How to Undelete a WordPress Category: Step-by-Step Guide

It is often said, “A small mistake can lead to big lessons.” It’s true—sometimes, the smallest misclick can cause the biggest headaches. Whether it’s accidentally deleting an important file, sending an email too soon, or in this case, removing a WordPress category, we’ve all had those “Oh no!” moments.

Deleting a WordPress category might seem minor at first, but it can disrupt your site’s structure, leave posts assigned without organization, and even affect navigation. The problem? WordPress doesn’t have an undo button for category deletion—once it’s gone, it’s gone.

But don’t worry! Just because WordPress doesn’t make recovery easy doesn’t mean it’s impossible. In this guide, we’ll walk you through different ways to restore deleted categories, whether through a recent backup, plugin settings, or manual recreation. Let’s fix this mistake and make sure it doesn’t happen again!

Why WordPress Categories Get Deleted

Before diving into the recovery methods, it’s important to understand why categories might be deleted in the first place:

• Accidental Deletion: Cleaning up your site, you might unintentionally delete an important category.
• Plugin or Theme Conflicts: Some plugins or themes may cause categories to disappear due to bugs or conflicts.
• Database Corruption: Although rare, a corrupt WordPress database can lead to missing categories.
• Site Migration or Cleanup: Deleting categories during a WordPress site migration or manual site cleanup is common.

Understanding these causes can help you avoid similar issues in the future.

How to Check if the Category is Truly Deleted

Before jumping into recovery, confirm that the category is actually deleted. Sometimes, categories may appear missing due to caching or display issues. Here’s how to double-check:

• Clear Browser Cache: Sometimes a cached version of your site can cause the category to appear deleted.
• Incognito Mode: View your website in an incognito browser window to see if the category is truly gone.
• Check-in WordPress Dashboard: Navigate to Posts > Categories in your WordPress admin dashboard to confirm the category’s status.

If the category is still missing, proceed with the recovery steps below.

Method 1: Restore a WordPress Category Using a Backup

The most reliable way to recover a deleted WordPress category is by restoring your website from a backup. Here’s how to restore deleted WordPress categories:

Step 1: Identify the Backup

• Log into your WordPress Dashboard.
• Go to Tools > Backups (or access your backup plugin like Blogvault, BackupBuddy, etc.).
• Locate a backup taken before the category was deleted.

Step 2: Restore the Backup

• Download the backup if needed, and follow the plugin’s restore instructions.
• Typically, you will navigate to the plugin’s restore section, select the backup file, and initiate the restore process.

Note: Restoring from a backup will revert your entire site to the state it was in at the time of the backup, meaning any changes made after the backup will be lost. Ensure you back up your current site first.

Read More: Best WordPress Backup Plugins 

Method 2: Recover Deleted Categories Using a Database Plugin

If you don’t want to restore your entire site, you can try recovering deleted WordPress categories using a database plugin.

Step 1: Install a Database Plugin

• Go to Plugins > Add New.
• Search for WP phpMyAdmin or similar plugins like WP Database Backup.
• Install and activate the plugin.

Step 2: Access the Database

• Use the database plugin or access phpMyAdmin via your hosting provider (usually through cPanel).
• Open your WordPress database and look for the wp_terms table.

Step 3: Recover the Deleted Category

• Search for deleted entries in the wp_terms table. If the category was recently deleted, it may still be there.
• If you find it, manually insert it back into the database to retrieve the deleted category.

Note: Working with the database can be risky if you’re unfamiliar with SQL. Always create a backup before making any changes.

Method 3: Manually Recreate the Deleted Category

If no backup or database recovery is possible, the simplest solution might be to manually recreate a WordPress category.

Step 1: Add a New Category

• Navigate to Posts > Categories in your WordPress dashboard.
• Add a new category using the same name and slug as the deleted one.

Step 2: Reassign Posts to the New Category

• Go to Posts > All Posts.
• Use the bulk edit feature to reassign posts that were associated with the deleted category to the newly created one.

This method works well for smaller websites with fewer posts.

Related: WordPress Database Performance Optimization: Tips and Best Practices

Method 4: Use a Revision Plugin to Retrieve Categories

Some WordPress category recovery plugins may help you recover deleted categories, especially if they track changes.

Step 1: Install a Revision Plugin

• Go to Plugins > Add New.
• Search for WP Simple Revisions Control or similar plugins.
• Install and activate the plugin.

Step 2: Recover Deleted Data

• Navigate to the plugin’s settings and look for options to recover recently deleted items, including categories.

While these plugins are typically designed to track post revisions, they may also help restore deleted categories depending on their features.

Explore: Resetting Your WordPress Site: How to Start Over from Scratch 

Tips to Avoid Deleting Categories in the Future

Now that you’ve learned how to undelete WordPress categories, here are some preventive measures to avoid accidental deletions:

• Enable Automated Backups: Use a plugin or your hosting provider’s backup tools to schedule regular backups to help restore WordPress categories if needed.
• Double-Check Before Deleting: Always confirm before deleting any categories, especially during cleanups.
• Use a Staging Site: Test changes in a staging environment to avoid unintended deletions on your live site.
• Manage User Roles: If multiple users are managing your site, ensure they have appropriate permissions to prevent unauthorized deletions.

Learn More: How Do You Safely Update WordPress Without Breaking Your Site?

Wrap-Up: How to Undelete a WordPress Category

Accidentally deleting a WordPress category can disrupt your website’s organization and affect the user experience. While WordPress doesn’t have a built-in undelete feature for categories, the methods outlined in this guide—ranging from restoring backups to manually recreating categories—will help you recover deleted WordPress categories efficiently.

To avoid future issues, always ensure you have a robust backup system in place and double-check actions that involve deleting any key elements of your site. Regular backups, along with user management and plugin testing in a staging environment, can save you from the hassle of lost categories and ensure your WordPress site remains intact.

By following these methods, you can confidently undelete a WordPress category and safeguard your content for the future!

FAQs about How to Undelete a WordPress Category