets you enable or disable this specific email notification.
  • Recipients – Specify the email ids to which this email will be sent. Separate multiple email ids by using comma. This is applicable only to admin emails.
  • Subject – Specify the email subject here. The field allows text or placeholder. The available placeholders are:
    • {site_title}
    • {site_address}
    • {site_url}
    • {order_date}
    • {order_number}
  • Email heading – Specify the heading of the email. The same placeholders from above are applicable here as well.
  • Additional content – The text you add here will be visible in the email body. You can use the placeholders here as well.
  • Email type – Specify the format of the email. The available formats are:
    • Plain text
    • HTML
    • Multipart

HTML template
There is an option at the end of the setting under the heading HTML template. Here, you will find the file path that lets you edit this specific email template copy, which you can paste in the theme folder to override. There are also two buttons here – one to copy the template file to the theme, and another one to view the preview of the template.

Finally, after adding all the details, you can click the Save changes button.

Now, you can apply some more customizations that will be applicable to all your email templates. These options could be accessed after logging in to the WordPress admin panel and then going to WooCommerce > Settings > Emails > Email sender options.

WooCommerce email sender options

These options include:

  • Header image – Gets displayed at the top of all emails. Has to be your brand logo.
  • Footer text – Add your website link or contact details to make it easy for your customers to get in touch.
  • Base color – The color you want to use for your headings, links, and email title background.
  • Background color – Your email’s background color.
  • Body background color – The color of your email content background.
  • Body text color – The color for all written email content.
  • Store management insights – Sign in to receive store management insights from WooCommerce here. Tick the checkbox to enable these notifications.

In this approach, the choices apply to all standard WooCommerce email templates.

Overriding email templates

Another approach is to modify the default email layouts. WooCommerce offers a helpful template system that allows you to customize parts of emails by replicating the format file(s) into the theme.

Every email type has a template file for its content. (For example, woocommerce/templates/emails/customer-processing-order.php)

For each of the eleven default WooCommerce emails, here’s the template file name. What each email is for is already covered at the start of the article.

  1. admin-cancelled-order.php
  2. admin-failed-order.php
  3. admin-new-order.php
  4. customer-on-hold-order.php
  5. customer-processing-order.php
  6. customer-completed-order.php
  7. customer-refunded-order.php
  8. customer-note.php
  9. customer-invoice.php
  10. customer-new-account.php
  11. customer-reset-password.php

Besides, there are shared templates that all email types can access and use. These could be found at woocommerce/templates/emails/.

In many cases, this is the template that developers override to change shared aspects of the emails.

Below are different parts that form the above email, each is customizable.

  1. email-header.php = prints/shows email header.
  2. email-footer.php = prints/shows email footer.
  3. email-order-details.php = prints/shows all order details – products/line items, tax, shipping, coupons, payment gateway, etc for that order.
  4. email-order-items.php = prints/shows order’s product details i.e. line items for that order.
  5. email-downloads.php = if an order contains downloadable products, this prints/shows that information along with file name, link to download, expiry, number of downloads, etc for that order.
  6. email-customer-details.php = prints/shows customer’s details like an email address for that order.
  7. email-addresses.php = prints/shows customer’s billing and shipping address for that order.
  8. email-styles.php = contains CSS and properties that will be applied in the emails. Should be email safe.

Let’s say, you want to change the footer text color:

  • First you make sure that the following directory exists in the WordPress installation: wp-content/themes/your-theme/woocommerce/emails.
  • Next, copy the file found at wp-content/plugins/woocommerce/templates/emails/email-styles.php into the store’s theme at:
    your-theme/woocommerce/emails/.
  • Finally, edit your-theme/woocommerce/emails/email-styles.php to change the footer text color.
#template_footer #credit {
    border:0;
    color: #66bae3;
    font-family: Arial;
    font-size:12px;
    line-height:125%;
    text-align:center;
    padding: 0 48px 48px 48px;
}

The above example shows how you can change the footer text color. Similarly:

  • To add/edit text in the Processing email, you can override the ‘customer-processing-order.php’ email template and change it.
  • If you do not want to show the shipping address for all orders, then override the ’email-customer-details.php’ email template.
  • To beautify your email design, override ’email-styles.php’ email template and add your custom CSS.
  • To include trust banners of your brand like fast delivery, better support, secure payment, etc., override the ’email-footer.php’ email template.

