Why Isn't WooCommerce Checkout Address Autocomplete Working?
How WooCommerce Address Autocomplete Works
Address autocomplete isn't something WooCommerce or a plugin can provide entirely on its own — it calls out to an external address-lookup service (most commonly Google's Places API) that requires its own account, enabled billing, and a valid API key configured specifically for that use. Any break in that chain, from an expired key to a service not enabled on the provider's console, will silently stop autocomplete from working without necessarily showing an obvious error on the checkout page itself.
Common Causes of Autocomplete Failing
- An invalid, expired, or missing API key in the plugin's settings — this is the single most common cause and worth checking first.
- API key restrictions (domain restrictions, specific API restrictions) configured on the provider's side not matching the actual live domain, which can silently block requests even with a technically valid key.
- Billing not enabled on the Google Cloud (or equivalent) account tied to the API key — many address-lookup APIs require billing to be active even within a free usage tier.
- A JavaScript conflict from another plugin or theme script interfering with the autocomplete library's initialization.
- Usage quota exceeded for the API key, which can happen gradually as traffic grows and go unnoticed until autocomplete stops functioning.
How to Fix Address Autocomplete
- Check the browser console for API-related errors when interacting with the address field, since the provider's own JavaScript usually logs a specific reason for failure there.
- Verify the API key is valid, unrestricted for the live domain, and has billing enabled on the provider's console.
- Check usage quotas to rule out the key simply having hit its limit.
- Test with a fresh, unrestricted key temporarily to isolate whether the issue is key-related or a broader JavaScript conflict.
Need this diagnosed and fixed properly? See WooCommerce fixes.