To sell a digital download with WooCommerce, create a product, enable Downloadable, attach the file or a compatible direct-download URL, and set any download limit or expiry. Select Virtual as well when no physical shipment is involved. Then configure payment, tax, delivery, and access settings, and test the complete purchase flow before accepting real orders.
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The important distinction is that Downloadable controls file delivery, while Virtual removes shipping requirements. A product can use either setting alone or both, depending on whether the order includes a physical component.
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What you need before creating the product
Prepare the digital item and the rules around it before opening the product editor. A clean setup prevents customers from receiving an obsolete file or asking questions that should have been answered on the sales page.
- Choose the file format: PDF, ZIP, audio, video, software installer, spreadsheet, or another format your customers can open. If several files belong together, package them in a clearly named ZIP archive or add each file separately.
- Define versioning: Decide how you will label revisions, where customers will find update notices, and whether an existing purchase includes later versions.
- Write license terms: State whether the buyer may use the file personally, commercially, on a fixed number of devices, or for a specified number of projects.
- Set support expectations: Explain the supported applications, operating systems, installation help, response times, and refund conditions.
- Decide whether the product is entirely digital: A digital manual bundled with a physical product needs different settings from a file-only purchase.
- Check the largest file size: Your host may impose upload, PHP, request-time, or execution limits even though WooCommerce itself does not impose a product-file maximum.
Use descriptive customer-facing filenames. Avoid changing a filename after launch unless you know how your delivery method handles existing permissions and links.
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Create a downloadable product
- In WordPress, open WooCommerce > Products > Add Product.
- Enter the product name, description, price, images, and any information customers need before purchase.
- In the product data panel, enable Downloadable.
- Add the file or files. Give each file a name that customers will recognize; the name shown in the download area does not have to be identical to the server filename.
- Use a full remote URL only when the remote host supplies a direct-download address that works with the delivery method you will select later.
- Set Download limit if you want to cap the number of downloads for each purchase. Leave it blank for unlimited downloads.
- Set Download expiry if access should end after a defined period. Leave it blank for no expiry.
- Publish or update the product, then review the customer-facing page as a visitor.
A limit and an expiry are separate controls. For example, a purchase could allow five downloads for 30 days, or unlimited downloads for 30 days. Blank fields mean unlimited downloads or no expiry respectively; they do not create a hidden default.
Virtual, Downloadable, or both?
WooCommerce uses these checkboxes for different jobs. “Virtual and downloadable” means the item is not physically shipped, can be downloaded digitally, or both.
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| Setting | What it does | Typical use | Shipping behavior |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downloadable only | Adds file delivery and download permissions. | A printed workbook that includes a PDF bonus, or a physical device with downloadable software. | Shipping fields and calculations remain available. |
| Virtual only | Marks the item as non-shippable without adding a file. | A consultation, service, membership, or other non-physical item. | Shipping is removed, but no download is provided unless another mechanism is used. |
| Virtual and Downloadable | Removes shipping and delivers one or more files. | eBooks, templates, music, video, software, graphics, and online documents. | No shipping fields or shipping calculations. |
Products that are both Virtual and Downloadable are automatically completed by WooCommerce. A downloadable product that is not virtual can still require shipment and may follow the normal order-status process.
Configure store, checkout, tax, and payment settings
Before selling, configure the store-wide settings that determine where you sell and how a customer pays. Open the WooCommerce settings and review the store address, selling regions, currency, tax behavior, and enabled payment providers.
Store location and selling regions
Enter the merchant’s actual business location and choose the countries or regions in which orders are accepted. Digital goods can be sold across borders, but the allowed destination affects tax treatment, payment availability, and any consumer-law obligations. Do not assume that a tax rule for physical goods applies to downloads.
Taxes on digital goods
WooCommerce provides tax settings and rates, but it does not determine the merchant’s legal obligations. Confirm the rules for every jurisdiction in which the merchant is registered and sells, including whether digital goods require a particular rate, customer-location evidence, invoices, or registration threshold. Obtain professional advice when the business operates across borders.
Payment providers and order status
Enable a payment method that is available in the merchant’s country and permitted for digital goods. Check its settlement behavior and the order status it returns after successful payment. A payment that remains pending or awaits confirmation can delay the customer’s download permission even when the checkout appeared to finish.
