Filter options based on prior selections

Filter options based on prior selections helps customers choose a combination that exists in your Multi Option product group. Each selection narrows down the choices that come after it.

For example, after a customer chooses Red, Size shows only sizes offered in Red. After they choose a size, Material shows only materials offered in that color and size.

This is a global setting for Multi Option product groups, including their options on product pages, product cards, Quick View, and featured-product displays. It does not apply to Single Option or Subcategory groups.

Turn on the setting

1. Open LinkedOption → Settings → General.
2. Find Product and option visibility.
3. Enable Filter options based on prior selections.
4. Click Save.

You only need to enable it once. You do not need to turn it on separately for each option or product group.

How the option order works

The setting follows the order of options in your product group. For Color → Size → Material:

• Color is not restricted by the selected Size or Material.
• Size must match the selected Color.
• Material must match both the selected Color and Size.

A later selection does not hide an earlier choice just because the current full combination does not exist. Instead, later selections can change to fit the new choice.

Other visibility rules, such as hiding out-of-stock products, can still hide choices.

Detailed example: four products, three options

Imagine a Multi Option group containing exactly these four products, in this order. For this example, all four products are published and in stock.

The option order is Color → Size → Material. Notice that Red is not sold in L, Blue is not sold in S or M, and Red + M exists only in Wool.

1. Start on Red + S + Cotton

The customer sees:

• Color: Red and Blue.
• Size: S and M. L is hidden because no Red + L product exists.
• Material: Cotton only. There is no Red + S + Wool product.

M remains visible even though Red + M + Cotton does not exist. Material comes after Size and can change.

2. Choose M

The customer is taken to Red + M + Wool.

Color stays Red. Size becomes M. Cotton can no longer be selected for this combination, so Material changes to Wool automatically. The customer does not need to find and change Material first.

3. Change the color to Blue

The customer is taken to Blue + L + Wool.

Size changes from M to L because Blue only exists in L. Wool stays selected because Blue + L + Wool exists. The Material row now offers Cotton and Wool.

4. Choose Cotton

The selected combination becomes Blue + L + Cotton. Color and Size stay unchanged.

Illustration of the example above. The selected values are highlighted; your storefront appearance depends on your option styles.

What happens to a later selection?

LinkedOption tries to keep the customer's later selections where they still fit. If a value no longer fits, it chooses a matching alternative using the group's product order, working through the remaining options in order.

In the example, changing Red + M + Wool to Blue replaces M with L but keeps Wool. Changing Red + S + Cotton to M replaces Cotton with Wool because there is only one matching Red + M product.

The selected values come from a real matching product in the group. This setting does not create missing combinations or add products.

Missing combinations and out-of-stock products are different

• Missing combination: no product in the group has those option values. For example, Red + L does not exist in the example above.
• Out of stock: the product exists, but it is sold out.

This setting filters by matching combinations. Your existing out-of-stock display rules still apply separately. A matching choice may therefore still be hidden or styled as unavailable.

It also does not enable a display location you have turned off or reveal option rows you have explicitly hidden on product cards.

If the result is not what you expected

• Check that the group type is Multi Option.
• Check the option order. With Size before Color, colors are filtered by size instead.
• Check the option values assigned to each product in the group. The matching product must actually be included.
• Check whether the expected product is published and eligible to appear, and review your stock and market visibility settings.
• On product cards, check whether a whole option row is hidden in the product card settings.
• After changing the global setting, save it and reload the storefront before testing.

To return to the previous behavior, turn off Filter options based on prior selections and save.

Related guide: How to Create a Multi-Option Product Group.

Updated on: 17/09/2026