Imagine a wardrobe with all the clothes and accessories thrown in one big pile. Finding the right shirt would be a long and tedious job.
In fact, trying to find any item would take a lot of precious time.
It is much easier if the clothes and accessories are organized into categories. Looking for a shirt would only require going through the pile of shirts.
The categories in WordPress are based on the same principle. It is easier for visitors to find interesting posts when they can sort them by categories.
A poster can assign the same category to related posts.
WordPress has a default post type called Post. But the user has the option to assign a specific category type.
This guide will show how to edit categories in WordPress.
What Are WordPress Categories
This first section will explain in more detail what WordPress categories are. Subsequent sections get into the practical details of the editing of post categories.
WordPress uses two different systems for post identification. One of them is tags and the other categories.
With tags and categories, a user can group related posts. They are like labels for content.
Categories are crucial in the way WordPress works.
For example, a news-related blog can use categories to label its content. These may include national, international, sports, and culture.
Most of the time, there are a limited number of categories in WordPress. Tags are normally used more freely.
With categorized posts, visitors can explore the content of a blog or website with ease.
By default, WordPress gives the Uncategorized label to a new post. A user can edit, add, or remove categories as desired.
To change default categories go to the admin panel. There is an option Settings > Writing.
WordPress Categories vs. Tags
The difference between a category and a tag is difficult to understand for many. Simply put, a tag is more specific than a category.
To give an example, think of a movie blog.
The user can use categories to identify posts by movie genre, like comedy, horror, or romance. The same posts are further identified with tags that refer to the actors or the director.
Or take the instance of a car blog. Categories could be sedan, sports, SUV, and truck.
Then tags can refer to details of the cars, like double exhaust, heated seats, and reverse camera.
Ideally, WordPress posts should have no more than two category labels. That makes them easy to find and access.
Use as many tags as needed to describe the content of the post. There is no practical limit to them.
With this in mind, read on to find out how to edit categories in WordPress.
How to Edit a Category in WordPress
To change a WordPress category or to change the category setting can be confusing at times. This tutorial will make it simple.
It describes how to change the name of an existing, and a parent, category.
WordPress has a Quick Edit option. To find this option go to the Categories section in the WordPress dashboard.
This section shows a detailed view of all the categories currently in use. Below the categories is the Quick Edit option.
By clicking this option a menu pops up. Here, change the name and the Slug.
Save the settings and that is all.
Edit a Category Using the Edit Option
Go to Posts and Categories. There, users will find a list of categories.
From this page, it is possible to create new categories and change their descriptions.
The option to edit appears by hovering over a category with the mouse. When the option appears, click on it.
This will open a page that looks very much like the Categories page for adding one. The fields are already filled in.
Change the following items as needed:
- Name
- Slug
- Parent category
- Description
After making the changes, click Update to save them.
With this information, it is clear how to edit categories in WordPress. Do this at any time when the need arises.
Rename Category in WordPress
Renaming a category is not difficult. Make a new category or change the name of an existing category to a new one.
After that add posts to the category.
WordPress assigns an identification number to the category. This means that they are not identified by their name.
So if a category gets a new name, the posts with that identification number are still listed under the new name.
When using the self-hosted version of WordPress:
- Go to Posts
- Click Categories.
- Find the category.
- Click Edit.
- Change the name.
- Change the Slug as needed.
Add or Change the Category Description
On WordPress.com, click Update. The method is almost the same as outlined above.
Change the category description as desired.
However, with this method, it is not possible to change the Slug. It will become the same as the category name.
Delete Categories in WordPress
When a category gets deleted, the associated posts will receive the default category. Go to Settings, and then Writing to change the default category.
There is a screenshot of how it looks above.
To delete a category in WordPress:
- Go to Posts
- Click Categories
- Move the mouse over the category in question
- Click Delete
To add, edit, or delete a category in WordPress is not hard to do. Try it for yourself.
FAQ on editing categories in WordPress
How do I add a new category in WordPress?
Oh, it’s pretty straightforward. When you’re in the dashboard, just hover over the Posts section and click on ‘Categories’.
There’s a little form there to fill out – give your category a name, slug, and if you want, you can nest it under a parent category. Hit the ‘Add New Category’ button, and voila, you’ve got yourself a new category. It’s a neat way to keep your content organized.
