Allow HTML in Category Descriptions

What is Allow HTML in Category Descriptions?

Allow HTML in Category Descriptions is a focused utility plugin that restores full HTML control to WordPress category description fields. By default, WordPress strips most HTML tags from these fields for security. This plugin, created by Arno Esterhuizen, simply disables those content filters for users with the correct permissions. It has been available for 18 years, making it one of the oldest active plugins in the repository. Despite its age, it remains highly relevant, with 8K+ active installs and a perfect 5.0/5 rating from 41 reviews (100% 0% one-star). The current version is 1.2.5, last updated on Mar 5, 2026.

This plugin does exactly what its name suggests and nothing more. It does not add a WYSIWYG editor, validate your HTML, or protect against invalid code. You compose your HTML elsewhere—like in the WordPress post editor—and paste it into the category description field. This minimal approach keeps the plugin lightweight and predictable, a design choice that has earned it unwavering user satisfaction over nearly two decades.

Key Features of Allow HTML in Category Descriptions

• Filter Removal for Category Descriptions HTML: Disables WordPress content filters that strip HTML tags, letting you use category descriptions HTML exactly as written.
• Role-Based Permission Enforcement: Only users with the “unfiltered_html” capability can save HTML. On single sites, this includes Administrators and Editors by default.
• Multisite Compatibility: On WordPress multisite networks, only Super Admins retain the ability to add raw HTML, maintaining security across the network.
• Zero Bloat Design: The plugin adds no admin menus, settings pages, or database tables. It performs one function and stops.
• 18 Years of Backward Compatibility: Requires WordPress 2.5+ and PHP 7.0+. Tested up to WordPress 6.9.4, ensuring it works on both ancient and modern installations.
• Theme-Independent Output: The plugin saves your HTML to the database. Displaying it on the front end depends on your theme calling category_description()—a theme developer question, not a plugin limitation.
• No Security Overhead: Unlike plugins that add a WYSIWYG editor, this plugin does not generate any additional HTML or scripts on your admin pages.

Who Should Use Allow HTML in Category Descriptions?

This plugin is ideal for site owners who need to allow HTML in categories for styling or structural purposes. Typical use cases include adding formatted text, links, images, or even embedded media to category archive pages. Users should be comfortable writing or copying raw HTML code. If you want to disable wpautop in category description fields, this plugin handles that by removing the same filters that strip tags and auto-format paragraphs. With 8K+ installs, the audience is clearly developers and advanced WordPress users who prefer control over convenience.

Beginners may find the setup challenging if they lack HTML knowledge. The plugin provides no visual editor or validation. However, for those who know how to add HTML in WordPress category description fields, it is a perfect solution. The FAQ explicitly addresses common issues: if your HTML does not save, your user role likely lacks “unfiltered_html” capability. In multisite, only Super Admins can proceed. For front-end display problems, the theme must output the description—this is not a plugin bug.

Installation & Setup

Installation is straightforward for anyone comfortable with WordPress. Upload the html-in-category-descriptions.php file to /wp-content/plugins/ and activate the plugin from the Plugins menu. No configuration is required. After activation, simply paste or type HTML code into any category description field and save. If the HTML does not persist, verify that your user role has the “unfiltered_html” capability. The entire setup takes under two minutes for experienced users.

Support & Community

Support data reveals a mixed picture. Over the last 2 months, the plugin has 0 open threads and 0 resolved threads, yielding a 0% resolution rate. This may indicate that the plugin is so simple that users rarely need help. The 100% five-star rating from 41 reviews supports this theory—users who encounter issues likely resolve them via the clear FAQ. The developer provides a direct email contact for questions, with a specific subject line requirement: arno.esterhuizen+wordpress-plugins@gmail.com. Donations are accepted via PayPal, though no premium version exists. The lack of forum activity and perfect rating suggest that for its niche, this plugin delivers exactly what it promises without friction.