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How to Configure Astra Post Navigation to Stay Within the Same Category or Taxonomy

14 threads Sep 9, 2025 Theme → Astra

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Many WordPress users building with the Astra theme want to create a more intuitive user experience by having their 'Previous' and 'Next' post navigation links only show posts from within the same category or custom taxonomy. This is a common request, especially for custom post types like portfolios or products. By default, the navigation might cycle through all posts chronologically, which can be disorienting for visitors. This guide will explain the issue and provide the most common solutions based on community support threads.

Why This Happens

The default behavior of WordPress post navigation is to link to the next or previous post based on publication date. The Astra theme provides a filter hook, astra_single_post_navigation, to modify the arguments used by this navigation function. However, simply enabling the in_same_term parameter may not be enough for custom post types, as you must also specify the correct taxonomy.

Solution: Using a Custom Code Snippet

The most effective solution is to add a small piece of custom PHP code to your website. This code modifies the navigation arguments specifically for your post type and taxonomy.

For Standard Blog Posts

If you want to keep standard blog post navigation within its category, you can use the following code snippet. Add this to your child theme's functions.php file or via a code snippets plugin.

add_filter( 'astra_single_post_navigation', 'ast_post_navigation' );
function ast_post_navigation () {
 $arr = array(
  'next_text' => '%title',
  'prev_text' => '%title',
  'in_same_term' => true,
 );
    return $arr;
}

For Custom Post Types (CPT)

The code above may not work for custom post types because it doesn't specify which taxonomy to use. Custom post types often use a custom taxonomy instead of the standard 'category'. The following example is for a CPT named 'portfolio' and a taxonomy named 'portfolio_category'. You must replace these with your actual CPT and taxonomy names.

function previous_posts_from_same_taxonomy_cpt( $args ) {
    if ( get_post_type() === 'portfolio' ) { // Change 'portfolio' to your CPT name
        $args['in_same_term'] = true;
        $args['taxonomy'] = 'portfolio_category'; // Change to your taxonomy name
    }
    return $args;
}
add_filter( 'astra_single_post_navigation', 'previous_posts_from_same_taxonomy_cpt' );

Important Considerations

  • Child Theme: Always add custom code to a child theme's functions.php file to prevent it from being overwritten during theme updates.
  • Testing: After adding the code, clear your site and browser cache and test the navigation on a relevant post to ensure it works correctly.
  • Scope of Support: It's important to note that providing help with custom code modifications falls outside the scope of standard theme support, as seen in community responses. These solutions are shared by the community and may require further tweaking for individual setups.

Troubleshooting

If the code does not work as expected, try the following:

  1. Double-check that you have correctly replaced the example post type and taxonomy names with your own.
  2. Ensure that your posts are actually assigned to the taxonomy term you are testing.
  3. Test for conflicts by temporarily disabling other plugins to see if one is interfering with the query.

By using these code snippets, you can significantly improve your site's navigation and provide a more coherent browsing experience for your visitors.

Related Support Threads Support