How to remove /category/ from your WordPress URL

The WordPress URL, by default will display its "category" permalink structure in the following format, http://www.spunkyjones.com/category/search-engine-optimization/ as you can see, displaying the "/category/" in the URL has very little value. In this post, I will tell you how to remove the "/category/" from the permalink structure. It will then display a more appealing WordPress URL that is more search engine friendly like this one, http://www.spunkyjones.com/search-engine-optimization/.

To remove the permalink "category" from the WordPress URL, you are going to need to edit the WordPress .htaccess file and append the following code in Blue. You can edit the .htaccess file from within Cpanel or Plesk admin panel. If you don't have access to them, please contact your hosting provider. If you have FTP access, you can download your .htaccess file, make the edit with your Windows notepad editor and upload the file via, FTP.

- - "Code to Append to the .htaccess file, below." - -
RewriteRule ^category/(.+)$ http://www.yourblog.com/$1 [R=301,L]

- - You will need to replace yourblog.com in the above code with your actual Domain name. Here is the example from Spunky Jones Blog. - -
RewriteRule ^category/(.+)$ http://www.spunkyjones.com/$1 [R=301,L]

It is very simple process to do and only takes a few minutes if have former knowledge of editing and know how to access your files through your Plesk, Cpanel admin panel or know how to FTP.

"The first step is to always backup the file that you are going to edit". This is a safety caution just in case things do not work out as planned. When working with the .htaccess file, making a mistake can temporarily break your blog. However, fear not, you just need to upload the backup and you'll be back in shape. If you don't backup your file and have an issue, you are going to have to call your hosting provider and have to ask them restore the .htaccess file. Furthermore, the backup process could actually set you back some cash depending on your hosting providers policies. So, backup the .htaccess file!

Installation notes:
* If your blog is installed in the root folder of your Domain you will find the .htaccess file in the root folder.
* If you have installed your WordPress blog in a sub-folder, you will need to edit the .htaccess file in the sub-folder, not the root folder.

Words of Caution:
* I have only tested this on WordPress blogs that use the /%category%/ included in their permalink structure.
* When you have finished editing your .htaccess file. Make sure that you navigate throughout your category hyperlink structure to make sure that all of your category permalinks are functioning correctly.
* Windows servers do not have a .htaccess file, works on Linux systems.

- - I have found that this method can be somewhat temperamental at times, depending upon what you are using for your permalink structure. Therefore, I suggest that you try the WP No Category Base WordPress plugin if you can't get this method to function correctly. - -

Hope this blog post was helpful to you, "How to remove /category/ from your WordPress URL"  Be sure to share this post with your friends on Twitter. Furthermore, I appreciate your time that you have spent here!

Spunky Jones.

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