Category Editor

What is Category Editor?

Category Editor is a focused plugin that replaces the plain text category description field with a full WordPress visual editor. Created by developer Kevin Heath, this tool has been available for 14 years. It currently has 8K+ active installs and a 4.5/5 rating from 22 ratings. 82% of those ratings are five-star. The plugin offers a practical solution for anyone looking to add a category description editor to their archive pages.

The plugin works by removing the default description textarea and inserting a TinyMCE-enabled field. It saves data to the same database location, so no new tables are created. This makes it a lightweight way to enable HTML in tag description WordPress setups. Version 3.8.3 was last updated on Dec 18, 2020.

Key Features of Category Editor

• Visual Editor for Descriptions – Adds a full WYSIWYG editor to the category and tag description fields in your admin panel. This lets you format text, add links, and insert media without writing code.
• Shortcode Support – You can embed shortcodes directly into your category descriptions. This allows you to add dynamic content like product grids or custom menus to archive pages.
• HTML & Media Uploads – The editor accepts raw HTML and lets you upload images from your media library. This gives you control over the layout of your archive top section.
• Category Image Menu Grid – Assign an image to each category via the edit screen. A shortcode like [catimmg] displays a graphical menu of categories with their assigned images.
• Shortcode Attributes for Control – The [catimmg] shortcode supports number and categories attributes. You can limit displayed items or select specific category IDs.
• WooCommerce Compatible – Works with WooCommerce product categories. Provided your theme calls the description function, you can style archive pages for shops.
• No Database Overhead – The plugin reuses the existing description field in the database. It does not add extra tables or slow down your site.
• Custom CSS Classes – The image grid includes CSS classes like .catimgmain and .cattitle for styling. You can adjust the layout to match your theme.

Who Should Use Category Editor?

This plugin suits site owners who want to improve their archive pages without learning code. If you run a blog with many categories, you can add images, introductory text, or product links above your post lists. The tool is beginner-friendly because it adds a familiar editor interface. It is also useful for WooCommerce stores that want to turn category pages into landing pages with custom content.

With 8K+ active installs and a 4.5 rating, it appeals to users who need a straightforward way to add TinyMCE to category description fields. The 82% five-star rate suggests most users find it reliable for basic needs. However, the plugin has not been updated since December 2020, so users on newer WordPress versions should test compatibility first.

Installation & Setup

Installation is standard: upload the plugin folder to /wp-content/plugins/ and activate it. No configuration is needed. Once active, go to any category edit page to see the visual editor. The plugin requires WordPress 3.3 or higher and was tested up to version 3.8.3. If your theme does not display category descriptions by default, you must add the the_archive_description function to your template files.

Support & Community

Support activity is minimal. In the last two months, the plugin had 0 open threads and 0 resolved threads, giving a 0% resolution rate. This indicates the developer is not actively providing support. The rating breakdown shows 82% 9% one-star ratings, which may reflect issues with newer WordPress versions. Users should be prepared to troubleshoot on their own or rely on community forums. The plugin is 14 years old, and its last update was over five years ago. This makes it a stable but unmaintained tool for specific use cases like adding a tag description editor.