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How to Add a File Upload Field to the WooCommerce Checkout Page

Editorial Team
August 8, 2024
How to Add a File Upload Field to the WooCommerce Checkout Page

Do you want to add a file upload option to the WooCommerce checkout page?

As a WooCommerce store owner, it's crucial to accommodate specific personalized requests from customers seamlessly to grow your business.

If you need additional information related to customers’ orders in a file format, you should offer a file upload option on your WooCommerce checkout page. 

The default WooCommerce checkout lacks the flexibility for uploading files, which can lead to missed opportunities, unhappy customers, and potentially lost sales for your business.

In this blog, we will share a step-by-step guide on how to add a file upload field on the WooCommerce Checkout Page. We will outline two methods:

Let’s begin.

What File Uploads Are and Why They Might Be Needed During WooCommerce Checkout?

File uploads during the WooCommerce checkout process are a feature that allows customers to upload files directly to the website when completing a purchase.

You may need a file upload option on the checkout page depending on your business. 

Adding file uploads to WooCommerce checkout is needed for different kinds of businesses:

1. Product customizations

  • Print products: Customers can upload their designs to be printed on t-shirts, business cards, photo books, etc.
  • Personalized items: Businesses can make custom-designed engraved jewelry, calendars, and custom phone cases. 

2. Customer verification

  • Age verification: Customers can upload a copy of their ID on 18+ limit products for age verification.
  • Documentation: Businesses may need a copy of a prescription when ordering prescription glasses or contact lenses. Customers might also need to upload a doctor’s prescription or medical certificate for certain medical devices or products.

3. Service-based businesses

  • Project details: Businesses may need certain briefs, guidelines, or references for custom graphic design projects, content writing services, or consulting services. For translation services, businesses may need the file that the customer wants you to translate.
  • Document submissions: Submitting contracts, documents, financial records, agreements, or legal documents for review, tax preparations, or other documents for editing and proofreading.

4. Compliance and regulations

  • Some products require proof of age, certification, or license permits to purchase, which could be uploaded at checkout.

Benefits of Adding File Upload Functionality to WooCommerce Checkout Page

Adding a file upload option to the WooCommerce checkout page offers several benefits, enhancing both the customer experience and the operational efficiency of the business.

Here are some key advantages:

  • Improved customer experience: It simplifies the process for customers who need to upload additional information or documents. This way, you can enhance the overall shopping experience by making the process more convenient, accommodating, and tailored to individual needs.
  • Enhanced customization: Offer personalized products by collecting orders with custom designs, specifications, or additional information related to customization.
  • Increased sales and conversions: Businesses can attract a broad customer base who are looking for personalized products. This way, your intuitive and seamless checkout process can reduce cart abandonment rates and increase conversion rates.
  • Streamlined communication: Facilitates efficient communication with customers by providing a direct means to share specific details.
  • Accurate order fulfillment: Reduces the risk of misunderstandings or errors by ensuring that customers can submit necessary files for precise order fulfillment.

In short, adding a file upload option to your WooCommerce checkout page offers plenty of benefits if your business needs to communicate with clients regarding order customizations.

Now, let’s look at the methods you can follow to add a file upload option to the WooCommerce checkout page.

Method 1: How to Add File Upload Field to WooCommerce Checkout Page using Free plugin (Limited Feature)

In this section, we will share how you can add a file upload field to the WooCommerce checkout page using a free plugin. 

Note: This plugin has some limitations, such as you can not upload all types of files and also can’t control the position of the file upload field on the checkout page. 

Follow the following steps to add a file field to WooCommerce checkout.

Step 1: Install Checkout Files Upload for WooCommerce

The first step is to install and activate Checkout Files Upload for WooCommerce.

Install Checkout Files Upload for WooCommerce plugin - woocommerce add file upload to checkout

Step 2: Enable and set the file upload options

After activating the plugin, navigate to WooCommerce ⇒ Settings ⇒ Checkout Files Upload.

And configure the following options:

  • WooCommerce Checkout Files Upload: Check the enable plugin option.
  • Total file uploaders: With the free version, you can only allow customers to upload one file with each checkout, so leave it as it is. 
  • Form extras: Check the form extra options to enhance the user experience when uploading the file.
  • Max file size: Here, you can set the maximum file size one can upload. 
checkout file upload options in woocommerce

Finally, click on the ‘Save Changes’ button to update the settings. 

