There are a lot of way out there to try to find a list of the Wordpress category IDs, but sometimes a simple, barebones approach is the easiest way. Let’s take a look at how to find your Wordpress category ID’s in around 5 minutes.
A. Get into phpMyAdmin
1. If you are running Wordpress then you have a database, and thus you have a way to access your database. For most of us this method is by using phpMyAdmin. If you are using cPanel then simply navigate to phpMyAdmin. If you are using a different control panel, ask you hosting provider.
B. Find the Wordpress Table that Lists the Category IDs
2. Once you are in phpMyAdmin (or your database browsing client), look for your Wordpress database. It’s the database you created when you first installed Wordpress (and if you didn’t install WP on your own, look for a database that starts with “WP” or has “WP” in it.
3. Click on this database name and you will now see a list of tables on the left side of the screen (in phpMyAdmin). The picture below shows the list (with my DB name blurred out):
4. Click on the “wp_terms” table. You will see the tabs on the right side of the frame change and you will see some information about the table. What you want to do now is to select the “Browse” tab at the top of the screen.
5. You will now see a list of your Wordpress categories along with the category IDs.
C. Print the List of Wordpress Category IDs
6. At this point you can print the screen (or even better), export the list to Excel. To export the category ID list to Excel, go back to the top of the screen where the tabs are and click “Export”.
7. On the export screen, click “CSV for Excel” (or whatever file format you want).
Also make sure “save to file” is clicked. Then click “Go” to start the download.
You are now the proud owner of a list of your Wordpress Category IDs’.