---
title: "How to Exclude Blog Post based on Category and Tags?"
url: https://theplusaddons.com/docs/exclude-blog-post-based-on-category-and-tags/
date: 2023-05-04
modified: 2026-09-11
lang: en
author: "Aditya Sharma"
description: "Do you want to keep certain posts out of a blog listing — announcements, a private category, or anything tagged as archived? Excluding by category or tag does it without..."
image: https://theplusaddons.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/How-to-Exclude-Blog-Post-based-on-Category-and-Tags_-copy-1024x536.jpg
word_count: 515
---

# How to Exclude Blog Post based on Category and Tags?

## 

- The Blog/Post Listing widget in The Plus Addons for Elementor adds separate Exclude Category and Exclude Tags fields under Content > Content Source, and the free plugin does not show these controls.
- Exclude Category removes posts in any selected category, and Exclude Tags removes posts with any selected tag; when both fields are filled, a post is removed if it matches either one.
- The exclude fields appear only on Normal Page listings, not on Archive Page or Single Page Related Posts, and the widget must be switched on under ThePlus Settings > Widgets.

Do you want to keep certain posts out of a blog listing — announcements, a private category, or anything tagged as archived? Excluding by category or tag does it without touching the posts themselves.

The Blog/Post Listing widget in The Plus Addons for Elementor has an exclude field for each.

*To check the complete feature overview documentation of The Plus Addons for Elementor Blog Listing widget, [click here](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/blog-listing-widget-settings-overview/).*

***Requirement - This widget is a part of The Plus Addons for Elementor, make sure it's installed & activated to enjoy all its powers.***

[LIVE WIDGET LINK](https://theplusaddons.com/elementor-listing/?utm_source=tpae&utm_medium=docs&utm_campaign=text#blog-post-wgts)

## Before You Start

- **Edition:** **Pro** — Exclude Category and Exclude Tags is part of The Plus Addons for Elementor Pro. In the free plugin this control does not appear in the panel at all.- **Widget to enable:** Blog/Post Listing, switched on under **ThePlus Settings > Widgets**.

## Step 1: Add the widget

Drag the **Blog/Post Listing** widget onto the page and keep **Post Listing Types** on **Normal Page**. The exclude fields are not shown on Archive Page or Single Page Related Posts listings.

## Step 2: Exclude categories

Open **Content > Content Source**. In **Exclude Category**, choose one or more categories. Posts in any of them drop out of the listing.

![The Exclude Category field in Content > Content Source](https://theplusaddons.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/tp-blog-listout-exclude-category-wide-source.webp)

## Step 3: Exclude tags

In **Exclude Tags**, just below, choose one or more tags. Posts with any of those tags drop out.

![The Exclude Tags field in Content > Content Source](https://theplusaddons.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/tp-blog-listout-exclude-tags-wide-source.webp)

## How the two fields combine

When you fill in both, a post is removed if it matches **either** one. A post in an excluded category is hidden even if its tags are fine, and a post with an excluded tag is hidden even if its category is fine.

| Post | Exclude Category: News | Exclude Tags: Archived | Shown? |
| ---- | ---------------------- | ---------------------- | ------ |
| In News, no tags | Matches | — | No |
| In Guides, tagged Archived | — | Matches | No |
| In News, tagged Archived | Matches | Matches | No |
| In Guides, no tags | — | — | Yes |

> *The include* fields above them, **Select Category** and **Select Tags**, work the other way: with both filled in, a post has to be in one of the categories **and** carry one of the tags to be shown.

## Settings Reference

| Setting | Where | Effect | Default |
| ------- | ----- | ------ | ------- |
| Select Category | Content > Content Source | Show only these categories | All |
| Select Tags | Content > Content Source | Show only these tags | All |
| Exclude Category | Content > Content Source | Hide posts in any of these | None |
| Exclude Tags | Content > Content Source | Hide posts with any of these | None |

## Limitations

- **Pro only.** The free plugin does not have these fields.- **Categories and tags only.** There is no exclude for authors or single posts.- **Normal Page listings only.** Hidden on Archive Page and Single Page Related Posts.

## Troubleshooting

### More posts disappeared than I expected

Remember the two fields combine with OR. A post matching only the tag, or only the category, is still removed. Clear one field to see which one is doing it.

### An excluded post still shows

Check the post really has that category or tag, and clear any page cache.

### I cannot find Exclude Category

It is part of the Pro plugin, and it is hidden when Post Listing Types is Archive Page or Single Page Related Posts.

## Related Docs

- [Blog Listing widget: settings overview](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/blog-listing-widget-settings-overview/) — every control in the widget.- [Hide recent blog posts from the list](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/hide-recent-blog-post-from-list-in-elementor/)- [Show related blog posts on the single post page](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/show-related-blog-posts-on-blog-single-page-in-elementor/)- [Add a category filter to a blog listing](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/add-category-wise-filter-in-blog-post-in-elementor/)

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Why are my blog posts disappearing when I exclude both categories and tags?**
A: The two exclude fields work with OR, so a post is removed if it matches either the excluded category or the excluded tag. That means a post in News disappears even if its tags are fine, and a post tagged Archived disappears even if its category is fine. If you want to isolate the cause, clear one field at a time and test which filter is doing the removal.

**Q: Can I hide posts by category or tag without changing the posts themselves?**
A: That is exactly what this setup does. The Blog/Post Listing widget in The Plus Addons for Elementor, The Plus Addons, Plus Addons for Elementor, POSIMYTH lets you keep posts out of a listing by excluding categories or tags, while leaving the actual posts untouched. It is useful for things like announcements, private categories, or archived content that should stay published but not appear in that list.

**Q: Does exclude category and exclude tags work on archive pages or related posts?**
A: No. These fields only appear on Normal Page listings. They are hidden on Archive Page and Single Page Related Posts listings, so the exclusion logic is meant for standard blog listings rather than those other listing types. That limitation matters if you are trying to control what shows in archive templates or related-post blocks.

**Q: What do I need before I can use exclude category and exclude tags?**
A: This feature is part of The Plus Addons for Elementor Pro, so the free plugin will not show those controls at all. The Blog/Post Listing widget also has to be enabled under ThePlus Settings > Widgets. In practice, that means you need the Pro version active and the widget switched on before the exclude fields will appear in the panel.

**Q: Why does an excluded post still show in my blog listing?**
A: The usual cause is that the post does not actually have the category or tag you excluded, or a page cache is still serving an old version of the listing. Since exclusion depends on exact category and tag matches, even one missing term breaks the filter. Clearing cache after confirming the post’s terms is the fastest way to rule out stale output.

**Q: What is the difference between Select Category and Exclude Category in Blog/Post Listing?**
A: Select Category narrows the list to only those categories, while Exclude Category hides posts in any chosen categories. The same pattern applies to Select Tags and Exclude Tags. A useful detail from The Plus Addons for Elementor is that when both include fields are filled, a post has to match both sides to be shown, but with both exclude fields filled, matching either one removes it from the listing.