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Choose how WooCommerce delivers files
Open WooCommerce > Settings > Products > Downloadable products. Select the delivery method that matches your hosting capacity, file sizes, and storage arrangement.
| Method | How it works | Strength | Limitation or requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Force Downloads | WooCommerce serves the file through PHP rather than exposing a normal public file link. | Helps prevent straightforward direct linking. | Large files or an underpowered server can cause timeouts and high resource use. |
| X-Accel-Redirect/X-Sendfile | WooCommerce authorizes the request and the web server handles the file transfer. | Can deliver large files more efficiently on compatible hosting. | Requires correct server configuration; confirm that the hosting stack supports it before launch. |
| Redirect only | The customer is redirected to the file’s URL. | Works with some remote hosts and is simple to configure. | WooCommerce identifies it as insecure because the underlying file URL can be exposed. |
Compare these options on direct-link protection, practical file size, server capacity, compatibility with remote storage, access speed after payment, and whether the product still needs shipping. The fastest method on one host may fail on another because PHP limits, web-server rules, and bandwidth differ.
Grant access as soon as payment is received
In the downloadable-product settings, enable Grant access to downloadable products after payment when customers should receive the file as soon as the order reaches Processing. If it is disabled, access can wait until the order reaches Complete. For a product that is both Virtual and Downloadable, WooCommerce automatically completes the order, so access is normally available without a separate fulfillment step.
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Set customer access and download links
WooCommerce can place a download link in the completed-order email. If early access after payment is enabled, the link can also appear on the order-received page. Customers with accounts can find purchased files under My Account > Downloads.
Guest checkout versus login
Choose whether a download requires a customer account. Requiring login gives buyers a persistent place to find their files and makes it easier to honor future updates, but it adds a step to checkout. Guest checkout is faster, but the buyer must retain the order email and may have fewer account-based recovery options.
Email delivery
Confirm that the order-completion email is enabled, uses the correct sender address, and is not being rejected by the store’s mail configuration. A customer who paid successfully but never received the message may still have a valid permission record; inspect the order before changing delivery settings.
Filename suffixes
WooCommerce can add a suffix to filenames delivered through its download system. Use this when you want downloaded copies to be distinguishable from the original asset, but explain the behavior if customers need to match a filename to an instruction or license document.
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Protect paid files from public access
Upload paid assets through the WooCommerce product editor. A file placed in the public WordPress Media Library can be reached by anyone who knows its direct URL, even if the product page is restricted.
Protection also depends on the web server. On NGINX, an explicit rule is required for protected-download behavior; installing WooCommerce alone does not create that rule. Ask the host how its NGINX, Apache, CDN, caching, and object-storage layers handle requests to protected files.
Do not rely on an unguessable filename
A random filename may reduce casual discovery, but it is not an access-control system. Use WooCommerce permissions and a delivery method that prevents the original path from being exposed. Also check that page caches, backup viewers, staging sites, and public object-storage buckets cannot serve the same asset without authorization.
Use cloud or remote storage carefully
Remote storage can separate large assets from web hosting and reduce pressure on the WordPress server. WooCommerce can work with a remote file when the URL satisfies the approved-directory rules and the selected delivery method.
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Before publishing, verify all of the following:
- The provider supplies a direct-download URL, not a page that requires a browser session, JavaScript, or a second click.
- The URL remains stable for the life of the product and does not expire before WooCommerce can authorize a customer request.
- The selected Force Downloads or server-assisted method can fetch the URL as configured.
- The remote bucket or file is not publicly readable unless you deliberately accept the resulting exposure.
- Range requests, large-file transfers, and the expected number of simultaneous downloads work with the provider.
A remote file opening in your browser is not proof that protected delivery will work. Test the exact URL from the WooCommerce product editor with the delivery method enabled. Redirect-only delivery is the least protective option because the customer can potentially see and reuse the remote address.
Control sharing with limits, expiry, and account permissions
Download limits and expiry reduce casual sharing, but they cannot stop a buyer from copying the file after downloading it. Treat them as access controls rather than digital-rights management.
When to use a download limit
Set a limit when a reasonable number of attempts is known, such as three downloads for a large ZIP that customers may need to retry. Avoid an unnecessarily low number: interrupted transfers, mobile connections, and a customer’s replacement computer can consume attempts.
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When to use expiry
Use an expiry when access should be time-bound, such as a limited-time course handout or a pre-release file. Tell customers when the period begins and what happens when it ends. If updates are included, explain whether a new purchase or support request is needed after expiry.
