WooCommerce Not Redirecting After Checkout? (Complete 2025 Fix Guide)

Running an online store should feel exciting—not stressful. But when you suddenly discover that WooCommerce is not redirecting after checkout, panic hits fast. Customers complete the purchase, but instead of being redirected to the order confirmation page or thank you page, they get stuck, see a spinning loader, or land on an unexpected URL.

This problem hurts:

• Your conversion rate

• Customer experience

• Trust in your store

• Payment gateway performance

• Upsell funnels and thank-you page tracking

The good news? This issue is extremely common—and 100% fixable.

In this complete guide, you’ll learn why WooCommerce fails to redirect and exactly how to fix it step-by-step, even if you’re not a technical expert.

Let’s dive in.

What Causes WooCommerce Checkout Not Redirecting?

Before applying fixes, it helps to know the causes. In 2025, the most common reasons are:

1. Plugin Conflicts (Most Common Cause)

WooCommerce relies heavily on AJAX and PHP processes during checkout. A poorly coded plugin—especially security, optimization, payment, or checkout plugins—can break the redirection flow.

Common offenders:

• Caching plugins

• Security/firewall plugins

• Third-party checkout builders

• Payment gateway add-ons

• Redirect/URL management plugins

If performance-heavy plugins slow down AJAX processes, they can also affect checkout redirection. I’ve covered a similar issue in my detailed guide on fixing slow WooCommerce search without replacing your theme, which can help you identify performance bottlenecks in your store.

2. Theme Issues

Your theme might override WooCommerce checkout templates, breaking default redirection rules. If your theme also modifies or adds custom checkout fields, that can sometimes disrupt WooCommerce’s default checkout behavior. You can learn how to safely customize these fields in my guide on how to add custom checkout fields in WooCommerce.

Symptoms:

• Broken checkout styling

• Partial page loads

• JS errors in browser console

3. Cache or CDN Blocking Checkout Redirect

Caching checkout pages is a disaster.

If the following are cached, redirects break:

• Checkout page

• Thank-you page

• Cart page

• Order-pay page

CDNs like Cloudflare can also block redirects when aggressive caching is enabled.

4. JavaScript Errors

Redirection after checkout often relies on JS triggers. If JS is broken anywhere on the page, checkout may freeze.

5. Misconfigured Payment Gateway Settings

Some payment gateway plugins (PayPal, Stripe, Razorpay, Paystack, etc.) have their own redirect URLs. When misconfigured, checkout halts. If your payment gateway redirects correctly but customers still don’t receive order confirmations, you may be facing an email delivery issue instead. In that case, check out my full guide on how to fix WooCommerce not sending emails for a complete troubleshooting workflow.

6. SSL/HTTPS Issues

Mixed-content errors or incorrect HTTPS configuration can interrupt AJAX requests.

7. Outdated Plugins or WooCommerce

An outdated WooCommerce version can produce incompatibilities with newer PHP or WordPress versions.

8. Custom Code Snippets

A single misplaced code snippet in functions.php can easily break checkout redirection.

How to Fix WooCommerce Not Redirecting After Checkout (Step-by-Step)

Below is a practical and beginner-friendly solution checklist.

1. Clear All Cache (Browser + Plugin + Server + CDN)

Caching is the number-one culprit. WooCommerce explicitly warns against caching checkout pages. If you notice other issues like your WooCommerce cart not updating properly, that’s another strong sign of caching or AJAX conflicts. You can follow my dedicated guide on fixing WooCommerce cart not updating to solve related cart behaviors.

Do this first:

• Clear browser cache

• Clear WordPress cache (if using WP Rocket, LiteSpeed, W3 Total Cache, etc.)

• Purge server cache (Kinsta, SiteGround, Bluehost, Cloudways, etc.)

• Purge CDN (Cloudflare, BunnyCDN)

Disable caching for these URLs:

If using Cloudflare, set:

• Caching Level: Standard

• Bypass Cache on Cookie: woocommerce*

After clearing cache, test checkout again.

2. Disable All Plugins Except WooCommerce

This step instantly reveals if another plugin is breaking redirection.

Steps:

1. Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins

2. Disable all plugins except WooCommerce

3. Test checkout

If redirect works now:

You have a plugin conflict.
Re-enable plugins one by one until the problem returns.

Common conflicting plugins:

• Elementor Pro (when modifying checkout)

• Checkout field editors

• Security plugins (Wordfence, iThemes)

• Caching plugins (LiteSpeed, WP-Rocket)

• Payment gateway add-ons

• Redirection plugins

3. Switch to the Default Theme

Themes override WooCommerce checkout templates. A theme error can easily break AJAX redirection.

Test using:

• Storefront

• Twenty Twenty-Four

• Twenty Twenty-Five

Steps:

1. Go to Appearance → Themes

2. Activate Storefront

3. Test checkout

If the redirect works with Storefront but not your original theme, the issue lies in:

• Outdated WooCommerce templates

• Custom checkout modifications

• JS conflicts

Contact your theme developer or update the theme.

