thread Cannot figure out how to Hide / Unhide categories from Website Items in Online Store

Cannot figure out how to Hide / Unhide categories from Website Items

TheBrunchBox — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 22:24:59 GMT

When we first setup the online site (7 or so months ago) we created a "Secret Category" which has worked out well. This is our "Secret Menu" online. When we create new items we put them in this category and everything works great.

I'm trying to add a new "hidden" category to the website but cannot find this feature that previously existed.

Attached are some screenshots showing the eye icon with the slash through it indicating "The category is hidden and not visible on your site". I cannot figure out how to turn this one for new categories or how to turn it off (if I wanted to) for the category it is currently applied to.

Thanks,

Re: Cannot figure out how to Hide / Unhide categories from Website Items

ehflower — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 22:18:18 GMT

Hello

go to your dashboard

go to Items and Services

Scroll down to Categories

Pick your Category that you want to change

Scroll down to Sales Channels choose Edit

click on the little world icon for it to be on your website

then go to Online

and arrange how you would like your Categories to look on your website. (sometimes Square might move things too, but that is why it is such a dynamic system and usually the change is for better 😜; at least that is what I tell myself, before I go get a hammer)

Have a beautiful day and if this helped please let me know!!!

Re: Cannot figure out how to Hide / Unhide categories from Website Items

TCSlaguna — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 23:15:12 GMT

@ehflower For the win. That's what I was going to say. Screenshots extremely useful.

Re: Cannot figure out how to Hide / Unhide categories from Website Items

TheBrunchBox — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 00:26:44 GMT

Thank you! We will give it a try. I still need the category to be available via the online (website) channel. I just want it to be hidden that it doesn't show up on the menu / navigation of the site.

If you look at our secret category now on the site you can access it if you go to the url directly but it doesn't show up in the header...

It's working today but I fear it was a feature that has been removed / neglected in recent updates. 😞

If you check out my first set of screen shots there's an eyeball with a line through it on the "SECRET CATEGORY" when using the EDIT feature of the website. I don't know how to turn that feature on or off now with the recent changes / updates from square.

Thanks,

Curtis

Re: Cannot figure out how to Hide / Unhide categories from Website Items

ehflower — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 18:33:03 GMT

Hello I am not sure if you can have secret or hidden categories anymore, like you can with items

visible- can be seen on website, even if it is in a category that is not featured on your website (clients can see it through shop all)

Hidden - if client has link or staff has the particular passcode (this is new)

https://squareup.com/help/us/en/article/6881-sell-hidden-items-in-square-online-store ,

Unavailable - not shown at all on website

However, I can understand what a cool way of organizing your website if you just had a category for Secret... one toggle swoop or tagging an item into the category.

Also on your site a hidden category is still there. The Square powers that be, might have to fix that for you or open it back up to the rest of us 😋 sorry for not having a better idea.

Maybe if you are lucky you get to keep it like that

have a wonderful weekend