Step 3: Test the file upload option

Now, if you try placing an order, you should see a field to upload a file. 

preview woocommerce add file upload to checkout using default checkout page

This is a good option to add a file field to WooCommerce, but it’s not the most efficient way as it doesn’t allow customers to access all types of files, such as PDFs. 

Besides, you don’t have any control over the placement of the file upload field.

In the next section, we will share how you can add a file upload field that allows users to upload all types of files and also how you can control the placement of the form field. 

For this, we will use a premium but affordable plugin.

Method 2: How to Add a File Upload FIeld to WooCommerce Checkout using a Premium Plugin (More Features and Control)

In this section, we will use two premium plugins to create a stunning optimized checkout page with a file upload option that allows users to upload any type of file while placing an order. 

The two plugins are:

Make sure you install and active the required plugins before moving to the main process:

Step 1: Create a file upload field 

First, we are going to create a file upload field using Checkout Add-Ons, then add it to the checkout page. 

To create the new field, navigate to WooCommerce ⇒ Checkout add-ons and click on the “Add add-on” button. 

After that, provide a Checkout Label and Description (optional), and choose the Add-On type ad File. After providing all the information, click on the Create button on the right to save the new checkout form field. 

add file upload field using WooCommerce checkout field

You can also set conditions for adding the file upload option to the checkout page. 

To set conditions, navigate to the ‘Display Rules’ tab and specify the criteria.

For instance, you can prompt customers to upload a file if the cart total falls within a certain range if the cart contains specific products, or if the products belong to a certain category, and so on.

add conditions to WooCommerce checkout field woocommerce add file upload to checkout - display rules

Step 2: Create a store checkout 

Now, we’ll create a custom store checkout that will replace the default WooCommerce checkout page.

This custom checkout page will incorporate all the conversion-worthy elements required to drive sales in your store.

We will use FunnelKit Funnel Builder, which allows you to create high-converting store checkouts with prebuilt templates. It also provides customization options, ensuring your customers experience a seamless checkout process.

To begin, navigate to FunnelKit ⇒ Store Checkout and click on the ‘Create Store Checkout’ button.

click on create store checkout inside FunnelKit

After that, select your page favorite page builder and choose a template from the list of prebuilt checkout templates FunnelKit provides. 

To select one, hover on the template you like and click on Preview. We are choosing Utopia here. 

click on preview utopia template

Now, choose whether you want a single-page checkout or a multi-page checkout

After that, click on “Import This Funnel,” provide a name, and click on Add to import this funnel as your default checkout.

import utopia as store checkout - woocommerce add file upload to checkout page

This will import your store checkout funnel with three steps: checkout, one-click upsells, and a thank you page.

Step 3: Add the file upload field to the checkout page

Now, edit the checkout template and add the file upload field we created earlier to the checkout page. 

For that, click on the checkout page template. 

edit checkout page for adding file upload feature

On the Design tab, you can customize the design and content of the checkout template by clicking on the “Edit Elementor Template” option. 

For more details on how to customize the checkout page, read our blog “How to Customize WooCommerce Checkout Page without Code”.

edit elementor template utopia store checkout

To add the file upload field to the checkout template, you need to scroll down a little to the Checkout Form Fields section.

With FunnelKit, the most advanced WooCommerce checkout manager plugin, you can add, edit, rearrange, or delete the sections and fields on your checkout form.

Here, on the right-hand side, among all the form fields, you should see a field called Checkout Addons.

checkout addons advanced new field

Now, you can place it anywhere in the checkout field just by dragging and dropping it. We want to position it after the products section. 

To add the file upload field, select the Checkout Add-ons field and drag and drop it to the desired location.

Note: Note that you can only add the file upload field; you can add any type of custom field to the checkout page using the FunnelKit Funnel Builder.

drag and drop checkout addons new field

After adding the field, click on “Save” to update your WooCommerce checkout form.

Note: If you want, you can add order bumps on the checkout page. And like the checkout page, you can also customize the upsell and the thank you page with FunnelKit’s Funnel Builder.

