How to Set Up Order Tracking in WooCommerce

Every store owner knows the message: “Where is my order?” It shows up in your inbox, your DMs, and your phone. Good order tracking stops most of those messages before they start.

This guide shows you every way to set it up, from the free built-in page to full shipment tracking with carrier links. You will also learn which method fits your store and how to fix the problems store owners run into most.

Key Takeaways

• WooCommerce has a free, built-in order tracking page. It uses one shortcode.
• The built-in page shows the order status only. It does not show where the package is.
• To share carrier tracking numbers, you need a plugin or WooCommerce Shipping labels.
• The free Advanced Shipment Tracking plugin is the most common choice for small stores.
• Always test with a real order before you tell customers about it.

Order Tracking vs Shipment Tracking: Know the Difference

This is where most guides get confusing. “Order tracking” can mean two different things in WooCommerce.

If you ship physical products, you want both. The status tells customers you got the order. The tracking number tells them where their box is.

Which Method Should You Use?

Pick the method that matches how you ship:

• You sell digital products or offer local pickup: Use Method 1 (built-in page).
• You buy labels at the post office or a courier website: Use Method 2 (free plugin) or Method 4 (official extension).
• You are a US store buying labels inside WooCommerce: Use Method 3 (WooCommerce Shipping).
• You dropship or ship a high volume of orders: Use Method 2 with a paid upgrade for bulk imports.

Method 1: Create the Built-In WooCommerce Order Tracking Page

WooCommerce includes a tracking form. You just need to put it on a page.

Steps

1. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Pages > Add New.
2. Name the page something clear, like Track Your Order.
3. Add a Shortcode block.
4. Paste this shortcode:

   To track your order please enter your Order ID in the box below and press the "Track" button. This was given to you on your receipt and in the confirmation email you should have received.

   Order ID

   Billing email

   Track

5. Click Publish.

6. Go to Appearance > Menus (or Appearance > Editor > Navigation in block themes) and add the page to your header or footer menu.

What customers see

Customers enter their order ID and the billing email they used at checkout. They then see the order status, the items, and any notes you marked as “note to customer.”

Good to know

• Guests can use it. Customers do not need an account. This is a big plus if you allow guest checkout.
• It only shows status. It will say “Processing” or “Completed,” not “Out for delivery.”
• Order notes matter. When you add a note in the order screen, choose Note to customer. That note appears on the tracking page and is emailed to the buyer. This is a simple free way to share a tracking number by hand.

Method 2: Add Tracking Numbers With a Free Plugin (Advanced Shipment Tracking)

This is the most popular path for small and growing stores. Advanced Shipment Tracking (AST) is free and open source, and it is used by more than 80,000 active WooCommerce stores. 

Steps

1. Go to Plugins > Add New.
2. Search for Advanced Shipment Tracking for WooCommerce.
3. Click Install Now, then Activate

4. Open the plugin settings and choose the carriers you use. Hide the rest so your list stays short.
5. Go to WooCommerce > Orders and open an order you are about to ship.
6. In the Shipment Tracking panel, pick your carrier, type in the tracking number, and save. 
7. Mark the order as Shipped (or Completed). The customer gets an email with a tracking link.

Why store owners like it

AST comes with over 1,000 preset carriers, a tracking widget you can customize, a Shipped and Partially Shipped workflow, bulk CSV import, and a REST API. It also fixes a common gap: WooCommerce has no “Shipped” status by default. AST gives you one. 

Using a small local courier? If your courier is not in the list, add it as a custom carrier. Enter the courier’s tracking page URL with the placeholder the plugin shows you. The plugin swaps in each order’s tracking number.

Already using the official extension? AST detects your existing tracking data from the official Shipment Tracking extension and moves it over, so customers keep their tracking info. 

Method 3: Use WooCommerce Shipping Labels (Automatic Tracking)

If you buy labels inside your dashboard, you may not need a tracking plugin at all. When you buy and print labels with WooCommerce Shipping, the tracking numbers are created and saved to your orders on their own, and they are added to the Completed Order email. 

Steps

1. Install the free WooCommerce Shipping plugin.
2. Connect your account and add a payment method for labels.
3. Open an order and click Create shipping label.
4. Buy and print the label.
5. Mark the order as Completed. Tracking goes out in the email.

This option is mainly for US stores shipping with the supported carriers. Check the plugin page to see if it works in your country.

Method 4: Use the Official WooCommerce Shipment Tracking Extension

The official extension is simple and made by the WooCommerce team. It costs $59 per year and has more than 70,000 installs.

It lets you add a shipping provider, tracking number, tracking link, and ship date to each order. WooCommerce can then show these details in order emails and on the order page in My Account. You can also add tracking from the WooCommerce Mobile App or through the REST API. 

Steps

1. Buy the extension on WooCommerce.com.
2. Go to My subscriptions and click Add to store.
3. Open any order. The Shipment Tracking fields are in the sidebar. 
4. Pick the provider, add the tracking number, and save.

The trade-off: it is kept simple on purpose. It has no branded tracking page, no bulk import, and no item-level fulfillment. Customers click out to the carrier’s website to see progress. 

Comparison: WooCommerce Order Tracking Options

Prices can change, so check each product page before you buy.

How to Test Your Order Tracking Setup

Do not skip this. A broken tracking link creates more support tickets than no link at all.

1. Place a test order using a real email you can check.
2. Visit your Track Your Order page. Enter the order ID and billing email.
3. Add a tracking number to the order (use one from a recent real package).
4. Mark the order as Shipped or Completed.
5. Check the email. Click the tracking link and confirm it opens the right carrier page.
6. Log in as the customer and check My Account > Orders.
7. Test on your phone. Most shoppers will check tracking on mobile.

Common Problems and How to Fix Them

These are the issues store owners ask about most in forums and community groups.

“Sorry, the order could not be found.”
The customer is likely using a different email than the billing email. Or they typed a custom order number from a sequential order number plugin while the form expects the real ID. Check that your order number plugin supports the tracking form.

The tracking page shows old or wrong info.
Your caching plugin may be caching the page. Exclude the Track Your Order page from cache in WP Rocket, LiteSpeed Cache, or your host’s cache settings.

Customers say they never got the tracking email.
WordPress email often lands in spam. Install an SMTP plugin and send email through a real mail service. Then send yourself a test.

The tracking link opens the wrong page.
The wrong carrier was selected, or a custom carrier URL is missing the tracking number placeholder. Fix the carrier settings and resend the email from the order screen.

I dropship, and my supplier sends tracking numbers in a spreadsheet.
Use the bulk CSV import in AST or a similar plugin. Adding them one by one does not scale.

Customers cannot find the tracking page.
Link to it in your header or footer menu, your order confirmation email, and your FAQ or Contact page.

Tips to Cut “Where Is My Order?” Messages

• Send tracking fast. Add the number the same day you ship.
• Set clear delivery times. Show shipping times on product pages and at checkout.
• Use a “Shipped” status. “Completed” confuses customers when the box has not arrived yet.
• Link tracking everywhere. Put it in emails, My Account, and your menu.
• Explain delays early. If a courier is slow, add a note to the order before the customer asks.
• Handle split shipments. If an order ships in two boxes, use a plugin that supports partial shipments and more than one tracking number.

Frequently Asked Questions

Your Next Step

Start small. Create the free tracking page today. It takes about five minutes. Then, if you ship physical products, install a free tracking plugin and add tracking numbers to your next batch of orders.

Watch your inbox for two weeks. Most stores see fewer “Where is my order?” messages right away. When your order volume grows, look at bulk import and automation so tracking never slows you down.