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  1. Home
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  4. Categories Images
Categories Images icon

Categories Images

The Categories Images is a Wordpress plugin allow you to add image to category, tag or custom taxonomy.

By Zahlan·Tag Image·Free
4.5(85 reviews)
·50K+ active installs·Updated 3 months ago
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As of April 2026, Categories Images is a WordPress Tag image plugin with 50K+ active installations and a 4.5/5 rating from 85 reviews. It has been downloaded 894K+ times in total. Requires WordPress 4.0+ and PHP false+. Available on WordPress.org since 2012. Downloads are down 19% this week. Top alternative: Jam Taxonomy Image.

4.5/585 reviews
50K+active installs
894K+total downloads
14 yearssince 2012

Overview

The Categories Images is a WordPress plugin allow you to add image to category, tag or custom taxonomy.

Use <?php if (function_exists('z_taxonomy_image_url')) echo z_taxonomy_image_url(); ?> to get the url and put it in any img tag.
Or simply use <?php if (function_exists('z_taxonomy_image')) z_taxonomy_image(); ?> in (category or taxonomy) template.

REST API Support

Access term images via the WP REST API. The field z_taxonomy_image_url is automatically added to term objects.

Enhanced Shortcodes

  • [z_taxonomy_image term_id="123" size="medium" link="yes"] – Display a specific term image with a link.
  • [z_taxonomy_list taxonomy="category" style="grid" columns="4" show_name="yes"] – Display a beautiful grid of terms with their images.

Elementor Integration

Use term imag…

Read full description on WordPress.org

Screenshots

Ratings & Reviews

4.585 reviews
5 ★
66
4 ★
8
3 ★
1
2 ★
4
1 ★
6

Recent Reviews

Super Useful
by Bonnie Walker·3 months ago

I have been using this plugin for a couple years and it is a significant part of making categories work like, well, categories, and making my website look more graphical and appealing. The one time there was an issue, the plugin author fixed it very quickly. Really grateful for this plugin. Thank you!

Test before using + no block
by LilGames·1 year ago

I give 2 stars because this plugin seems to do what it claims, that is, assign an image to each category and tag taxonomy (which is exactly what I want and something the core WordPress should already have!)

However, there’s no Block added for easily using the new feature in templates. You have to edit PHP code.

I also caution everyone to review the old complaints about how it records the images in the database and you should thoroughly test on a staging site first if the old complaints are still valid (slowing down large sites, not cleaning up the DB, etc)

Broke all my categories
by In Touch Consulting·2 years ago

I installed it, and then realised that my SEO plugin allows OG images. I deactivated and deleted it. Now none of my categories work. I reset the permalinks, nothing. The categories show there are items, but the posts show no categories or tags attached to the post, and none can be added. I don’t know WHAT it did!

Simply the Best Plugin in its category!
by G.·2 years ago

I had tested them all, and I can confirm that this plugin is the best in its category. I use it throughout my project, the z_taxonomy() function has become my favorite 😉 Thank you, Muhammad, for continuing to maintain it 🙏.

Ok on WordPress 6.0.2
by Jon·3 years ago

Tested and used on WordPress 6.0.2, perfect

Download Trends

Today: 10Yesterday: 168This week: 937Period total: 81K

Compatibility

WordPress4.0+ requiredTested up to 6.9.4
PHPfalse+ required

Version Adoption

v3.3
35.5%
v3.1
34.4%
v3.0
14.8%
v2.5
13.8%
Other
1.4%

Top Alternatives to Categories Images

Jam Taxonomy Image icon
Jam Taxonomy Image
510 installsUpdated 10 years ago
ViewCompare
Kento Fancy Tags Icon icon
Kento Fancy Tags Icon
010 installsUpdated 10 years ago
ViewCompare
DBlocks Hotspot icon
DBlocks Hotspot
00 installsUpdated 10 months ago
ViewCompare
View all Tag image plugins →

Frequently Asked Questions

Changelog

3.3.1

  • Fixed a potential fatal error during REST API initialization.
View full changelog on WordPress.org

Contributors

ZahlanZahlan
Plugin Info
Version
3.3.1
Last Updated
Dec 21, 2025
WP Requires
4.0+
Tested Up To
6.9.4
PHP Requires
false+
Active Installs
50K+
Downloads
894K+
Added
Jun 12, 2012
Business
Free

Tags

tag imagecategory imagecategory thumbtaxonomy imagecategories images

Developer

Z
Zahlan
1 plugins0.1M+ total installs
View all plugins →

Quick Compare

Categories Images vs Jam Taxonomy Image→Categories Images vs Kento Fancy Tags Icon→Categories Images vs DBlocks Hotspot→

Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Analysis and metrics by PluginSift.