How WooCommerce links work
The order creates downloadable-product permissions associated with the purchase. The customer receives a link by email and, when logged in, through the account download area. The practical security of that link depends on the chosen delivery method and server rules, so do not promise that a URL can never be shared.
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Use a real low-value test order in your own environment. A successful checkout alone does not prove that the file, permissions, email, and server configuration work together.
- Place an order using the same payment method and checkout fields a normal customer will use.
- Confirm the payment provider’s response and inspect the resulting WooCommerce order status.
- Check whether access is granted at Processing or only after Complete, according to your setting.
- Open the order-received page and verify that the link appears when early access is enabled.
- Open the completion email on a separate device and test every link.
- Sign in to a customer account and check My Account > Downloads.
- Repeat with guest checkout if guests are allowed.
- Use the link until the configured download limit is reached and verify the expected response.
- Test after the expiry period in a staging environment or with a controlled short expiry, then restore the production value.
- Download the largest file you expect to sell and observe transfer speed, timeout behavior, and server resource usage.
- Try an invalid or expired link and confirm that it does not reveal the original file path.
- Check that caches, CDN rules, and security plugins do not replace or strip the download response.
Troubleshoot missing or failed downloads
The customer paid but sees no link
Inspect the order’s downloadable-product permissions first. Confirm that payment was recorded, the order reached the state that grants access, and the completion email was generated. If the permission exists but the message is missing, investigate mail delivery and the customer’s spam folder before changing the file method.
The link appears but the file will not download
Open the exact product URL from the editor and test it with the configured delivery method. A remote URL may display correctly in a browser while failing when WooCommerce attempts a protected transfer. Check URL permissions, redirects, authentication requirements, SSL certificates, and server error logs.
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Large files streamed through PHP can exceed execution time, memory, or proxy limits. Check the host’s PHP and web-server settings, then consider X-Accel-Redirect/X-Sendfile on a compatible stack or a storage arrangement designed for large transfers. Do not switch blindly to Redirect only if exposing the file URL would be unacceptable.
The file is publicly reachable
Look for copies in the WordPress Media Library, an unprotected upload directory, a CDN cache, a staging site, or a public remote bucket. Remove or restrict those copies and verify the web-server rule, especially on NGINX. Re-test using a private browser session that has never purchased the product.
The download limit or expiry behaves unexpectedly
Check the product’s saved values, the order’s permission record, and whether the customer is using an old link from a previous purchase. Limits and expiry are applied to the purchase permission, not merely to the product page, so changing a product setting may not retroactively alter every existing order.
Maintain products after launch
Keep a private master copy of every release and record its version, publication date, file checksum, and license text. When replacing a file, decide whether existing customers should receive the new version automatically or whether you will create a new product or permission.
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For functionality beyond WooCommerce core, evaluate extensions in the official WooCommerce Marketplace and verify that an extension supports your WooCommerce and WordPress versions, storage method, payment region, and desired access rules. Treat third-party compatibility and support as separate decisions from the basic downloadable-product setup.
Costs, capacity, and operational decisions
Core configuration does not establish a universal price for selling downloads. Your actual cost depends on hosting, storage, bandwidth, payment-provider fees, taxes, backups, email delivery, and any extensions you choose. A low-cost host may be adequate for occasional PDF sales but unsuitable for frequent large-file transfers.
Estimate capacity from the largest file, expected simultaneous downloads, monthly traffic, backup size, and the server resources available to PHP and the web server. If Force Downloads consumes too many resources, server-assisted delivery or separate object storage may be more practical. Confirm the provider’s terms for digital goods, outbound bandwidth, and hot-link protection before committing.
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Final launch checklist
- Product is marked Downloadable, and Virtual is enabled only when shipping is unnecessary.
- Files, names, versions, license terms, and support instructions are correct.
- Download limits and expiry values match the promise on the product page.
- Store location, selling regions, currency, tax rules, and payment methods are configured for the merchant’s jurisdictions.
- Delivery method is compatible with file size, hosting, remote URLs, and server rules.
- Paid files are not exposed through the public Media Library or an unprotected storage bucket.
- Access timing, email delivery, order-received links, account downloads, guest behavior, expiry, and limits have been tested.
- The largest expected file completes successfully without a timeout.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
