---
title: Send WooCommerce Emails on Custom Order Status Change
description: "Send automatic WooCommerce emails when an order moves to a custom status, with a per-status recipient, subject, heading and content. A Pro feature."
url: "https://wpfactory.com/docs/proactive-email-setup/"
updated: "2026-09-27"
category: How to
tags:
  - Custom Order Status for WooCommerce
---

# Send WooCommerce Emails on Custom Order Status Change

To send an email when a WooCommerce order moves to a custom status, set up the Email Options for that status in [Additional Custom Order Status for WooCommerce](https://wpfactory.com/item/order-status-for-woocommerce/). This is a Pro feature, set individually for each status, so every status can have its own recipient, subject, heading and content.

[![Email options for a custom order status](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/pasted-image-0-97-1024x447.png)](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/pasted-image-0-97.png)

### Before you start

- WooCommerce, active.
- [Additional Custom Order Status for WooCommerce](https://wpfactory.com/item/order-status-for-woocommerce/) Pro. In the free version the email box is visible but disabled.

### Where to configure emails

Go to **WooCommerce > Order Status**, open the status you want to send an email for, and find the **Email Options** box. Each custom status has its own email settings, so the message and recipient can differ per status.

### Email options

| Label | Option ID | Default |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Send email on status change | `do_send_email` | No |
| Email address | `email_address` | Site admin email |
| Subject | `email_subject` | Preset subject with placeholders |
| Wrap in WooCommerce template | `do_wrap_email` | Yes |
| WooCommerce template heading | `email_heading` | Preset heading with placeholders |
| Content | `email_content` | Preset body with placeholders |

### Setting the recipient

The **Email address** field accepts a plain address, or one of two placeholders:

- `%customer%`: sends to the order's billing email.
- `%admin%`: sends to your site's admin email.

Leave it blank to use the admin email. You can combine addresses, for example `%customer%, sa***@*****le.com`.

### Placeholders for subject, heading, and content

Use these placeholders in the subject, heading, and content:

`{order_id}`, `{order_number}`, `{order_date}`, `{order_billing_first_name}`, `{order_billing_last_name}`, `{order_pay_url}`, `{site_title}`, `{status_to}`, `{status_to_title}`, `{status_from}`, `{status_from_title}`.

Two more work in the heading and content only: `{order_details}` (the order items table) and `{completed_order}` (the full completed-order block). For the complete list, see the [Email placeholders reference](https://wpfactory.com/item/order-status-for-woocommerce/).

### Steps

1. Open the status under **WooCommerce > Order Status**.
2. In **Email Options**, set **Send email on status change** to **Yes**.
3. Enter the recipient in **Email address**, or use `%customer%` or `%admin%`.
4. Edit the subject, heading, and content, using placeholders where helpful.
5. Leave **Wrap in WooCommerce template** on **Yes** to use the standard WooCommerce email layout, or set it to No for a plain message.
6. Click **Update**. The email now sends whenever an order moves to this status.

### Ready to set this up?

This is a Pro feature of [Custom Order Status](https://wpfactory.com/item/order-status-for-woocommerce/). If you are still on the free version, upgrading takes a couple of minutes and unlocks status emails along with the rest of the Pro toolkit. [Get Custom Order Status Pro](https://wpfactory.com/item/order-status-for-woocommerce/).

Related articles

- [Custom Order Status Email Placeholders Reference](https://wpfactory.com/docs/woocommerce-order-status-email-placeholders/)
- [Configuring Custom Order Status Emails](https://wpfactory.com/docs/email-and-sms-configures/)
- [Deleting a Custom Order Status Safely](https://wpfactory.com/docs/woocommerce-delete-order-status-fallback/)
- [WooCommerce Custom Order Status Behavior Settings](https://wpfactory.com/docs/configure-order-statuses/)
- [Add Custom Order Status Action Buttons in WooCommerce](https://wpfactory.com/docs/configure-order-status/)

 

[![Custom Order Status for WooCommerce](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/Order-Status-for-WooCommerce.webp)](https://wpfactory.com/item/order-status-for-woocommerce/)