In an online store, the “Add to Cart” button is the most important pixel on the screen. It is the money button.
Adding a visual icon (like a shopping cart 🛒) to this button is a proven way to increase clicks. It works because the human brain processes images 60,000 times faster than text. An icon acts as a visual cue that says “Buy this now.”
But how do you add one? WooCommerce doesn’t have a setting for this. You have to add it yourself.
In this guide, we will show you 3 ways to do it:
The CSS Method (Best for site speed).
The PHP Method (Best for flexibility).
The Plugin Method (No code required).
Prerequisite: Do You Have "FontAwesome"?
Most icons on the web come from a library called FontAwesome.
Before you try the code below, you need to check if your theme has this library.
Right-click your website and select “Inspect.”
Search the code for “fontawesome.”
If you don’t see it: You need to install it. The easiest way is to install a plugin like “Font Awesome” or add this code to your theme’s
header.php:
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/font-awesome/6.0.0/css/all.min.css">
Now that you have the icons, let’s put them on the buttons.
Method 1: The CSS Method (Recommended)
This is the cleanest method. We are not changing the button itself; we are just using code to “paint” an icon onto it.
We will use a “Pseudo-element” called ::before. This places the icon just before the text “Add to Cart.”
Step 1: Go to the Customizer
Log in to your WordPress Dashboard.
Go to Appearance > Customize.
Click on Additional CSS.
Step 2: Paste the Code Copy this code and paste it into the box:
/* Add Icon to Single Product Page Button */
.single_add_to_cart_button::before {
content: '\f07a'; /* This is the code for a Shopping Cart */
font-family: 'Font Awesome 5 Free'; /* Tells browser to use the icon font */
font-weight: 900; /* Required for solid icons */
margin-right: 10px; /* Space between icon and text */
}
/* Add Icon to Shop Archive (Loop) Buttons */
.add_to_cart_button::before {
content: '\f291'; /* A different basket icon */
font-family: 'Font Awesome 5 Free';
font-weight: 900;
margin-right: 8px;
}
Step 3: Publish and Check Click “Publish” and look at your shop page. You should see a cart icon.
Troubleshooting:
I see a square box: This means FontAwesome is not loaded (see “Prerequisite” above) or your theme uses a different font family name.
I want a different icon: Go to the FontAwesome Gallery, find an icon, and copy its “Unicode” (e.g.,
f07a). Replace the code in thecontentline.
Method 2: The PHP Method (Advanced)
If CSS doesn’t work for you, or if you want to use a specific HTML symbol (like ➤ or 🛒) instead of a font, use PHP.
This method effectively “renames” the button text.
Step 1: Edit functions.php You need to add code to your theme. We recommend using a plugin like Code Snippets so you don’t break your site.
Step 2: Paste the Code Add this snippet to change the text on the Single Product Page:
add_filter( 'woocommerce_product_single_add_to_cart_text', 'woo_custom_cart_icon_text' );
function woo_custom_cart_icon_text() {
return __( '🛒 Add to Cart', 'woocommerce' );
}
Add this snippet to change the text on the Shop Archive Pages:
add_filter( 'woocommerce_product_add_to_cart_text', 'woo_archive_custom_cart_icon_text' );
function woo_archive_custom_cart_icon_text() {
return __( '🛒 Buy Now', 'woocommerce' );
}
Why use this method? It is very robust. It works on almost every theme because it uses official WooCommerce “filters.”
Method 3: The Plugin Method (No Code)
If the idea of CSS and PHP scares you, just use a plugin.
We recommend “WooCommerce Customizer” or “Button Customizer for WooCommerce.”
Go to Plugins > Add New.
Search for “WooCommerce Button Customizer.”
Install and Activate.
Go to the plugin settings. You will usually see a field called “Add to Cart Text.”
Simply paste an emoji (🛒) or an icon code (
<i class="fa fa-shopping-cart"></i>) into that text field.Save.
Comparison: Which Method is Best?
| Method | Pros | Cons | Best For |
| CSS | Fast, clean, easy to revert. | Requires FontAwesome. | Developers & Speed Freaks. |
| PHP | Very reliable, theme-independent. | Can break site if code has typos. | Custom Symbols (➤). |
| Plugin | Easiest (Point & Click). | Adds extra “weight” to your site. | Beginners. |
Conclusion
Adding an icon to your “Add to Cart” button is a small change that makes a big difference. It makes your site look professional and helps guide your customer’s eye to the most important action.
Our Recommendation: Start with Method 1 (CSS). It keeps your site fast and clean. If you struggle with the FontAwesome setup, switch to Method 2 (PHP) and use a simple emoji.
Need a Custom Design? If you want a totally unique button—maybe with an animation or a hover effect—standard code snippets might not be enough. Contact Our WooCommerce Design Team. We can custom-code a checkout experience that converts visitors into buyers.
