Skip Checkout for Free Downloads allows your WooCommerce store to bypass the standard cart and checkout flow for free, downloadable products. Users can download these items instantly, which significantly improves user experience and conversion rates.
Installation
↑ Back to topTo start using a product from WooCommerce.com, you can use the “Add to store” functionality on the order confirmation page or the My subscriptions section in your account.
- Navigate to My subscriptions.
- Find the Add to store button next to the product you’re planning to install.
- Follow the instructions on the screen, and the product will be automatically added to your store.
Alternative options and more information at:
Managing WooCommerce.com subscriptions.
Setup and Configuration
↑ Back to topGetting started
↑ Back to topTo set up your store with Skip Checkout for Free Downloads:
- Go to: Products > Skip Checkout.
- Tick the checkbox to Enable Plugin.
- Enter a custom label for your download button in the Button Text field (default is “Instant Download”).
- Click Save changes.
Advanced configuration
↑ Back to topThere are several sections you can configure to customize the plugin’s behavior and appearance to match your store’s needs:
Product Page Settings
- Hide Default Buttons: Choose whether to hide the standard “Add to Cart” and “Buy Now” buttons for eligible free products to avoid confusion.
- Button Styling: Fully customize the Button Background Color, Text Color, and Button Size (Scale 1-5) to fit your theme.
Order Creation Settings
- Order Record: Decide if you want to create a zero-value order in WooCommerce for each download (
Create an order record) or simply provide the file directly without recording a WooCommerce order (Do not create an order record). The direct method is faster and prevents database bloat.
Guest User Settings (Lead Generation)
Popup Customization: Fully customize the colors of the popup background, text, input fields, the “Download” button, the “Skip” button, and specific Error messages.
Capture Guest Email: Show a pop-up modal asking non-logged-in (guest) users for their email address before they can download.
Email is Mandatory: Make the email field strictly required to proceed with the download.
Usage
↑ Back to topWhen a customer visits the product page featuring a free, downloadable simple virtual product, they will see your custom “Instant Download” button instead of the standard “Add to Cart” form.
Clicking this button will seamlessly process the request. If Guest Email Capture is enabled and they are logged out, a customized modal will appear asking for their email. Otherwise, the file will download instantly without redirecting them to the cart or checkout pages.
Troubleshooting
↑ Back to topStyling changes are not appearing on the front end: If you change button colors or popup styles and don’t see them live, you need to clear your website cache (caching plugin or server-side cache) and your local browser cache.
The download button is not showing for a specific product: Ensure the product meets all eligibility criteria. It must be checked as Downloadable, Virtual, have a price strictly set to 0, and be formatted as a Simple Product.
FAQs
↑ Back to top
Are WooCommerce orders generated for these instant downloads?
This is entirely up to you! In the settings (Products > Skip Checkout), you can choose to either “Create an order record for each download” (which logs it in WooCommerce) or “Do not create an order record” for faster processing and to keep your orders list clean.
Can I collect emails from users before they download the free file?
Yes. You can enable “Capture Guest Email” within the Guest User Settings to display a pop-up asking for their email address. You also have the option to make providing this email mandatory before they are allowed to access the download.
Does this plugin work with High-Performance Order Storage (HPOS)?
Yes! The plugin is fully compatible with WooCommerce’s High-Performance Order Storage (HPOS) feature, ensuring optimal database performance when creating order records.
Why is the download button not completely replacing the “Add to Cart” form for some of my free products?
The Instant Download button will only appear if the product meets three strict conditions:
It must be a Simple Product.
It must be marked as Downloadable.
The Regular Price (and Sale Price, if applicable) must be exactly0.
Is the transaction secure when bypassing the checkout?
Yes, the plugin uses secure WordPress nonces to prevent unauthorized requests and rigorously verifies the product’s price and eligibility on the server side every single time a download is requested.
Where does the plugin get the file to download?
The plugin pulls the exact same file(s) you have uploaded and configured under the “Downloadable files” section of your WooCommerce product data. If you have multiple files attached to one free product, the plugin will provide individual links to all of them upon clicking exactly once.
