Shortcode Reference

Place the like button anywhere manually using the [simple_post_like] shortcode.

Last updated: March 12, 2026

Overview

The [simple_post_like] shortcode lets you place the like button anywhere WordPress renders shortcodes — post content, page content, widget areas, page builders, and PHP templates via do_shortcode(). It works independently of the auto-injection setting, so you can use shortcodes even when auto injection is enabled.

Basic Usage

Place the shortcode inside any post or page content:

[simple_post_like]

With no attributes, the shortcode renders the like button for the current post using the global display style set in Settings.

Attributes

`post_id`

Type: integer Default: current post ID

Renders the like button for a specific post by ID. Useful when you want to show a like button for a different post than the one currently being viewed — for example, in a “related posts” section or a custom template.

[simple_post_like post_id="123"]

If the post ID does not exist or belongs to a post type that is not enabled in Settings, the shortcode returns an empty string silently.

`style`

Type: string Default: global display style from Settings

Overrides the global display style for this instance only. Does not affect other like buttons on the same page or the global setting.

[simple_post_like style="button_default"]
[simple_post_like style="icon_counter"]
[simple_post_like style="icon_only"]

Value	Description
`button_default`	Full button with icon, label, and like count
`icon_counter`	Compact icon with count beside it
`icon_only`	Minimal circle icon, no count visible

If an unrecognised value is passed, the shortcode falls back to the global style setting.

Combining Attributes

Attributes can be combined freely:

[simple_post_like post_id="123" style="icon_only"]
[simple_post_like post_id="456" style="icon_counter"]

Usage in Page Builders

The shortcode works in any page builder that supports WordPress shortcodes — Elementor, Beaver Builder, WPBakery, Divi, and others. Paste [simple_post_like] into a shortcode block or text module as you would any other shortcode.

In Elementor, use the Shortcode widget. In Divi, use the Code module.

Usage in Widget Areas

Add a Shortcode widget or a Text widget to any widget area and paste the shortcode inside. This is useful for placing a like button in a sidebar or footer for the currently viewed post.

Note that post_id defaults to the current post ID — in a sidebar context this works correctly as long as the sidebar is rendered inside the main post loop. If the sidebar is rendered outside the loop, pass an explicit post_id.

Usage in PHP Templates

Call do_shortcode() to render the like button from a PHP template file:

php

echo do_shortcode( '[simple_post_like]' );

With attributes:

php

echo do_shortcode( '[simple_post_like style="icon_counter"]' );

For a specific post:

php

echo do_shortcode( '[simple_post_like post_id="' . get_the_ID() . '"]' );

For a cleaner approach in template files, see PHP Template Usage which documents the direct PHP function available for template developers.

Shortcode and Auto Injection Together

If auto injection is enabled and you also place a shortcode inside the same post’s content, the button will appear twice on that post. To avoid this:

Disable auto injection globally and use shortcodes only, or
Set the single post injection position to None and use shortcodes for manual control on individual posts

Next Steps

PHP Template Usage — render the button directly from template files
Display Styles — visual reference for all three styles
Auto Injection — automatic placement via the_content filter

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