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How to Execute Shortcodes in WordPress Custom Fields and Other Unsupported Areas

36 threads Sep 16, 2025 Plugin → Wp shortcodes plugin — shortcodes ultimate

Content

Many WordPress users discover that shortcodes don't automatically work everywhere in their site. A common frustration occurs when trying to use shortcodes in custom fields, widget areas, tag descriptions, or other locations where they seem to output as plain text rather than rendering their intended functionality.

Why This Happens

By default, WordPress only processes shortcodes within post content, widget text areas, and comments. Other areas like custom fields, term descriptions (categories/tags), and some theme-specific locations don't automatically process shortcodes for performance and security reasons. This is a WordPress core behavior, not a limitation of any specific shortcode plugin.

Common Solutions

1. Enable Shortcodes in Custom Fields

To execute shortcodes stored in custom fields, you'll need to add a filter to your theme's functions.php file:

add_filter('the_content', 'do_shortcode');
add_filter('widget_text', 'do_shortcode');
// For custom fields specifically:
add_filter('get_post_metadata', function($value, $object_id, $meta_key) {
    if (!empty($value) && is_array($value)) {
        $value[0] = do_shortcode($value[0]);
    }
    return $value;
}, 10, 3);

Note: Always use a child theme when modifying functions.php to prevent losing changes during theme updates.

2. Enable Shortcodes in Tag Descriptions

While the Shortcodes Ultimate plugin includes an option for category descriptions, tag descriptions require additional code:

add_filter('term_description', 'do_shortcode');

3. Manual Shortcode Execution in Templates

For more control, you can manually process shortcodes in your theme templates using WordPress's do_shortcode() function:

<?php echo do_shortcode(get_post_meta($post->ID, 'your_custom_field', true)); ?>

4. Using the Post Meta Shortcode

For users of the Shortcodes Ultimate plugin, the [su_meta] shortcode can retrieve and display custom field values without needing to enable shortcode execution in those fields:

[su_meta key="your_custom_field_key" default="Default value if empty"]

Important Considerations

  • Enabling shortcode execution in additional areas can impact site performance
  • Only enable shortcodes in areas where you truly need them
  • Be cautious about security when processing shortcodes from user-generated content
  • Test thoroughly after making these changes to ensure compatibility with your theme and other plugins

By understanding where WordPress processes shortcodes by default and using these techniques to extend that functionality, you can successfully use shortcodes in custom fields and other areas of your WordPress site.

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