---
title: Getting Started with Related Categories for WooCommerce
description: Add a related categories section to WooCommerce so shoppers jump from a product to nearby categories. Getting started.
url: "https://wpfactory.com/docs/introducing-related-categories/"
updated: "2026-09-27"
category: Getting Started
tags:
  - Related Categories for WooCommerce
---

# Getting Started with Related Categories for WooCommerce

To get started with Related Categories for WooCommerce, install it from Plugins > Add New (or upload the ZIP) and click Activate; WooCommerce must be active first. Then go to WPFactory > Related Categories, where the settings are split into Single, Archives, and Advanced sub-tabs. The Single section is enabled by default.

### Install the plugin

#### From the WordPress plugin directory (free version)

1. In your WordPress dashboard, go to **Plugins > Add New**.
2. Search for **Related Categories for WooCommerce**.
3. Find the plugin by the author WPFactory and click **Install Now**.
4. Click **Activate**.

#### By uploading the ZIP

You can install either version this way: the free download from, or the Pro ZIP from your [Related Categories](https://wpfactory.com/item/related-categories-for-woocommerce/) account.

1. Go to **Plugins > Add New** and click **Upload Plugin**.
2. Select the plugin ZIP file and click **Install Now**.
3. Click **Activate**.

WooCommerce must be installed and active first, since Related Categories is a WooCommerce extension.

### Open the settings

Go to **WPFactory > Related Categories** (also reachable at **WooCommerce > Settings > Related Categories**). The settings are split into three sub-tabs:

- **Single**: the "Related categories" section on single product pages. This section is enabled by default, so a related categories block appears on product pages as soon as the plugin is active.
- **Archives**: the same section on shop and category archive pages. This one is off by default.
- **Advanced**: multi-language handling and transient caching.

### Free vs Pro

Related Categories relates categories **automatically** in the free version, by siblings, parents, children and the current category. The Pro version adds the **Relate Manually** options, which let you hand-pick related categories per product, per category, per tag and per custom taxonomy. There is no separate "manual upload" or install step that is reserved for Pro: both versions install the same way.

### Get more control

Automatic relating is free. [Related Categories for WooCommerce](https://wpfactory.com/item/related-categories-for-woocommerce/) Pro adds manual, hand-picked related categories per product, category, tag and custom taxonomy. [See what Pro unlocks](https://wpfactory.com/item/related-categories-for-woocommerce/).

Related articles

- [Display Related Categories with the Widget](https://wpfactory.com/docs/woocommerce-related-categories-widget/)
- [Related Categories Shortcodes](https://wpfactory.com/docs/woocommerce-related-categories-shortcodes/)
- [Relate Options: How Related Categories Are Chosen](https://wpfactory.com/docs/woocommerce-related-categories-relate-options/)
- [Translate Related Categories with WPML and Polylang](https://wpfactory.com/docs/related-categories-multilingual-wpml-polylang/)
- [Related Categories: Developer Hooks and Filters Reference](https://wpfactory.com/docs/related-categories-hooks-filters/)

 

[![Related Categories for WooCommerce](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/Related-Categories-for-WooCommerce.webp)](https://wpfactory.com/item/related-categories-for-woocommerce/)