Title here
Summary here
Custom Taxonomy Order
Manually control the order of categories, tags, and custom taxonomy terms using drag-and-drop. Override alphabetical sorting to display terms in exactly the order that makes sense for your site.
Use Cases
- Order product categories to show bestselling categories first
- Arrange navigation filters by importance rather than alphabetically
- Prioritize popular tags in tag clouds
- Control sidebar category widget order
- Organize ACF taxonomy field dropdowns in your preferred order
How It Works
- Enable the module and access the settings
- Click a taxonomy badge to load its terms
- Drag terms to your desired order
- Order saves automatically
Where to Find It
Location: Configure in the module settings. The drag-and-drop interface appears within the settings panel.
Settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Select Taxonomy | Choose which taxonomy to reorder |
| Apply on Frontend | Use custom order in frontend queries |
Reordering Terms
Step 1: Select a Taxonomy
Click the taxonomy badge (Categories, Tags, Product Categories, etc.) to load its terms.
Step 2: Drag to Reorder
- Click and hold the grip handle (⋮⋮)
- Drag the term up or down
- Release to drop in the new position
- Changes save automatically
Step 3: Verify on Frontend
Enable “Apply on Frontend” to see the order in widgets, archives, and menus.
Performance Limit
Only the first 100 terms are shown for reordering. For taxonomies with more terms:
- Focus on the most important/visible terms
- Consider consolidating rarely-used terms
- Terms without a custom order fall back to alphabetical sorting
Where Order Applies
The custom order is automatically applied in multiple contexts:
Frontend (when “Apply on Frontend” is enabled)
| Location | Custom Order? |
|---|---|
| Category widgets | Yes |
| Tag clouds | Yes |
| Archive pages | Yes |
| Navigation menus (taxonomy-based) | Yes |
| Theme category/tag listings | Yes |
Admin Areas (always applied)
| Location | Custom Order? |
|---|---|
| Admin taxonomy tables (edit-tags.php) | Yes |
| Post edit screen category checkboxes | Yes |
| ACF taxonomy fields (dropdowns & checkboxes) | Yes |
ACF Integration
If you use Advanced Custom Fields (ACF), the custom order automatically applies to:
- Taxonomy field dropdowns - Terms appear in your custom order
- Checkbox taxonomy fields - Options listed in your preferred sequence
- Radio button taxonomy fields - Choices ordered as you set them
This ensures consistency between the main WordPress interface and your custom ACF fields.
Post Edit Screen Integration
When editing posts/pages, the taxonomy checkboxes in the sidebar respect your custom order:
- Category metabox shows categories in your order
- Tag suggestions follow your ordering
- Custom taxonomy checkboxes use the same sequence
This makes it easier to find and select the most important terms.
How Order is Stored
The order is stored as term meta (term_order) for each term. This means:
- Order is independent of each term
- New terms are added at the end (after ordered terms)
- Order persists if you disable the module
- Terms without an order fall back to alphabetical sorting
Practical Examples
E-Commerce Categories
Before (Alphabetical):
- Accessories
- Clothing
- Electronics
- Shoes
After (Custom Order):
- Electronics (bestseller)
- Clothing (popular)
- Shoes
- Accessories
Blog Categories
Before (Alphabetical):
- Announcements
- How-To
- News
- Tutorials
After (Priority Order):
- Tutorials (main content)
- How-To (popular)
- News
- Announcements
ACF Category Dropdown
If you have an ACF taxonomy field for “Primary Category”:
Before: Alphabetical A-Z After: Your custom order, showing most relevant options first
FAQ
Does this affect menu order?
If your menu displays taxonomy terms dynamically (using a widget or auto-add), yes. Manually created menu items have their own order.What about child terms (subcategories)?
Child terms are included in the list. You can order them, but they remain children of their parent term in the hierarchy.Why aren’t new terms appearing at the top?
New terms don’t have a custom order set, so they appear after ordered terms (falling back to alphabetical). Drag them to your preferred position after creation.Does this work with WooCommerce product categories?
Yes! Any public taxonomy can be reordered, including WooCommerce product categories and product tags.Can I have different orders for different contexts?
No, the order applies globally. For context-specific ordering, you would need custom code.Does this work with ACF?
Yes! The custom order automatically applies to ACF taxonomy fields, including dropdowns, checkboxes, and radio buttons. No additional configuration needed.What happens with terms I haven’t ordered?
Terms without a custom order position fall back to alphabetical sorting and appear after all ordered terms. This ensures new terms are still accessible.Does the order show in the admin taxonomy list?
Yes. When viewing the taxonomy edit screen (e.g., Posts → Categories), terms display in your custom order instead of alphabetically.Reorder your most important categories to appear first. This affects category widgets, navigation, ACF fields, and anywhere terms are listed.
This module reorders terms within a single taxonomy. For organizing the relationship between taxonomies, use WordPress’s built-in hierarchy features.
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