Conditional customization with Hooks

This approach to customizing emails deals with WooCommerce custom code. Obviously, it requires a high level of expertise in PHP.

But, the process is straightforward because the original WooCommerce layouts are still in use. The process involves changing portions of the content.

For example, you want to add the Shipping method chosen, in the order email.
You could use the woocommerce_email_after_order_table, or woocommerce_email_before_order_table to add the content.

add_action( 'woocommerce_email_after_order_table', 'sa_add_shipping_method_
to_order_email', 10, 2 );
function sa_add_shipping_method_to_order_email( $order, $is_admin_email ) {
    echo 'Shipping: ' . $order->get_shipping_method();
}

Remember, these methods are tightly linked to the theme you choose. Hence when you change your theme, you will have to move your modified template files, or the added actions, to the new theme as well.

Now let’s move on to the easy way.

6 Best WooCommerce Email Customizer Plugins

Why don’t you attempt something new that will pique your clients’ interests? Send personalized emails to make them smile and feel good. Even more so when they’re available at a moment’s notice.

On the market nowadays, there are a plethora of plugins. For the year 2024, we’ve produced a list of six popular WooCommerce email customizer plugins.

Let’s see each of them with their features and pricing.

Email Customizer Pro for WooCommerce

In a world where your customers are continuously assaulted with content, the most expensive component is ‘attention span,’ and if you can capture it, you’re sending some wonderful emails. That’s what the Email Customizer Pro for WooCommerce plugin can help you with.

The Woocommerce email plugin lets you easily customize all the eleven default transactional WooCommerce email / WooCommerce order email templates without writing a line of code. This plugin is developed by StoreApps, the official WooCommerce extensions developer.

You can edit email text, colors, header & footer, add custom links, add links to your social networks; all using the familiar WordPress Customizer interface.

WooCommerce Subscriptions emails can also be customized.

A readymade email template from Email Customizer Pro for WooCommerce plugin looks like this:

Email Customizer Pro for WooCommerce plugin interface
Email Customizer Pro for WooCommerce plugin interface

Try the live demo

Highlights:

  • You get five ready-made templates to choose from. There are no design headaches. When you choose a template, you’ll be taken to your familiar WordPress customizer, where you may make changes to the email.
  • Make changes to the email body text. This is the USP plugin. You can edit the existing information as well as add your own. Default email order messages, headers, subheadings, and closing remarks can all be changed. Include photos, video links, coupons, and blog post links. You might even ask for feedback and reviews.
  • Another area where the plugin shines is the product recommendations section. To increase sales through upsells and cross-sells, use merge tags to show similar products immediately within the emails.
  • The header style, which includes header color, header text color, and header text, can then be customized. In the header space, you may place a logo for your company.
  • The menu bar, on the other hand, allows you to display up to five personalized links. Use these links to send clients to any offer page, product documentation, special membership plan pages, and so on.
  • You can add text to the footer part of your emails for the footer. It could be a personalized message or HTML. You can include three social media icons with links to your brands’ profiles. The most commonly used icons in emails appear to be Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.
  • You can also change the color of the email backdrop, including the background color, email border color, and email body color.
  • You can see how your emails will look on different devices in real-time.
  • Send test emails to customers to see how they will appear in their inboxes. Check to ensure that everything is working properly and that nothing has broken.

You’re all good to go and carve out your own unique brand identity.

Pricing: $79

Get Email Customizer Pro plugin

WooCommerce Email Customizer

Developed by WooCommerce team, WooCommerce Email Customizer plugin has the built-in WordPress Customizer that allows you to visually modify your email template design. You don’t require any coding knowledge.

Woocommerce Email Customizer plugin

But remember, this plugin only customizes the design of your emails and not the text or content of emails.

Pricing: $79

Get WooCommerce Email Customizer plugin

Email Customizer for WooCommerce by ThemeHigh

This is also a popular WooCommerce email customizer plugin. There’s a free version of the plugin on WordPress.org and a premium version.

