Subscription actions appear greyed out when AutomateWoo lacks the permissions or data it needs to run them
When you open AutomateWoo and try to set up an automation involving subscriptions — like sending an email when a subscription renews or pausing a subscription after a failed payment — you may find those actions are greyed out and unclickable. This happens because AutomateWoo cannot access the subscription data it needs, or because WooCommerce Subscriptions (the plugin that handles recurring payments) is not properly connected to AutomateWoo.
The most common reason is that WooCommerce Subscriptions is either not installed, not activated, or installed but not recognized by AutomateWoo. A second reason is that your user account does not have the correct permissions to manage subscriptions. A third reason is that AutomateWoo itself needs to be updated to the latest version to support the subscription features you are trying to use.
Key Takeaways
- Greyed-out subscription actions usually mean WooCommerce Subscriptions is not installed, not activated, or not communicating with AutomateWoo.
- Your WordPress user account must have the "manage_woocommerce_subscriptions" permission to create automations that affect subscriptions.
- AutomateWoo and WooCommerce Subscriptions must both be updated to their latest versions for subscription actions to appear and work.
- If you have the right plugins and permissions, deactivating and reactivating AutomateWoo will often refresh the connection and unlock the greyed-out actions.
Check that WooCommerce Subscriptions is installed and activated
AutomateWoo can only offer subscription actions if WooCommerce Subscriptions is running on your site. This is a separate paid plugin from Automattic, the company behind WooCommerce. If you have not purchased it, subscription actions will be permanently greyed out.
To check whether it is installed, log in to your WordPress dashboard and go to Plugins. Search for "WooCommerce Subscriptions" in the search box. If you see it in the list and it says "Deactivate" next to it, the plugin is installed and active — move to the next section. If it says "set up", click that button now. If you do not see it at all, you need to purchase and install it from the WooCommerce website before AutomateWoo can use subscription features.
After you set up WooCommerce Subscriptions, go back to AutomateWoo and refresh the page in your browser. The subscription actions should now be clickable.
Verify your user account has subscription permissions
WordPress divides permissions into roles — Administrator, Editor, Author, Contributor, and Subscriber are the standard ones. Even if you are logged in as an Administrator, your account may not have the specific permission to manage subscriptions, which is called "manage_woocommerce_subscriptions".
To check your permissions, go to Users in the WordPress dashboard and click on your own user account. Scroll down to the "Capabilities" section. Look for a checkbox or entry that says "manage_woocommerce_subscriptions". If it is checked or listed, you have the right permission. If it is not there or unchecked, you need to ask the site owner or a developer to add it to your role.
If you are the site owner and you are logged in as Administrator but still cannot see subscription actions, the permission may not have been assigned to the Administrator role during plugin setup. In that case, deactivate and reactivate WooCommerce Subscriptions — this usually forces the plugin to re-assign permissions to all roles.
Update AutomateWoo and WooCommerce Subscriptions to the latest version
Older versions of AutomateWoo may not recognize subscription actions, even if WooCommerce Subscriptions is installed. The same is true in reverse — an old version of WooCommerce Subscriptions may not communicate properly with AutomateWoo.
Go to Plugins in your WordPress dashboard. If either AutomateWoo or WooCommerce Subscriptions shows an "Update" button, click it. After updating, refresh your browser and return to the AutomateWoo automation editor. The subscription actions should now be available.
If you see no update button, both plugins are already at their latest version. In that case, move to the next section.
Deactivate and reactivate AutomateWoo to refresh the connection
Sometimes AutomateWoo loads before WooCommerce Subscriptions finishes initializing, which causes it to cache the list of available actions without including subscriptions. Deactivating and reactivating AutomateWoo forces it to reload and re-scan for available actions.
Go to Plugins in the WordPress dashboard. Find AutomateWoo in the list and click Deactivate. Wait a few seconds, then refresh the page. Click set up next to AutomateWoo. After set up, go back to your automation and check whether the subscription actions are now clickable.
If they are still greyed out after this step, the issue is not a connection problem — it is either a missing plugin, a missing permission, or a version mismatch. Return to the sections above and verify each one.
Check the AutomateWoo integration settings for subscriptions
AutomateWoo has an integration panel where you can see which plugins it has detected and which features are available. You can use this to confirm that it recognizes WooCommerce Subscriptions.
In the WordPress dashboard, go to AutomateWoo and then Settings. Click the Integrations tab. Look for "WooCommerce Subscriptions" in the list. If it shows a green checkmark or "Connected", the integration is working. If it shows a red X or "Not detected", WooCommerce Subscriptions is either not installed or not activated — go back to the first section of this guide.
If the integration shows as connected but subscription actions are still greyed out, the problem is a permissions issue or a version conflict. Check your user permissions again, and make sure both plugins are fully updated.
Contact WooCommerce support if the problem persists
If you have verified that WooCommerce Subscriptions is installed and activated, your user account has the correct permissions, both plugins are updated, and you have deactivated and reactivated AutomateWoo, the issue may be a conflict with another plugin or a server configuration problem.
Before contacting support, deactivate all plugins except WooCommerce, WooCommerce Subscriptions, and AutomateWoo. Refresh the automation editor and check whether subscription actions are now clickable. If they are, another plugin is interfering — reactivate plugins one at a time until you find the culprit. If subscription actions are still greyed out, contact WooCommerce support with a list of your installed plugins and the version numbers of WooCommerce, WooCommerce Subscriptions, and AutomateWoo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to buy WooCommerce Subscriptions separately?
Yes. WooCommerce Subscriptions is a paid plugin sold by Automattic. AutomateWoo is also paid. You need both to create automations that manage subscriptions. If you have only AutomateWoo, subscription actions will remain greyed out no matter what you do.
Can I use a different subscriptions plugin with AutomateWoo?
AutomateWoo is built to work with WooCommerce Subscriptions specifically. Other subscription plugins like Subbly or ReCharge may not be recognized by AutomateWoo, and their actions will be greyed out. Check the AutomateWoo documentation to see which plugins it supports.
What if I am not the site owner and cannot install plugins?
You will need to ask the site owner or administrator to install WooCommerce Subscriptions and make sure your user account has the "manage_woocommerce_subscriptions" permission. Once they do, you should be able to create subscription automations.
Will deactivating AutomateWoo affect my existing automations?
No. Deactivating and reactivating AutomateWoo does not delete or pause any automations you have already created. They will continue to run while the plugin is deactivated. After you reactivate it, they will resume normally.
Why are some subscription actions greyed out but not all of them?
This usually means your version of WooCommerce Subscriptions does not support all the actions that your version of AutomateWoo is trying to offer. Update both plugins to their latest versions. If the problem persists, you may be using an older version of WooCommerce Subscriptions that lacks certain features.