You do not need a warehouse to run a store. You need a file and a checkout page.
The global digital goods market is worth about $157 billion in 2026 and is expected to pass $511 billion by 2031. Ebooks, templates, courses, presets, music, and software all fit in that number. WooCommerce lets you sell them with no extra plugin.
This guide shows you how to add a downloadable product in WooCommerce step by step. It also covers the settings most tutorials skip. Things like secure file delivery, download limits, and why some buyers never get their file.
Quick answer: Go to Products > Add New. In the Product data box, check Virtual and Downloadable. Click Add File, upload your file, set a price, and click Publish. WooCommerce sends the download link after payment.
What is a downloadable product in WooCommerce?
A downloadable product is a digital file a customer buys and receives as a secure download link. There is no shipping and no stock to count. Once the order is paid, WooCommerce emails the link and also shows it on the customer’s My Account > Downloads page.
Common examples:
- Ebooks and PDF guides
- Design templates, fonts, and presets
- Stock photos, audio, and video files
- WordPress plugins and themes
- Software and license files
- Printables and worksheets
Virtual vs downloadable: what is the difference?
This is the first thing that confuses new store owners. WooCommerce shows two checkboxes side by side. They do different jobs.
| Setting | What it does | When to check it |
| Virtual | Removes shipping fields, weight, and shipping cost | Services, bookings, memberships, anything not shipped |
| Downloadable | Adds a file upload area and sends a download link after purchase | Any file the buyer needs to download |
| Both | No shipping, plus automatic file delivery | Most digital products (ebooks, templates, software) |
Rule of thumb: For a plain digital file, check both boxes. If you check only Downloadable, WooCommerce may still ask for a shipping address at checkout. That adds friction and hurts your conversion rate.
How to add a downloadable product in WooCommerce (step by step)
You need WooCommerce installed and at least one payment method set up. That is it. This works on any WordPress site.
Step 1: Create a new product
- In your WordPress dashboard, go to Products > Add New.
- Enter a product name.
- Write a short description. Tell the buyer what the file is, the format (PDF, ZIP, MP3), and the file size.
Buyers want to know what they get before they pay. Say it plainly.
Step 2: Check Virtual and Downloadable
- Scroll to the Product data box.
- Keep the product type as Simple product.
- Check the Virtual box.
- Check the Downloadable box.
A new section called Downloadable files appears under the General tab.
Step 3: Upload your file
- Click Add File.
- In the Name field, type the name the customer will see. Something like “Budget Planner 2026 (PDF)”.
- Click Choose file and upload your file. Or paste a direct URL to the file.
You can add more than one file to the same product. This is handy for bundles or the same product in several formats.
Important: Upload the file from this Downloadable files box. Do not pick a file that already sits in your Media Library. Media Library files are public. Files uploaded here go into a protected folder called woocommerce_uploads.
Step 4: Set download limit and expiry
Two optional fields sit just below the file list.
- Download limit: How many times the buyer can download the file. Leave blank for unlimited.
- Download expiry: How many days the link stays active. Leave blank so it never expires.
Which should you use? It depends on the product.
| Product type | Suggested limit | Suggested expiry |
| Ebook or PDF guide | 5 to 10 | Leave blank |
| Software or plugin | 10 to 20 | 365 days (match your update period) |
| Time-sensitive content (workshop replay, seasonal pack) | 3 to 5 | 30 to 90 days |
| Free lead magnet | Leave blank | Leave blank |
Too strict is a support headache. Buyers switch phones and laptops. A limit of 1 or 2 will cost you refund requests.
Step 5: Set a price and publish
- Enter a Regular price. Add a Sale price if you want.
- Add a product image. Even digital products need one.
- Pick a category and tags.
- Click Publish.
Your downloadable product is live. WooCommerce now delivers the file on its own after every paid order.
Configure your store-wide download settings
Most tutorials stop at the product page. But the settings that decide whether downloads work well, and stay secure, live somewhere else.
Go to WooCommerce > Settings > Products > Downloadable products.
File download method
This is the most important setting on the page. It controls how files reach the buyer.
| Method | Security | Best for |
| Force downloads | High | Most stores. Files under a few hundred MB. |
| X-Accel-Redirect / X-Sendfile | High | Large files. Needs host support (ask them). |
| Redirect only | Low | Avoid. Anyone with the link can download without paying. |
Force downloads is the default. It serves the file through PHP so the real file path stays hidden. If large files time out, ask your host to enable X-Sendfile or X-Accel-Redirect.
Access restriction
- Downloads require login: Buyers must be logged in to download. Good for security, but it blocks guest checkout. Leave it off if you allow guest checkout.
