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How to Fix OceanWP Shortcodes Displaying as Raw Text

17 threads Sep 10, 2025 Theme → Oceanwp

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If you've ever added an OceanWP shortcode like [ocean_posts_slider id="287"] to your page, only to have the raw text display instead of the beautiful feature it represents, you're not alone. This is a common issue that can be frustrating but is usually simple to resolve.

Why This Happens

Shortcodes are essentially placeholders. When WordPress processes a page, it looks for these special codes and replaces them with the corresponding dynamic content. When you see the shortcode itself, it means this replacement process has failed. Based on common support threads, this is almost always due to one of two reasons:

  1. The Required Plugin is Deactivated: Most OceanWP-specific shortcodes, like the posts slider, rely on a companion plugin (e.g., 'Ocean Post Slider'). If that plugin is deactivated or uninstalled, WordPress has no instructions for what to do with the shortcode, so it displays it as plain text.
  2. The Shortcode Itself Has Been Deleted: Some features, like the post slider, require you to create an item that generates a unique shortcode. If you later delete that slider item, the shortcode becomes orphaned and will no longer function.

How to Fix It

Follow these steps to troubleshoot and resolve the issue.

Solution 1: Check Your Plugin's Status

The first and most common fix is to ensure the relevant OceanWP plugin is active.

  1. Navigate to your WordPress Dashboard.
  2. Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins.
  3. Look for the plugin associated with your shortcode (e.g., 'Ocean Post Slider').
  4. If it is deactivated, click the "Activate" link under its name.
  5. Refresh the page on your frontend site. The shortcode should now be replaced with the actual content.

Solution 2: Rebuild the Deleted Shortcode

If the plugin is active but you are still seeing the raw text, the original shortcode entry may have been trashed.

  1. In your WordPress Dashboard, find the area that creates the shortcode. For a posts slider, this is typically Post Slider > Add New.
  2. Check the list of existing sliders. If your shortcode ID (e.g., 287) is not present, you will need to create a new one.
  3. Configure your new slider and save it. It will generate a new shortcode (e.g., [ocean_posts_slider id="324"]).
  4. Replace the old, broken shortcode on your page with this new one.

Conclusion

Seeing a raw shortcode on your live site is almost always a simple issue of a missing connection between the code and its functionality. By verifying your plugins are active and ensuring your shortcode references still exist, you can quickly get your site looking the way it was intended.

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