Email Customizer for WooCommerce plugin interface

Highlights:

  • See live preview of the changes
  • Add unlimited rows to the email template
  • Add different email elements (Basic, Woocommerce and hooks)
  • Send test emails

Pricing: $39

Get this Email Customizer plugin

Visual Email Designer for WooCommerce

Another WooCommerce email customizer plugin with a drag and drop functionality. It has a free version on WordPress.org and a premium version.

Visual Email Designer for WooCommerce plugin

Highlights:

  • Send product based and category-based emails.
  • Embed digital signature in each WooCommerce order email.
  • Send test emails to take a look at how the emails delivered to the customer mailbox.
  • Craft your own subject lines.

Pricing: $99

Get Visual Email Designer plugin

WooMail – WooCommerce Email Customizer

WooMail is a popular email customizer plugin on CodeCanyon.

WooMail Email Customizer

Highlights:

  • Pre-defined templates and blocks
  • Drag and drop, no coding required.
  • Live preview
  • Send test emails

Pricing: $39

Get WooMail plugin

YITH WooCommerce Email Templates

YITH WooCommerce Email Templates plugin provides you with templates to give a more professional look to the messages.

YITH WooCommerce Email Templates

Highlights:

  • Add logos and customized links
  • Change colors and typography
  • Add social media links
  • Delete product image from the email content

But, there’s no live preview available.

Pricing: $80

Get YITH WooCommerce Email Templates plugin

Advantages of using customized WooCommerce emails

On top of everything else, it’s super easy. Since the templates are pre-defined, the store owners need not worry about inventing a template every time a transaction happens.

  • Visually attractive and aesthetic email design
  • Customized and tailor-made
  • The scope of making the email interactive
  • Alluring emails bolster business, typically sales revenue
  • Enhanced customer engagement
  • Put an end to humdrum emails
  • Dynamic and readily available

The best part about customized WooCommerce emails has to be their responsive design that makes the life of store owners and marketers easy.

Recommended WooCommerce email customizer plugin is…

To summarize, Email Customizer Pro for WooCommerce stands out differently from rest others. It’s a comprehensive package that includes high-quality and adaptable capabilities.

Email Customizer Pro for WooCommerce templates to customize woocommerce emails
Email Customizer Pro for WooCommerce templates to customize emails

The very first glance of it generates positive vibes in the customer. Amazingly designed and creatively customizable, the plugin is a must for WooCommerce users.

It will add a glimmer of spice to your email. Your customers get the liberty of space to feel the brand and get associated with you. With just a few clicks, you can come up with terrific emails that bring extravagant results in return.

Get Email Customizer Pro plugin

Start customizing your emails today

Allow me to provide you with this crucial piece of advice. Email, in my opinion, is similar to a love letter. You may also hire someone to design the newsletter for you or pick one of the unlimited design services to work for you.

We must allow our clients to feel the brand, perceive it in the way we want them to, and adopt our brand image, allowing it to seep into their thoughts and be there indefinitely.

And, in my opinion, doing business is all about keeping a long-term relationship with the customer.

FAQs

How do I manage Emails in WooCommerce?
On the WordPress dashboard, you can manually go to Settings > Emails. You can change any of the default WooCommerce emails or WooCommerce email notifications there by clicking the Manage link next to it. Once you click on Manage, you will have options to add a subject, email heading, content, etc.

Or choose a plugin that simplifies management. Above you’ll find some of the best email customiser plugins.

How do I add custom emails to WooCommerce?
To add custom WooCommerce emails faster and easier email customization, use an Email customiser plugin.

9 thoughts on “How to Customize WooCommerce Emails using Code & Plugins?

  1. Thank you very much Akshat for the detailed article on this topic.

  2. I’m amazed, I have to admit. Seldom do I encounter a blog that’s both educative and engaging, and let me tell you, you have hit the nail on the head.
    The problem is something that not enough people are speaking intelligently about.
    I am very happy I came across this in my search for something relating to this.

  3. I have no website using woocommerce, but this is legit info!

  4. Very interesting article.

  5. Thanks for your great guide !

  6. Thank you very much Mr Akshat for the detailed article on this topic.

  7. Thanks for such awesome article, Akshat. It really helped me in customizing the Woocommerce emails and learning more about it.

  8. Could you please specify which plugin to use, if the wishes mostly is to correct the text in the emails? Thank you so much in advance.

    1. Hi Maja, you can use Email Customizer Pro.

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