Category sub-menus

#A category menu item is a specific thing

Start here, because the rest does not make sense without it.

A menu item can point to a page, to a custom link, or to a category. The last one is added at AppearanceMenus from the categories box, not from the pages box.

The difference is not cosmetic. The theme knows a category sits behind that item, so it can show that category posts and its post count. A plain custom link to the same URL gets none of that.

#In the free theme

One option in the Customizer, applied globally: recent posts appear when hovering any category item in the menu. It is all of them or none; there is no picking.

What you can configure: how many posts appear in the panel, a heading above them, the card style, spacing, and the post counter next to the category name.

The limit, plainly: the set of settings here is basic. That is appropriate for a level that works with no plugin at all.

#With Pro

Pro removes the main restriction: the submenu type is chosen per item, so category posts appear only where they make sense. See Menu item options.

Along with per-item control comes a wider set of settings for the panel itself.

My category item shows no posts

Either the item is a custom link rather than a category item, or the category has no published posts.

Can I show a post count without the panel?

Yes, the counter is its own setting and does not require the posts panel.

Last updated 22 Sep 2026