4. Check WooCommerce System Status for Errors

Go to:

WooCommerce → Status

Look for:

• Template overrides

• Outdated templates

• PHP errors

• Database issues

Fix any issues shown in red or orange.

5. Fix AJAX and JavaScript Errors

How to check:

1. Open checkout page

2. Press F12 to open browser developer tools

3. Go to Console

Look for:

• Red error messages

• Failed AJAX requests

• Conflicts with theme or plugins

If you see errors like:

Then a JS conflict is breaking the redirect.

6. Check Payment Gateway Settings

Some payment gateways require a specific “Return URL” or “Success URL.”

For example:

PayPal

Make sure the “Auto Return” URL is enabled.

Stripe

Webhook and redirect URLs must be properly configured.

Razorpay / Paystack

Make sure the checkout success URL is correct:

7. Ensure Checkout Endpoints Are Correct

Go to:

WooCommerce → Settings → Advanced

Check these endpoints:

• Order received: order-received

• Checkout endpoints: Correct defaults

If these are blank or changed, redirect will fail. If your customers frequently drop off before completing their purchase, it’s essential to have an abandoned cart recovery system in place. You can follow my guide on how to set up WooCommerce abandoned cart emails to recover lost sales and boost conversions.

8. Disable Custom Code Snippets

If you added code to modify checkout behavior, remove them temporarily.

Even a small PHP error can cause redirection failure.

Check:

• functions.php

• Custom plugins

• Code Snippets plugin entries

9. Fix SSL / HTTPS Issues

Make sure SSL is properly configured.

Go to:

WooCommerce → Settings → General

Enable:

• Force HTTPS

• Force secure checkout

Also ensure your site URL uses https:// in:

• WordPress settings

• Database

• CDN

Run your site through Why No Padlock to detect mixed content.

10. Update Everything

Always update:

• WooCommerce

• Your theme

• All plugins

• PHP version (PHP 8.1 recommended)

• WordPress core

Old versions commonly break checkout functioning.

Advanced Fixes

If the basic methods don’t solve the issue, try these deeper fixes.

11. Add a Manual Redirect Snippet (Temporary Fix)

Paste this into functions.php:

This forces a clean redirect to the checkout page.

12. Disable Checkout Optimization in LiteSpeed / WP Rocket

These two plugins often cause redirect issues.

LiteSpeed Cache → Cache → WooCommerce

Set:

• Cart: Do Not Cache

• Checkout: Do Not Cache

WP Rocket → Advanced Rules

Add checkout URLs under “Never Cache URLs”.

13. Cloudflare Page Rules (Important)

Add a rule:

14. Fix Broken .htaccess File

Sometimes incorrect redirects happen due to corrupted .htaccess.

Reset it:

Go to Settings → Permalinks → Save.

This regenerates .htaccess automatically.

How to Confirm the Redirect is Working

After applying fixes, test checkout:

Test using:

• Normal product checkout

• Guest checkout

• Logged-in customer

• Different payment gateways

• Private browser window

• Different devices

If everything goes smoothly, your store is fixed!

Bonus: Optimize Your WooCommerce Checkout for Better Conversions

Now that your checkout is working, make it high-converting. After fixing checkout redirects, the next step is optimizing your store for growth. You can explore my curated list of the best WooCommerce plugins to increase sales to enhance conversions and customer experience.

Tips:

• Remove unnecessary checkout fields.

• Offer one-page checkout.

• Use express payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay).

• Make the thank-you page conversion friendly.

• Track conversions properly using GA4.

Final Thoughts

A broken checkout redirect can feel overwhelming, but once you understand the cause, fixing it becomes simple. The majority of issues come down to caching, plugins, themes, or payment gateway misconfigurations.

By following this guide step-by-step, you can quickly diagnose the root cause and restore a smooth checkout flow that boosts conversions and customer satisfaction.

If you need help implementing any fix, feel free to ask—I can walk you through it.

FAQs 

1. Why is WooCommerce not redirecting after checkout?

Most of the time, the issue is caused by caching, a plugin conflict, or a JavaScript error on the checkout page. Sometimes payment gateway misconfigurations also break redirects.

2. How do I fix checkout redirect issues in WooCommerce?

Start by clearing cache, disabling conflicting plugins, testing a default theme, checking console errors, and verifying payment gateway settings. Often one of these instantly resolves the issue.

3. Does Cloudflare cause WooCommerce checkout redirects to fail?

Yes—if checkout pages are cached or Rocket Loader is enabled. Create rules to bypass cache for checkout and order pages.

4. Can a theme break WooCommerce checkout?

Absolutely. Outdated or poorly coded themes often override WooCommerce templates, causing redirect and AJAX failures.

5. How do I test which plugin is breaking the checkout?

Disable all plugins except WooCommerce, test checkout, and re-enable plugins one by one until the problem returns.

6. Do payment gateways require special redirect settings?

Yes, many gateways like PayPal, Stripe, Razorpay, and Paystack require correct return URLs and webhooks.

7. Can custom code snippets break checkout redirects?

Yes. Even a small error in functions.php or a code snippet plugin may stop WooCommerce from completing the redirect.