How to Remove Parent Slugs From WordPress URLs

In WordPress, you may register both hierarchical and non-hierarchical post types and taxonomies. Both are useful when creating websites with either a tree hierarchy or a flat structure. Understanding the structure and hierarchy of permalinks is crucial for organizing your content.

By default, hierarchical content types use permalinks that include the slugs of both parent and child pages/terms. Non‑hierarchical content types use a simpler permalink structure without parent slugs.

“Flattening” URLs can improve readability, which may help user experience and SEO. The tricky part is that changing the URL structures usually means writing custom code to override how WordPress builds permalinks.

If you want a simpler solution and prefer not to touch code, you can use Permalink Manager to safely remove parent slugs from hierarchical URLs. The plugin safely updates permalinks and automatically redirects old URLs for existing content.

Hierarchical Post Types and Taxonomies in WordPress

Hierarchical Content Types

A hierarchical post type is one in which each of its single items can have a parent and one or more children. It is very much like how WordPress's pages work.

Here is a simple example of how you might organize a website with this type of content. Imagine you need to list all your company locations on the website:

1. Start with a top-level item such as "Americas".
2. Add a parent page named "North America".
3. Then, you place a child page named "Canada" right under it.

Their permalinks will reflect this hierarchy and include both the parent and the child slugs. The more parents a post or term has, the more parts its permalink will have.

This often helps SEO, since the URL clearly shows the content structure for search engines and for visitors:

Hierarchical post type (location):
http://example.com/americas/
http://example.com/americas/north-america/
http://example.com/americas/north-america/canada/

Non-Hierarchical Content Types

Non‑hierarchical post types and taxonomies have a flat structure. Besides standard posts, WooCommerce products are another excellent example of non-hierarchical content types.

None of these have parents or children. Each one exists on a single, flat level.

This simple structure works well when you do not need a hierarchy. For example, in a blog with tutorial articles, each post is separate, with no nested posts or subpages:

Non-hierarchical post type (article):
http://example.com/how-to-add-php-snippet-to-wordpress/
http://example.com/change-author-pagination-base-in-wordpress/
http://example.com/6-seo-tips-for-better-wordpress-permalinks/

Step-by-Step Instructions

In the next section, you will find steps that show how to remove parent slugs from hierarchical content types. If you want to do the opposite and add taxonomies to custom post types' permalinks, please check out the separate article that explains this in detail.

With Permalink Manager, you can adjust URL structure and "flatten" the permalinks in different ways.

1. You can also remove all parent slugs from hierarchical taxonomies and post types, like in the second example ( car-brand/asia/korea/hyundai ).
2. You may keep just the top level parent slug for a taxonomy term inside a custom post type item, as shown in the first example ( car/ford/hatchback/fiesta ).

Step 1: Open the Permastructure Editor

To delete parent slugs and flatten your URLs, you have to use the "Permastructure" editor. You can find it under "Tools -> Permalink Manager -> Permastructures".

Scroll to the post type or taxonomy you want to edit and change the permalink structure if needed.

• If you want to flatten hierarchical custom post types or taxonomies, follow step 2A.
• If you want to remove custom taxonomy slugs from single URLs of custom post types, follow step 2B.

Step 2A: Remove Parent Slugs From Custom Post Types/Taxonomies

When you open the Permastructures editor, each content type should have its own permastructure tag. This tag is replaced by the actual slug of content item. If the item has parents, their slugs are included too.

Pages use %pagename% . Custom post types use %{custom-post-type-name}% , for example %car% . Categories and custom taxonomies follow the same rules.

If you want the permalink to flatten the permalink and skip parent slugs, simply add "_flat" to the permastructure tag. Use these formats:

Pages & Custom Post Types

• %page_flat% for pages
• %{custom-post-type-name}_flat% (e.g. %car_flat% ) for custom post types

Alternatively, you can also use %postname_flat% for custom post types.

Categories & Custom Taxonomies

• %category_flat% for categories
• %{custom_taxonomy_name}_flat% for custom taxonomies

Alternatively, you can also use %term_flat% for custom taxonomies.

Step 2B: Remove Parent Taxonomy Slugs From Custom Post Type Items' URLs

If you use Permalink Manager to add taxonomy slug to custom post type URLs, the plugin respects hierarchical taxonomies, so if the selected term has a parent, the post's permalink includes the child slug and all parent slugs.

If needed, you can choose either the top-level term's slug or the bottom-level term's slug for that post's permalink.

Use Top-Parent Term

The first method for removing the hierarchy of the related taxonomy term is to use just the slug of the top-parent term by appending "_top" to the end of the taxonomy tag (e.g. %location_top% instead of standard %location% tag).

Use Lowest-Level Term

Alternatively, you may flatten the taxonomy tag hierarchy using only the slug of the lowest-level term by appending "_flat" to the end of the tag (e.g. %location_flat% instead of standard %location% tag).

Step 3: Save and Regenerate Permalinks

After editing the Permastructures, scroll to the bottom of the page. Click the "Save permastructures" button to save your new settings.

FAQ