Your category and tag pages sit at web addresses that start with a word you get to choose. Here's how to swap the default `category` and `tag` for words that sound like your site — no code needed.

## Prerequisites

- An account that can manage your site's settings — the Administrator role.
- Your permalinks set to something other than **Plain**, for example **Post name**. The category and tag bases only show up in links that use a readable structure.

## Steps

### Step 1: Open the Permalink Settings screen

In the left-hand menu, choose **Settings**, then **Permalinks**. The **Permalink Settings** screen opens with your current link structure at the top.

![Open the Permalink Settings screen](https://wordpress.supportpages.io/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MTA5MDAsInB1ciI6ImJsb2JfaWQifX0=--3d3487875acb4e54455c204c700ae2074e9b7b74/block_open-permalinks.png)

### Step 2: Fill in your category and tag bases

Scroll down to **Optional** and type the words you want your archive links to start with into the **Category base** and **Tag base** fields. Using `topics` as your category base, for example, makes your category links read `/topics/uncategorized`. Then click **Save Changes**.

![Fill in your category and tag bases](https://wordpress.supportpages.io/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MTA4NzAsInB1ciI6ImJsb2JfaWQifX0=--fcbc08068ef0c0c90241c61888b30ab1985538ef/block_set-category-base.png)

## What you'll see after saving

WordPress returns you to the same screen with **Permalink structure updated** at the top. The **Category base** and **Tag base** fields now hold the words you typed, and your archive links use them.

![What you'll see after saving](https://wordpress.supportpages.io/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MTA4NzQsInB1ciI6ImJsb2JfaWQifX0=--3d36bf247b1052377f8eabaf8badc5969f797a94/block_after-saving.png)

## Tips

- Keep the words short and lowercase — they become part of every category and tag link on your site.
- If you leave these blank the defaults will be used, so you can always clear a field to go back to the original word.
- Changing a base changes the addresses people had bookmarked, so it's worth mentioning the new links to your readers.

## Summary

Open **Settings**, then **Permalinks**, fill in the **Category base** and **Tag base** fields under **Optional**, and click **Save Changes**. Your archives now use the words you chose.