In WordPress you will not get the option to change category order in listing. It means, when you add category widget in widget areas (sidebar, footer), then category links display with specific order.
Now,
That default WordPress category order may not be proper as per your requirement. In some cases you want to change the category link order in the list. But, as WordPress does not provide such an order change option, you need some extra actions to do that.
Here,
In this post you will get to the point solution to change WordPress category link display order. You can choose a solution based on your requirements.
What is the default category listing order in WordPress?
WordPress default category page link listing order is alphabetic. It means, WordPress displays categories in “A to Z” order based on category name.
When you add WordPress category widget in sidebar or footer, or you add all categories in the site menu by “Select All” option, then category links will display in alphabetical order.
And, in above default category order, you do not have any default setting option to change this order.
How to change category order in WordPress menu?
You can manage category link order in WordPress header or footer menu without any plugin or code change.
To set custom order in the WordPress menu, you will get two options.
First, add categories in the menu one by one as per desired order. Second, add all categories in the menu and update order by dragging category in menu setting.
How to change category order in WordPress category link list (Widget area)?
You can change category link order in WordPress category widget by following ways.
Use WordPress plugin for category and taxonomy terms order change:
You can install WordPress plugin to change category or taxonomy terms order in the widget.
WordPress free plugin library has a list of related plugins. These plugins help to change main and subcategories order.
To change category order, you can install “Category Order and Taxonomy Terms Order” free plugin. By using this plugin, you can change category order with drag and drop option.
You can change default WordPress blog category order, woocommerce product category order and other taxonomy terms order.
Change category order in widget without plugin:
Yes, there is also a second option available to change category order. In this option, you do not require any plugin installation.
This second option is custom HTML link list code. By adding a custom HTML link list in WordPress HTML widget, you can display categories with custom order.
Sample code:
<h2>Categories</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="your_category_url_here">Category 2</a></li>
<li><a href="your_category_url_here">Category 1</a></li>
</li>
</ul>Note: in the above sample code, you need to replace your category url and category name. And, if your theme has a specific design, then you can add “class” in “h2” and “ul” tag.
That’s it,
Hope, you like all solutions for WordPress category order change.