Add, edit and delete categories in WordPress (and replace Uncategorized)

Categories group your posts by topic. They create archive pages such as /category/tutorials/, help visitors browse and give search engines a clear structure. Every post must have at least one category, which is why WordPress starts with Uncategorized.

Before you start

• Access to the WordPress dashboard as an Administrator or Editor.
• A short list of 5 to 10 broad topics. Use tags for finer details.

Add a category

1. Go to Posts → Categories.
2. In Add New Category, enter a Name, for example Tutorials.
3. Optionally enter a Slug (lowercase URL part, e.g. tutorials).
4. To make it a sub-category, choose a Parent Category.
5. Add a Description; many themes show it on the category page and it helps SEO.
6. Click Add New Category.

You can also add a category while writing a post: in the editor sidebar under Categories, click Add New Category.

Edit a category

In Posts → Categories, hover over the category and click Edit (all fields) or Quick Edit (name and slug). Changing a slug changes the archive URL, so add a redirect from the old URL if the page was indexed; see redirects in cPanel.

Replace Uncategorized

The default category cannot be deleted, but you can rename it or choose a different default:

1. Go to Settings → Writing.
2. Set Default Post Category to one of your categories and click Save Changes.
3. Return to Posts → Categories. Uncategorized now has a Delete link.

Alternatively, simply edit Uncategorized and rename it to something useful such as News, with slug news.

Delete categories

1. Go to Posts → Categories.
2. Hover over a category and click Delete, or tick several and choose Delete from Bulk actions, then Apply.

Next steps

• Write and publish posts
• Set up permalinks and fix 404s
• Speed up your WordPress site