What is a category?
WordPress is a program for building websites. A category is a label that groups posts about the same topic. A recipe blog could have categories like Breakfast, Dinner and Dessert. It is like the sections in a shop. Visitors can click one and see only those posts.
Add a category
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard. This is your control room.
- In the left menu, click Posts.
- Click Categories.
- On the left, find the form Add New Category.
- In Name, type the category name.
- In Slug, you can type the web address part. Use small letters and dashes. If you leave it empty, WordPress makes one.
- In Parent Category, choose None for a main category. Or pick another category to make this one a sub-category.
- Add a short description if you like.
- Click Add New Category.
You can also add a category while writing a post. In the post editor, open the Categories panel and click Add New Category.
Delete a category
- Go to Posts, then Categories.
- Move your mouse over the category in the list.
- Click Delete.
- Confirm in the box that opens.
To remove many at once, tick the boxes next to them. Choose Delete from the Bulk actions list and click Apply.
What happens to the posts? Your posts are not deleted. Posts that only had the deleted category move to the default category, which is usually Uncategorized. You cannot delete the default category. To change it, go to Settings, then Writing, and pick a new Default Post Category.
Rename a category
Hover over it and click Edit or Quick Edit. Change the name and click Update.
Show categories in your menu
Go to Appearance, then Menus. Open the Categories box on the left, tick your choices and click Add to Menu. Then click Save Menu. Block themes use Appearance, then Editor.
Quick recap
- Categories group your posts by topic.
- Add them at Posts, Categories.
- Hover and click Delete to remove one.
- Posts from a deleted category go to the default category.