Installation and Setup
ReturnDesk gives your WooCommerce customers a self-service return portal and gives your team one place to approve, inspect and resolve every return. A request gets an RMA number (for example RMA-2026-000001), a status timeline and email updates. You decide the outcome: a refund to the original payment method, store credit, or an exchange.
ReturnDesk comes in two editions that share one codebase:
- ReturnDesk (Pro) is sold on the WooCommerce Marketplace and on themesic.com.
- ReturnDesk Lite is the free edition for WordPress.org.
Features that only the Pro edition has are marked Pro on every page of this documentation.
Requirements
| Requirement | Minimum |
|---|---|
| WordPress | 6.9 |
| WooCommerce | 10.7 (tested up to 11.2) |
| PHP | 7.4 |
| Database | MySQL 5.7 or MariaDB 10.0.2 |
ReturnDesk holds more than one named database lock at a time while it resolves a return (the return, its exchange order and the store credit). MySQL before 5.7 and MariaDB before 10.0.2 release the first lock when a second one is taken, so use at least those versions.
ReturnDesk declares compatibility with High-Performance Order Storage (HPOS). It keeps its own data in custom tables that refer to order ids, so it works the same with HPOS on or off. Store credit works with the classic checkout and with the Checkout block.
Install the plugin
- Make sure WooCommerce is installed and active.
- In your WordPress admin go to Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin, choose the ReturnDesk zip file and click Install Now. You can also unzip it into
wp-content/plugins/returndesk. - Click Activate.
On activation ReturnDesk creates its database tables and gives the manage_tsre_returns capability to the Administrator and Shop manager roles. Anyone with that capability can open WooCommerce > Returns. If you use a custom role, grant the capability to it with a role editor plugin.
After activation you will find:
- WooCommerce > Returns - the list of returns and the return screen.
- WooCommerce > Returns reports (Pro) - reports and CSV export.
- WooCommerce > Pro features (Lite only) - a list of what the Pro edition adds, with a link to it. The Pro edition does not have this page.
- WooCommerce > Settings > Returns - all settings. It has the sections General, Rules, Labels (Pro), Emails and Advanced.
- A Returns tab in the product data box, and return fields on product categories.
- A Returns entry in the customer's My Account menu, after Orders.
First-time setup
Work through this list once. The defaults are sensible, so most stores only change the first three steps.
- Return window. Open WooCommerce > Settings > Returns > General. Set the number of days customers have (default 30) and what the window counts from (default: the day the order is completed). See Settings reference.
- Return address. Fill in the return address on the same screen. It is shown in the emails and on the return page when the customer ships the parcel themselves.
- Reasons and photos. Open the Rules section. Review the eight default reasons, decide which ones need a photo and edit the instructions that customers see for sending the parcel back.
- Emails. Open WooCommerce > Settings > Emails. The return emails are listed with the other store emails, so you can switch them off, change recipients and edit the text there.
- Final sale items. Tag products that must never be returned with the tag set under Final sale product tag (default
final-sale), or use the Returns tab on a product. See Settings reference. - Test the flow. Place a test order, complete it, and request a return from My Account. Then approve it in WooCommerce > Returns. The customer flow and admin flow pages show every step.
In the Rules section you also choose the allowed resolutions. Lite offers Refund and Exchange (another variation of the same product at the same price, see Customer flow).
Pro stores also:
- Choose more resolutions and the return methods in the Rules section.
- Connect a carrier under Labels if you want prepaid return labels. See Labels and carriers.
- Add the guest portal to a page if customers can check out without an account. See Pro features.
What you get in each edition
| Feature | Lite | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| My Account returns list, request wizard and return page | Yes | Yes |
| Return window, window start, EU 14-day right, final sale tag | Yes | Yes |
| Per-product and per-category window, non-returnable and final sale | Yes | Yes |
| Return reasons, required photos (up to 5 per request) | Yes | Yes |
| Refund to the original payment method, with restock | Yes | Yes |
| Customer ships with their own label (instructions and return address) | Yes | Yes |
| Upload a label PDF you bought elsewhere | Yes | Yes |
| Exchange for another variation of the same product at the same price (a free exchange order) | Yes | Yes |
| Inspection with accepted and rejected quantities and restock | Yes | Yes |
| Admin list, return screen, timeline, notes, create a return for a customer | Yes | Yes |
| Seven return emails | Yes | Yes |
| Blocks: Return policy and Start a return button | Yes | Yes |
| Personal data export and erase | Yes | Yes |
| Store credit (issue, bonus, expiry, use at checkout) | - | Pro |
| Exchanges for other products, and with a price difference | - | Pro |
| Condition grade at inspection | - | Pro |
| REST API and webhooks | - | Pro |
| Warranty claims | - | Pro |
| Return methods: prepaid label, drop-off, in-store, keep the item | - | Pro |
| EasyPost labels and tracking webhooks | - | Pro |
| Restocking fees, return shipping rule, keep-below amount | - | Pro |
| Automatic approval | - | Pro |
| Return window by country | - | Pro |
| Lower the refund or credit amount when resolving | - | Pro |
| Guest portal (shortcode and Return portal block) | - | Pro |
| Returns reports and CSV export | - | Pro |
| Shipping reminders and automatic closing | - | Pro |
| Two more emails: store credit added and return reminder | - | Pro |
Where to go next
- Settings reference - every tab and field.
- Customer flow - what your customers see.
- Admin flow - approve, inspect and resolve.
- Pro features and Labels and carriers.
- Blocks, REST API, Hooks and filters.
- Integrations, Privacy, Uninstall.
- Troubleshooting and FAQ.