When customer reach the checkout page to place an order, they keep getting error stating “Please enter an address to continue” even though the address field is not empty. This error causing unable to proceed further to complete the order.
The detailed error message is as below:
Please enter an address to continue
Follow the below solution steps to resolve WooCommerce error “Please enter an address to continue” issue.
Content Summary
Potential Causes
- Country field is disabled or removed in either billing or shipping section in the plugin settings. Although you can hide the billing_country field, WooCommerce forces this field to be required by default in most case in order to calculate taxes and shipping.
- Some shipping and invoice plugins require Country field to be completed.
Note: The Country field is required. If you remove it, orders cannot be completed and your checkout form will give the following error: “Please enter an address to continue.”
- Incorrect API key.
- Conflict between plugins or themes.
- Modification on checkout page or conflicting code.
Pre-check
Make sure you have update WordPress core, all the plugin and theme to the latest available version.
Solution 1: Enable the country field in checkout page
The country field is disabled or removed on the checkout page with validation enable for the state field or zip code field in the section. Enable the country field [billing_country and shipping_country] in the plugin settings and verify the country field is entered before proceed to checkout.
Solution 2: Fix the country field and hide it
Step 1: Uncomment/Remove: unset[$fields['billing']['billing_country']];
Step 2: Login to the WordPress admin panel.
Step 3: Go to WooCommerce > Settings > General.
Step 4: Set below field accordingly:
- Selling location[s]: Sell to specific countries.
- Sell to specific countries: Enter only the country in which you want to sell.
- Shipping location[s]: Ship to all countries you sell to.
Now the validation message is inactive, as the Country field is mandatory. Billing country and Shipping country fields in the checkout page and address page will display as plain text instead of the list of options.
Step 5: Apply below CSS code to hide the country field:
`
billing_country_field {`
display: none;
}
Solution 3: Disable shipping location via plugin setting
Follow below steps to disable shipping entirely:
Step 1: Go to WooCommerce > Settings > General.
Step 2: In the Shipping location[s], select Disable shipping and shipping calculation.
Solution 4: Disable billing address fields via custom code
Custom code
1:
Apply below code to disable WooCommerce billing address fields:
add_filter[ 'woocommerce_billing_fields', 'wc_optional_billing_fields', 10, 1 ];
function wc_optional_billing_fields[ $address_fields ] {
$address_fields['billing_address_1']['required'] = false;
$address_fields['billing_address_2']['required'] = false;
return $address_fields;
}
Custom code
2:
Modify below code in functions.php file of the active child theme [or active theme].
`
billing_country_field {`0
`
billing_country_field {`1
`
billing_country_field {`2
`
billing_country_field {`3
}
`
billing_country_field {`5
`
billing_country_field {`6
`
billing_country_field {`7
`
billing_country_field {`8
`
billing_country_field {`9
display: none;`0
`display: none;`1
`display: none;`2
}
}
}
`display: none;`6
}`
Solution 5: Ensure correct API key used
Typically, this error happens when you have entered the incorrect API key. Ensure you have added correct API key in the API code then proceed to test ‘Place Order’ function again.
Solution 6: Perform Health Check
Perform Health Check using a plugin like Health Check. Refer to WooCommerce guide for how to Troubleshooting using Health Check.
Solution 7: Trouble conflict between plugins
Step 1: Perform a full conflict test. In order to perform full conflict tests without affecting your live site, you can use a staging site either your host might have that feature or you can create it with WP Staging as an alternative.
Step 2: Set the staging site’s theme to Storefront.
Step 3: Disable all plugins except for WooCommerce, and check if the issue persists.
Step 4: Repeat the action that is causing the error. If you’re not seeing the same error after completing the conflict test, then you know the problem was with the plugins and/or theme you deactivated.
Step 5: Reactivate your other plugins one by one, testing after each, until you find the one causing the conflict.
Refer WooCommerce troubleshooting guide to find more detailed explanation on how to test for plugin and theme conflicts.
Visit plugin author or developer site to send a ticket for support together with all the necessary details about the error issues.
- Payments via PayMongo for WooCommerce
- Checkout Field Editor [Checkout Manager] for WooCommerce
Reference
- How to Customize WooCommerce Checkout Fields
- Disabling the checkout fields produces an error when placing the order and using a shipping address.
32894
Alex Lim
Alex Lim is a certified IT Technical Support Architect with over 15 years of experience in designing, implementing, and troubleshooting complex IT systems and networks. He has worked for leading IT companies, such as Microsoft, IBM, and Cisco, providing technical support and solutions to clients across various industries and sectors. Alex has a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the National University of Singapore and a master’s degree in information security from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is also the author of several best-selling books on IT technical support, such as The IT Technical Support Handbook and Troubleshooting IT Systems and Networks. Alex lives in Bandar, Johore, Malaysia with his wife and two chilrdren. You can reach him at or follow him on Website | Twitter | Facebook