How to Fix: Unwanted Paragraphs in Flatsome Custom Product Layout

Creating visually appealing product pages is essential for delivering a smooth user experience in any WooCommerce shop. But if you’re using Flatsome, you might have run into an annoying issue: unwanted paragraph tags (<p>), which create unnecessary spacing in your custom product layouts.

These extra tags can disrupt your design, make content look messy, and force customers to scroll through pointless gaps.

In this guide, I’ll explain why this happens and share practical, step-by-step solutions to clean up your Flatsome layouts for a professional, polished look.

Why Do Unwanted Paragraph Tags Appear?

Unnecessary <p> tags are usually caused by automatic formatting in WordPress and Flatsome. Here’s what triggers them:

• Switching Editors: Moving between the visual and text editors in WordPress often adds paragraph tags where line breaks exist.
• Default Wrappers: WooCommerce and WordPress sometimes wrap content in default paragraph tags—even when they’re not needed.
• Shortcodes: Custom shortcodes added in Flatsome’s UX Builder may generate empty paragraph tags by default.

Understanding these causes is the first step toward fixing the problem.

How to Spot Unwanted Paragraph Tags

Unwanted paragraph tags can creep into your content and disrupt your layout, but finding and removing them is straightforward. Start by switching to your editor’s HTML view (or Text mode in WordPress). Look for extra <p> tags, which often appear around shortcodes, embedded scripts, or custom HTML.

Before fixing the issue, you need to identify where those pesky gaps are coming from:

Understanding the Problem

When designing product pages in WordPress, especially with Flatsome, unwanted <p> tags can create unnecessary gaps, affecting both the user experience and the page’s aesthetic. Here’s how to identify, avoid, and fix this issue.

1. Identify the Problem

Unnecessary <p> tags often appear as blank lines or gaps on your product page, forcing users to scroll through excess white space. These tags typically result from formatting inconsistencies in your custom product layout.

2. Common Mistake

A frequent mistake is editing the product layout using the default WordPress editor in the back end. Switching between visual and text modes causes WordPress to automatically insert paragraph tags for every line break.

3. Why Does This Happen?

When you switch between the visual and text editors, WordPress interprets line breaks as paragraphs. Flatsome’s UX Builder then reads these breaks and converts them into visible paragraph tags. This behavior disrupts the intended design and adds unwanted spacing.

4. The Correct Way to Edit the Product Layout

To prevent this issue, always edit your product layout directly in Flatsome’s UX Builder on the front end:

1. Open the product page you want to edit from your site’s front end.
2. Click on “Edit Product Layout” using the UX Builder.
3. Modify the content using Flatsome’s drag-and-drop tools instead of switching between editors.
4. Avoid adding line breaks or relying on manual <br> tags, as they can trigger unwanted formatting.

By following this approach, you ensure that your layout remains clean and avoids the addition of unnecessary <p> tags.

5. Why This Fix Works

Using Flatsome’s UX Builder on the front end bypasses the WordPress editor’s automatic formatting. This method allows WooCommerce product data to load correctly and prevents visual editors from interfering with your layout. As a result, your custom product pages remain organized, professional, and free from unwanted spacing.

6. Final Tip

Always stick to editing product layouts using Flatsome’s UX Builder on the front end. Avoid switching between the WordPress editor’s visual and text modes, as this triggers paragraph formatting issues. With this approach, you’ll consistently achieve clean and well-structured product pages.

Step-by-Step Solutions to Fix Unwanted Paragraphs

Unwanted paragraph tags can disrupt the design of your website, especially when working with custom layouts or content. These solutions help you address the issue effectively without compromising your design.

1. Use Shortcodes Instead of Raw HTML

• Explanation of how shortcodes help prevent unnecessary paragraph tags
• Example of replacing raw HTML with Flatsome-compatible shortcodes

2. Apply Custom CSS to Remove Spacing

• Adding CSS to target and remove unwanted paragraph spacing
• Sample CSS code: p:empty { display: none; } or margin adjustments

3. Remove Auto-Formatting in WordPress

• How WordPress auto-inserts paragraphs and how to disable it
• Quick solution using the wpautop function

Final Thoughts

Unwanted paragraph tags in Flatsome custom product layouts can cause frustrating design issues, but with the right approach, they’re easy to fix. By identifying the source of the problem and using Flatsome’s UX Builder directly on the front end, you can eliminate unnecessary gaps and keep your layouts clean and professional. 

For a deeper understanding and a step-by-step walkthrough, watch the video and start implementing these fixes today. Visit Seb de la Web for more expert advice and tutorials on optimizing your WooCommerce store. Take action now and turn more visitors into happy customers!