To restyle a default WooCommerce order status with Additional Custom Order Status for WooCommerce, go to WooCommerce > Order Status, click Add New Status, and set a title whose slug matches the default status, for example “Processing”. Publish it, then set the text and background color in Styling Options. This override is free.
How the override works #
When you create a status whose slug matches one of the default WooCommerce slugs, Custom Order Status recognizes it as an override rather than a brand new status. The default statuses you can override are:
pending, processing, on-hold, completed, cancelled, refunded, failed.
On an override, the status edit screen shows a note: “You are overriding the default … WooCommerce status.”
Steps #
- Go to WooCommerce > Order Status and click Add New Status.
- Set the Title so that its generated slug matches the default status you want to override. For example, a title of “Processing” produces the slug
processing. - Publish the status, then set its Styling Options (text and background color).
What an override can and cannot change #
For an override, Custom Order Status intentionally hides the options that WooCommerce already controls for its own statuses. On an override you will not see:
- Add to reports, the Action Buttons Options box, Is order paid, Is order valid for payment, Set order “date paid”, and Download permissions.
You can still set styling and, in Pro, the Email Options box, where the send option is relabeled “Send an additional email on status change” so it adds to, rather than replaces, the standard WooCommerce email.
Note: use overrides mainly to recolor default statuses or, in Pro, to send an extra email on a default status change. Order behavior for default statuses stays under WooCommerce control.
Get more from your statuses #
Overriding default statuses is free. Additional Custom Order Status for WooCommerce Pro adds automated emails on status change. See what Pro unlocks.