Taxonomy Term Metadata Box adds a searchable, sortable list of every custom field attached to a term, with an inline editor and one-click delete. It exposes the WordPress termmeta layer (which has no native UI at all) so you can read and edit term-level meta directly from the admin.
What this feature does
WordPress stores arbitrary key/value pairs against terms in the wp_termmeta table, but it provides no admin UI to view or edit them. Plugins and themes that store data here usually expose only their own fields, leaving everything else invisible.
This feature adds a Term Metadata box on every taxonomy term-edit screen with the same CRUD controls as the Posts Metadata Box: search, sort, add, edit, delete. It works for any taxonomy and exposes any meta key, regardless of which plugin set it.
How to enable it
- Open AdminEase › Taxonomies. Click AdminEase in the WordPress admin menu, then switch to the Taxonomies tab.
- Toggle Enable Taxonomy Term Metadata Box on. Save settings.
- Open any term’s edit screen. Go to a taxonomy (e.g. Posts › Categories) and edit a term. The Term Metadata box appears below the standard fields.
Settings reference
| Setting | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Taxonomy Term Metadata Box | Master switch. While on, AdminEase adds the metadata box to every taxonomy term-edit screen. | Off |
Using the box
The box has the same three regions as the Posts Metadata Box: a search-and-sort bar, a metadata table listing every wp_termmeta entry for the current term, and an Add metadata button. Click Edit to open the value modal, or Delete to remove a row after a confirmation.
Termmeta values that look like serialised PHP arrays should not be edited as plain text. Editing them through this box treats the value as a string and can corrupt the underlying data. For serialised values, use a typed editor or update them programmatically.
What happens behind the scenes
Three AJAX endpoints handle the CRUD operations: adminease_get_term_metadata (read), adminease_update_term_metadata (create or update), and adminease_delete_term_metadata (delete). All three operate on the standard wp_termmeta table.
Troubleshooting
I don’t see the metadata box
Check screen options at the top right of the term-edit page and confirm the Term Metadata option is ticked. WordPress occasionally hides newly-registered metaboxes by default.
Saving a value seems to do nothing
The save uses an AJAX call. If a security plugin blocks AJAX nonces or the adminease_update_term_metadata action, the request silently fails. Open the browser console while saving to see the error.
I want to set the same meta key on many terms at once
This box edits one term at a time. For bulk updates, use WP-CLI’s wp term meta update command or write a small script that iterates terms and calls update_term_meta().