How to Remove or Hide the Uncategorized Category in WooCommerce (3 Easy Ways)

To remove the Uncategorized category in WooCommerce, you first need to set a new default category. After that, you can delete, rename, or hide the Uncategorized category from your store.

The “Uncategorized” category in WordPress and WooCommerce acts as a default fallback to ensure every product is assigned somewhere. While useful in the backend, it can make your storefront look unfinished, confuse customers, and weaken your SEO.

If you want a cleaner, more professional store, this guide will show you three simple ways to remove, rename, or hide the Uncategorized category in WooCommerce.

What is the “Uncategorized” Category?

In WooCommerce, every product must belong to at least one category.

If no category is assigned, WooCommerce automatically places the product under “Uncategorized.”

This prevents missing product assignments, but it is not ideal for a professional online store.

Why You Should Remove or Rename “Uncategorized”

Keeping the default category unchanged can negatively impact your store in several ways:

1. Poor User Experience

Customers may see products grouped under “Uncategorized,” which looks unorganized and unprofessional.

2. Weak SEO Structure

Search engines rely on category names to understand your website structure. “Uncategorized” provides no keyword relevance.

3. Reduced Brand Trust

A structured store appears more professional and trustworthy.

4. Missed SEO Opportunity

Custom categories help improve keyword targeting and product visibility.

Method 1: Change Default Category in WooCommerce (Step-by-Step)

In WooCommerce, there has to be a default category for the products. And WooCommerce makes the “Uncategorized” default category.

So, the best approach to remove uncategorized categories in WooCommerce is to create a new default category and then delete it. Here are the steps you need to follow. 

Step 1: Go to Products then Categories

From your WordPress Dashboard, go to Products>>Categories. 

Step 2: Select a Category and Make it the Default Category

Next up, you should make another category the “Default Category”. But how, you ask?

On your right-hand side, you will find the list of all of your categories. Go to your desired category and click on “Make Default”. 

In the image above, the “Uncategorized” category is currently set as the default category. To change this, we clicked the “Make default” button next to our preferred category, “Accessories“. 

Now, “Accessories” has been made the default category. 

Pro Tip:
If you don’t have an existing category to set as the default, you can easily create a new category and assign it as the default category.

Step 3: Delete Uncategorized Category

Once you are done with changing the default category, it’s finally time to remove the Uncategorized category. So, hover in the Uncategorized category and simply click on “Delete”. 

And that’s it! You have successfully removed the Uncategorized category. 

Method 2: Rename the Uncategorized Category 

If you prefer not to delete the “Uncategorized” category, you can simply rename it. This allows you to repurpose the default category into something more relevant to your store’s product lineup. Instead of leaving it as “Uncategorized,” you can give it a meaningful name that aligns with your product categories.

Here’s what you need to do. 

Step 1: Navigate to Products > Categories.

In order to rename the “Uncategorized” category the first thing you need to do is go to Products>>Categories from your WordPress Dashboard. 

Step 2: Edit the Uncategorized Category

Find the Uncategorized category in the list. Then, Click the “Edit” option below it.

Step 3: Change the Name and Slug

Update the Name field to something relevant, such as “General” or “Miscellaneous.” Update the Slug to match the new name. 

Step 4: Save Changes 

Click Update to apply the changes. And that’s it! The “Uncategorized” category will be removed and changed into a brand new category where your products will be assigned. 

Hopefully, you have understood the two methods, and now you can successfully handle the Uncategorized category in WordPress WooCommerce. Now, let’s dive into why removing this category can be beneficial for your store. 

Optional Method 3: How to Hide “Uncategorized” Category

If you only want to hide it from customers (not remove it), you can do it using CSS or theme settings.

Option 1: Hide via CSS

Add this to your theme customizer:

/* Hides the Uncategorized category from the Shop page grid */
.product-category.category-uncategorized {
    display: none !important;
}

Option 2: Exclude from Menus

• Go to Appearance → Menus
• Remove “Uncategorized” from navigation

Option 3: Plugin Filtering

Some WooCommerce category plugins allow hiding default categories from archives.

Advanced WooCommerce Category Optimization Tips

To improve your store structure and SEO:

1. Audit Categories Regularly

Remove unused or duplicate categories to maintain clarity.

2. Use Subcategories

Example:

Clothing

• Men
• Women
• Kids

3. Use SEO-Friendly Names

Avoid vague labels like “Other” or “Misc.”

4. Assign Products Properly

Ensure every product belongs to the correct category.

5. Optimize Category Pages

Improve SEO by adding:

• Descriptions
• Keywords
• Images

Frequently Asked Questions 

Final Thoughts

Removing or renaming the “Uncategorized” category in WooCommerce is a small change that makes a big difference.

It improves:

• Store organization
• User experience
• SEO structure
• Brand professionalism

If you manage your categories properly, your WooCommerce store will look more trustworthy and perform better in search results.