Step 4: Activate your store checkout funnel

Finally, you need to activate the store checkout. For that, come back to the sales funnel page and turn on the “Enable Store Checkout” button.

enable store checkout

This will make your store checkout active on your website.

Step 5: Test the file upload option 

Now, if you try to place an order, you should see a field with the file upload option.

With this file field, you can upload various types of files, including images (JPG, PNG, SVG, etc.), PDFs, Zip files, music files, and more.

preview of woocommerce add file upload to checkout

This is how easily you can add a file upload and make a stunning checkout page.

6 Best Practices to Consider When Adding File Upload Field to WooCommerce Checkout

Here are some effective best practices to follow when offering file upload option on your WooCommerce checkout page:

1. Limit the size of files

Set up limitations on the size of files (in KBs or MBs) that users can upload to avoid server overload and potential denial of service attacks.

It’s important that you clearly communicate users about the maximum file size they can upload to avoid frustration and ensure compliance.

2. Set restrictions on file types  

Allow only a certain file types to be uploaded, such as .jpg, .png, .pdf, .docx, etc. This reduces the risk of malicious files to get uploaded.

Always ensure that the extension of the uploaded file matches its MIME type to avoid spoofing.

3. Accept a reasonable number of files

It’s crucial to determine whether drag and drop single or multiple file uploads are necessary. Make sure to set a balance like setting a reasonable limit of 3-5 files is recommended to avoid any performance issues.

These limits should be flexible and adjustable based on your user’s feedback and usage patterns.

4. Provide clear instructions

Offer clear instructions to users on how they can upload files, including supported formats, size limits, and any specific requirements.

Incorporate tooltips or help text to guide users through the file upload process.

5. Handle errors and provide feedback

Provide clear error messages for any issues encountered during the file upload process on the checkout page. It could be because of unsupported file type, file too large, etc.

You can also use inline validation to immediately inform users of any issues before they attempt to hit the WooCommerce place order button.

6. Security measures

Enforce robust security measures like server-side validation for checking the uploaded files to prevent unauthorized or malicious files from being accepted.

Adopt secure file naming conventions to prevent unauthorized access and reduce predictability.

In addition, scan all the uploaded files for malware or viruses using automated solutions or third-party services to mitigate any potential threats.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Let’s quickly look at some commonly asked questions and their answers from our experts.

1. How do I add a file upload to WooCommerce Checkout?

You can add a easy upload files option during WooCommerce checkout using free plugins like Checkout Files Upload for WooCommerce or paid plugins like Customer Upload Files for WooCommerce, etc.

Then you can integrate the file upload with FunnelKit Checkout to optimize your buying process for quick conversions.

2. How do I allow customers to upload files in WooCommerce?

You can allow customers to upload files in WooCommerce by navigating to settings.

If you’ve installed any WooCommerce file upload plugin, you can find its settings under WooCommerce.

Then enable the plugin and configure the file upload settings there to make it work.

3. How do I add additional information to WooCommerce checkout?

You can add additional information to WooCommerce checkout by creating new fields inside the checkout form

With FunnelKit, adding custom fields to the checkout page in WooCommerce is a breeze with a simple drag and drop.

4. How do I add custom fields to WooCommerce customers?

You can add custom fields to WooCommerce checkout page and those custom fields will get reflected in the orders a customer places.

You can easily do it with the FunnelKit Funnel Builder.

Add a File Upload Field to WooCommerce Checkout Today

A file upload option on the WooCommerce checkout page can be a game-changer for both the store owner and the customer. 

It allows customers to provide their specifications more seamlessly and helps store owners fulfill the requested specifications correctly.

We have shared two methods for offering a file upload option on the checkout page. 

If you have budget constraints, you can opt for the free method. However, if you want more control over offering the file upload option and creating a visually appealing checkout page, we recommend the second method.

Additionally, with the second method, which uses Funnel Builder, you can create a targeted sales funnel that drives users to complete purchases and boosts average order value (AOV) by offering order bumps and one-click upsells to encourage additional purchases.

So, are you ready to add file uploads to the WooCommerce checkout page?

Author: Editorial Team
The Editorial Team at FunnelKit (formerly WooFunnels) is a passionate group of writers and copy editors. We create well-researched posts on topics such as WordPress automation, sales funnels, online course creation, and more. We aim to deliver content that is interesting and actionable.
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