How do I show related posts in WordPress?
Install and activate SoftIcon Related Posts. Related posts appear below every post automatically. To place them somewhere else, use the Related Posts block or the [softicon_related_posts] shortcode.
How do I show related posts by tags instead of categories?
Go to Related Posts → Settings and set “Related by” to “Same tag”, or to “Same category or tag” to use both.
How does “Most relevant” work?
Posts that share more tags and categories with the current post come first. A shared tag counts twice as much as a shared category, because tags are usually more specific. Ties are broken by date, newest first.
Will it slow down my site?
No. Related posts are cached and refreshed automatically when your content changes, so most page views run no related-posts query at all. The front end loads one small stylesheet and no JavaScript.
Does it work with WooCommerce?
Yes. Tick “Products” under Related Posts → Settings → Post types and set “Related by” to “Any shared taxonomy”. Related products are matched by product categories and tags and shown inside the product description.
Does it work with block themes and Full Site Editing?
Yes. Set Position to “Manual (shortcode only)”, then open Appearance → Editor, edit the Single Posts template and add the Related Posts block where you want it.
Can I show related posts in the sidebar?
Yes. In classic themes, add the “SoftIcon Related Posts” widget to your sidebar. In block themes, add the Related Posts block to a template part or widget area.
Can I choose related posts myself?
Yes. In the post editor, use “Pick related posts” in the Related Posts box. Your picks are shown first, in the order you added them, and the remaining slots are filled automatically. Hand-picked posts are shown even if they are in an excluded category.
Can I exclude categories or posts?
Yes. Under Related Posts → Settings → Filters you can exclude categories, exclude individual posts by ID and only show posts from the last few months.
How do I hide related posts on one post?
Open the post in the editor and tick “Hide related posts on this post” in the Related Posts box.
Does the block replace the automatic related posts?
Yes. If a post already contains the Related Posts block or the shortcode, the automatic list is not added to that post, so related posts never show twice.
Why don’t related posts show on my pages?
Pages have no categories or tags, so nothing is found automatically. Enable Pages under Post types and use “Pick related posts” in the page editor.
Why don’t the RSS feed links appear?
They are added to the full text of feed items. Check that Settings → Reading → “For each post in a feed, include” is set to “Full text”.
Can I change the design or the HTML?
Use the Design options in Related Posts → Settings or in the block sidebar. For full control, copy the templates into your theme (see “For developers”).
Does it collect any data?
The plugin never tracks your visitors and sets no cookies on your site.
After activation, the plugin asks if you want to opt in to security and feature update emails and share basic, non-sensitive diagnostic data (WordPress, PHP and plugin versions, site URL and admin email) with us through Freemius. It is entirely optional: click “Skip” and nothing is sent. See the Freemius privacy policy.
The Pricing page (Related Posts → Pricing) opens the Freemius checkout only when you click “Buy now”. The checkout loads from checkout.freemius.com, and what you type there (name, email, payment details) goes to Freemius, our reseller, to complete the purchase. Nothing is sent before you click. See the Freemius terms and privacy policy.
Is it translation ready?
Yes. All text can be translated, and a translation template is included in the languages folder.