- Grant access to downloadable products after payment: Sends the link when the order status is Processing, not just Completed. Turn this on. Buyers should not wait for you to mark an order complete.
Filename and download counting
- Append a unique string to filename: Adds a random string to the file name. This makes it harder to share links. Turn it on.
- Count partial downloads: Counts a download even if only part of the file is fetched. Leave it on unless buyers complain about hitting limits early.
Approved download directories
There is a second tab next to Downloadable products called Approved download directories. Since WooCommerce 6.5, this feature lets you list the folders and URLs your store is allowed to serve files from. Files stored anywhere else will not download.
If you host files on Dropbox, Google Drive, or Amazon S3, add that URL here. If you see “download disabled” warnings on a product, this list is usually the reason.
Pro tips from real store owners
These come up again and again in WooCommerce support forums, Reddit, and Facebook groups.
Test with a real order. Set the price to $0 or use a 100% coupon. Buy the product yourself. Check the email, click the link, and open the file. Do this before you announce anything.
Watch your file size. WordPress limits uploads. Many hosts cap it at 64 MB or less. Big files should go on cloud storage, and you paste the direct URL instead. This also saves server space and bandwidth.
Use a direct file link, not a share page. A Google Drive “share” link opens a preview page, not the file. Use a direct download link or the file will fail.
Clean file names. Use hyphens, not spaces. social-media-templates.zip works everywhere. Social Media Templates (final).zip can break on some servers.
Update files without breaking old links. When you upload a new version, replace the file in the same file slot. Old buyers keep access. If you delete the row and add a new one, you may need to re-grant access from the order screen.
Add a download note in the order email. Tell buyers to check spam and where the Downloads page is. This cuts “where is my file” tickets in half.
Common problems and how to fix them
Buyer did not receive the download link
Check these in order:
- Is the order status Processing or Completed? If it is On hold or Pending, payment has not cleared yet.
- Is “Grant access after payment” turned on in the settings above?
- Did the email land in spam? Use an SMTP plugin so WordPress emails arrive reliably.
- Open the order, scroll to Downloadable product permissions, and click Grant access by hand if needed.
Download link says “invalid” or “expired”
The download limit or expiry was reached. Open the order, find the file under Downloadable product permissions, and raise the limit or clear the expiry date.
Download goes to a 404 or blank page
The file was moved, renamed, or deleted. Or the folder is not on your approved download directories list. Re-upload the file and check the approved list.
Large file stops halfway
Force downloads is timing out. Switch to X-Accel-Redirect or X-Sendfile, or host the file on a CDN and paste the direct URL.
Checkout asks for a shipping address
You forgot to check Virtual. Edit the product and check it.
When you need more than the default setup
WooCommerce handles the basics well. But a few use cases need an extension:
- License keys for software or plugins
- Drip content for courses released over time
- Watermarking PDFs with the buyer’s name
- Subscriptions with recurring access to new files
- Bulk editing file settings across hundreds of products
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell digital products in WooCommerce for free?
Yes. Downloadable products are built into the free WooCommerce plugin. You only pay for extras like license keys, subscriptions, or watermarking.
Where does WooCommerce store downloadable files?
By default they go in wp-content/uploads/woocommerce_uploads/. WooCommerce adds an .htaccess file to block direct access. On Nginx servers this protection may not apply, so ask your host to block that folder.
Can I add multiple files to one downloadable product?
Yes. Click Add File again to add more rows. The buyer gets a separate download link for each file.
Can a variable product be downloadable?
Yes. Each variation has its own Virtual and Downloadable checkboxes and its own file. This is useful for selling one product in different formats or sizes.
How do I give a customer a free download without an order?
Create the product, set the price to $0, and let them check out. Or create a manual order in WooCommerce > Orders > Add order, add the product, and mark it Completed. WooCommerce grants access right away.
Does WooCommerce protect my files from being shared?
Partly. Force downloads hides the file path, unique strings make links hard to guess, and download limits stop unlimited sharing. But a buyer can still share the file itself after downloading. Watermarking or license keys help if that is a concern.
Do I need to pay tax on digital products?
Often, yes. The EU, UK, and many US states tax digital goods. WooCommerce Tax or a plugin like TaxJar can handle rates by location. Check your local rules before you launch.
Start selling your first digital product today
Adding a downloadable product in WooCommerce takes about five minutes. Check two boxes, upload a file, set a price, and publish. Then spend five more minutes on the download settings so files are delivered securely and on time.
Place a test order before you tell anyone. If the file arrives and opens, you are ready to sell.
