How to Get Order Status in WooCommerce in Seconds?

Order Status in WooCommerce tells you exactly what’s happening with a customer’s order, whether it’s waiting for payment, being processed, or already completed.
If you’ve ever wondered where to find this information or how to make it easier to manage, you’re in the right place.

➡ In this article:
You’ll learn how to quickly check the status of any order, understand what each status means, and even see how to customize or improve the flow using simple tools.
This guide will help you stay on top of things with less effort.

Where to Find Order Status in WooCommerce (Step by Step)

Fortunately, WooCommerce makes it easy to find this information right inside your WordPress dashboard.

Here’s how to do it, step by step:

• Step 1: Log in to Your WordPress Dashboard

Start by logging in to your WordPress site. This is where all your WooCommerce settings and orders are managed.

• Step 2: Go to WooCommerce > Orders

From the left-hand menu, hover over WooCommerce, then click on Orders.
This opens a list of all your customer orders.

• Step 3: Look at the “Status” Column

Each order is listed with a few key details — like order number, customer name, total amount, and status.
The status appears in a colored label (like “Processing,” “Completed,” or “On hold”) in the Status column.

That’s your order’s current stage in the WooCommerce order process.

• Optional: Click on Any Order for More Details

If you want to know more about a specific order, click on it.
Inside, you’ll see a detailed timeline, payment method, products ordered, and a dropdown where you can also manually change the order status if needed.

That’s it!
You’ve just learned how to get the order status in WooCommerce using the built-in admin tools.
It’s quick, easy, and helps you stay on top of your store’s workflow at a glance.

Understanding the Order Status List and What Each One Means

WooCommerce comes with a built-in list of order statuses to help you (and your customers) know exactly where each order stands.
Each status tells you what stage the order is in, kind of like checking where your food delivery is on the way to your door.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the most common default statuses:

• Pending Payment

This means the order was placed, but payment hasn’t been received yet.
Maybe the customer didn’t finish checkout, or chose a method like bank transfer.

• Processing

The payment has gone through, and the order is now being handled.
This is where you pack and prepare items for shipping.
Most orders stay here until they’re shipped.

• Completed

Everything is done, the order has been paid for, packed, and sent to the customer.
This is the final stage for most successful orders.

• On Hold

Something is stopping the order from moving forward.
Maybe you’re waiting for manual payment confirmation, or checking stock.

• Failed

The payment didn’t go through, the order was created, but something went wrong, often on the payment side.

• Refunded

This status appears when you’ve refunded or returned the payment to the customer, either fully or partially.

These default statuses cover the basics, but if your store needs more detailed steps (like “Ready for Pickup” or “In Quality Check”), you might want to create custom order statuses, which we’ll explain a little later.

For now, understanding these standard options gives you a solid base for managing orders with more confidence.

How to Retrieve Order Status for a Specific Order Using Code (For Developers or Curious Users)

If you’re building something custom or just experimenting, here’s how you can get the order status using a small PHP snippet:


$order = wc_get_order( $order_id ); // Replace $order_id with the actual order ID
if ( $order ) {
$status = $order->get_status();
echo 'Order Status: ' . $status;
}


👉 This will show you something like processing, completed, or on-hold.

You can run this safely using a plugin like Code Snippets, or add it to your child theme’s functions.php file
Note: Just be careful if you’re editing code directly.

Adding Custom Order Status in WooCommerce Without Code

The built-in order statuses in WooCommerce are helpful, but they don’t always cover everything.
What if you want a status like “Waiting for Pickup”, “Packing”, or “Awaiting Approval”?

That’s where the Additional Custom Order Status for WooCommerce plugin comes in.
It lets you add your own custom statuses without writing a single line of code.

• What This Plugin Lets You Do?

  • Create unlimited custom statuses with names that match your real process.
  • Add icons and colors to make them easy to spot in your order list.
  • Reorder statuses so they appear exactly how you want in your dashboard.
  • Assign custom statuses to new orders or switch to them as your order progresses.

So instead of trying to force everything into “Processing” or “Completed,” you can shape the status flow to fit how your store actually works.

• Want to see how to install and use it step by step?

We’ve put together a full article that walks you through everything clearly:
👉 How to Customize Your Order Status for WooCommerce

If you’ve ever wished you could just name your own stages and use them like the default ones, Additional Custom Order Status plugin makes that possible, easily.

How to Use Order Status to Improve Store Management?

Order statuses in WooCommerce aren’t just labels, they’re tools to help your store run more smoothly.

When used right, they can keep your team organized, keep customers informed, and help you spot issues before they become problems.

➡ Here’s how smart use of order status can really help:

• Stay on Top of Every Order

Instead of guessing what needs to be done next, you can glance at the status and know instantly:

• • “Processing” means it still needs to be packed.

  • “Ready for Pickup” means the customer can come collect it.

  • “Awaiting Supplier” might mean you’re waiting on restock before shipping.

Custom statuses like these help you track every step clearly — without sticky notes or guesswork.

• Keep Customers In the Loop

Customers like updates.
When the status changes, like from “Processing” to “Shipped”, you can automatically trigger an email.
It shows you’re on top of their order, which builds trust and reduces “Where’s my order?” messages.

➡ Bonus:

You can also send updates for custom statuses like “Being Gift Wrapped” or “Out for Local Delivery.”

• Make Team Communication Easier

If you’re not the only one managing orders, custom statuses can help your staff stay on the same page.

Instead of texting or asking, they can just check the order list and see what needs action.

• Spot Delays Early

If you notice several orders stuck at the same custom status (like “Waiting on Supplier”), you can quickly address the issue before customers get frustrated.

Using order status in WooCommerce this way gives you a clearer workflow and a better customer experience, it’s one of those small things that quietly keeps your whole store running more efficiently.

Final Thoughts: Clear Status, Smoother Store

When you know exactly where each order stands, it’s easier to stay organized, avoid mistakes, and keep your customers happy.

• Checking status helps you act faster.
• Custom statuses give your team clearer steps to follow.
• Better communication leads to fewer questions and more trust.

Small changes = smoother process.
That’s the goal!