Can I add the same note to multiple WooCommerce orders?

Not with WooCommerce core’s standard bulk actions. The built-in bulk menu covers status changes, trash and, when enabled, personal-data removal; adding private or customer notes is handled on an individual order screen. For repeated notes, use a manual-actions or automation plugin, or add them one order at a time.

What is the difference between a private note and a customer note?

A private note is for store staff and is not shown to the customer. A customer note is sent by email immediately and also appears in the customer’s account order details. Check the visibility choice before saving, because deleting a customer note later removes the record but does not recall the email already sent.

Will changing an order status send an email?

Sometimes. WooCommerce sends particular notifications for particular status changes, and those emails must be enabled in WooCommerce > Settings > Emails. Payment state, custom statuses, plugins, code conflicts and mail delivery can change the result, so check the notification settings and mail logs rather than assuming every bulk change sent a message.

Do I need a plugin to perform manual actions on WooCommerce orders?

No, not for occasional work. WooCommerce core lets you edit an order, change its status, run certain order actions, add notes and apply several bulk status changes. You need a plugin when you want custom emails, bulk notes, conditional rules, action logs or a repeatable workflow from the order list.

How to perform manual actions on WooCommerce orders

WooCommerce Time About 15 minutes 6 steps Updated 9 Nov 2026

The short answer

WooCommerce handles common manual order actions without a plugin: open an order to change its status, send order details or add a note, or use bulk actions for status changes. For repeated emails, conditional rules or bulk notes, use a dedicated plugin.

The route

01Open the order list
02Edit one order
03Add the right order note
04Run a bulk status action
05Check the result
06Use a faster repeatable workflow

What you need

A WooCommerce store with orders
Administrator or Shop Manager access
A backup or staging copy before changing many orders
Email notifications configured if customers must be contacted

Open the order list

Sign in to WordPress and go to WooCommerce > Orders. Use the status links, date filter, customer search or search box to narrow the list before making changes. The search can find an order number, customer name and other information shown in the table.

For a quick check without leaving the list, use the preview icon beside an order. Turn on the Actions column in Screen options if you want shortcuts for marking an order as Processing or Completed.

Edit one order

Select the order number to open its edit screen. Change the status from the Status dropdown, edit the customer or address details, and choose Update in the order actions panel to save. The page also provides actions such as sending order details to the customer and regenerating download permissions.

Be careful when editing products, fees, coupons or shipping. WooCommerce normally allows those changes only while an order is Pending payment or On hold; paid orders at Processing or later are no longer editable in the same way.

Add the right order note

Use the Order notes panel for a record of what happened. Choose a private note for internal information, or choose a public note to customer when the customer should be notified. A public customer note is emailed immediately and appears in the customer’s account, while a private note is not visible to the customer.

Do not delete a customer note expecting to retract the message. Deleting it removes the note from the order record but does not recall the email.

Run a bulk status action

For several orders, tick their checkboxes in WooCommerce > Orders, open Bulk actions, choose the required status change and select Apply. Core WooCommerce includes bulk changes to Processing, On hold, Completed and Cancelled, as well as moving orders to the trash and removing personal data when that option is enabled.

Review the selected orders carefully before applying the action. A status change can trigger a configured WooCommerce email, so changing a large group to Completed may contact every selected customer. Email behaviour can also be affected by disabled notifications, payment state, custom code or another plugin.

Check the result

Reopen one changed order and confirm its status, notes, totals and customer details. If an email should have gone out, check WooCommerce > Settings > Emails to confirm the relevant notification is enabled. WooCommerce does not send every notification for every status, and an order-status error prevents the related email from being sent.

If delivery matters, check your mail logs or hosting mail service as well as the order notes. A successful status change does not guarantee that the message reached the customer’s inbox.

Use a faster repeatable workflow

The manual route is fine for occasional status updates, customer notes and one-off order emails. Core WooCommerce does not provide a general bulk action for sending a custom email, adding the same note to many orders or applying actions based on conditions, so those jobs become repetitive and easier to get wrong.

For that workflow, ShopMagic Manual Actions adds manual actions from the WooCommerce order list, including emails, status changes and notes. It is worth considering when you regularly need conditional or bulk order actions and want a record of what was run, rather than opening orders one by one.

The fast route

Let ShopMagic Manual Actions do it

Run bulk or conditional order actions, emails, status changes, and notes directly from the WooCommerce order list.

Get ShopMagic Manual Actions

Sources

woocommerce.com /document/managing-orders/overview-and-bulk-management/
woocommerce.com /document/managing-orders/view-edit-or-add-an-order/
woocommerce.com /document/email-faq/?utm_source=openai

Questions

Can I change several WooCommerce order statuses at once?: Yes. Go to WooCommerce > Orders, select the orders, choose a status action from Bulk actions and select Apply. Core WooCommerce supports bulk changes to Processing, On hold, Completed and Cancelled. Filter the list first and check the selected orders carefully, because a bulk status change can trigger customer or admin notifications.
Can I add the same note to multiple WooCommerce orders?: Not with WooCommerce core’s standard bulk actions. The built-in bulk menu covers status changes, trash and, when enabled, personal-data removal; adding private or customer notes is handled on an individual order screen. For repeated notes, use a manual-actions or automation plugin, or add them one order at a time.
What is the difference between a private note and a customer note?: A private note is for store staff and is not shown to the customer. A customer note is sent by email immediately and also appears in the customer’s account order details. Check the visibility choice before saving, because deleting a customer note later removes the record but does not recall the email already sent.
Will changing an order status send an email?: Sometimes. WooCommerce sends particular notifications for particular status changes, and those emails must be enabled in WooCommerce > Settings > Emails. Payment state, custom statuses, plugins, code conflicts and mail delivery can change the result, so check the notification settings and mail logs rather than assuming every bulk change sent a message.
Do I need a plugin to perform manual actions on WooCommerce orders?: No, not for occasional work. WooCommerce core lets you edit an order, change its status, run certain order actions, add notes and apply several bulk status changes. You need a plugin when you want custom emails, bulk notes, conditional rules, action logs or a repeatable workflow from the order list.