Can I change the name of a category in WordPress?
Absolutely, you can. If you’ve got a category that’s not quite hitting the mark, just go to the Categories page under Posts.
Click ‘Edit’ under the category you want to change. You’ll see fields there where you can update the name, slug, and description. Make your changes and don’t forget to save. It’s a cinch and helps a ton with your WordPress taxonomy management.
Is there a way to delete a category in WordPress?
Sure thing. Deleting a category is as simple as pie. Just go to the Categories section under Posts. You’ll see a list of all your categories.
Hover over the one you want to ditch and click ‘Delete’. But remember, any posts in that category will get moved to the default ‘Uncategorized’ category. So, you might want to reassign them first if you’re trying to keep things tidy.
How do I assign posts to a new category in WordPress?
Oh, that’s a piece of cake. When you’re editing a post, look over to the right-hand side where it says ‘Categories’.
You can check the box next to the category you want to assign it to. If you’re dealing with a bunch of posts, use the Bulk Edit feature on the Posts screen. Select the posts, choose ‘Edit’ from the Bulk Actions dropdown, and apply the category. It’s a great way to manage your WordPress content.
Can I create subcategories in WordPress?
For sure, subcategories can be super handy. When you’re adding a new category, there’s an option to set a parent category.
Just choose which existing category you want it to fall under. This creates a hierarchy in your WordPress category settings. It’s like building a little family tree for your content, which can be great for organization and even better for your site’s structure and SEO.
What’s the difference between tags and categories in WordPress?
Ah, the old tags vs categories debate. Think of categories as the table of contents for your site – they’re the general grouping of your content.
Tags, on the other hand, are more like the index – they’re super-specific and describe the finer details of your posts. Categories are hierarchical and can have subcategories, but tags are just a free-for-all. Both are awesome for organizing and for your WordPress category SEO.
How do I change the permalink structure for categories in WordPress?
Changing permalinks can be a bit tricky, but it’s doable. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Settings and then ‘Permalinks’. Scroll down to ‘Optional’.
There, you’ll find the ‘Category base’ and ‘Tag base’ sections. You can change the URL structure for your category pages there. Just remember, changing permalinks can affect your SEO, so make sure you set up proper redirects if your site is already live.
Is it possible to bulk edit categories in WordPress?
Oh yeah, bulk editing is a lifesaver when you’ve got a lot of content. On the Posts page, tick the boxes next to the posts you want to edit. Select ‘Edit’ from the ‘Bulk Actions’ dropdown and click ‘Apply’.
You’ll get a bunch of options, including one to change categories. It’s a quick way to manage your posts if you’re doing a bit of housekeeping or if you’ve just added a new category you want to use.
How can I display all categories in a WordPress menu?
Sure, you can show off your categories in a menu. Go to Appearance, then ‘Menus’ in your dashboard. There, you can add whatever categories you want to your menu.
Just select ‘Categories’ from the list of options, check the ones you want to add, and click ‘Add to Menu’. You can drag and drop them to get the order just right. It’s a nifty feature that can make your site more navigable.
What’s the best way to optimize WordPress categories for SEO?
Optimizing categories for SEO is all about clarity and relevance. Make sure your category names and descriptions are clear and contain relevant keywords.
Use the Yoast SEO plugin or similar to help you with this. Also, don’t forget to create a sitemap that includes your categories to help search engines crawl your site more effectively. Keep your hierarchy logical, too; it helps both users and search engines understand your site’s structure.
Ending thoughts on how to edit categories in WordPress
This post described how to add, delete, and edit categories in WordPress.
This is important to know because categories play such an important role in blogging. It helps users and visitors to find what they are interested in.
There is no limit to the number of categories on a website. But a word of caution here.
Do not clutter the website with too many. Keep it organized and remove categories that have become irrelevant.
Remember that WordPress uses a second system to label posts as well. These are the tags.
Some WordPress themes also use their own system of categorizing. However, the general principles of adding, deleting, and editing are the same.
If you enjoyed reading this article on how to edit categories in WordPress, you should check out this one about how to make a phone number clickable in WordPress.
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