# Finding subcategories via the category dropdown in the topic list

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/finding-subcategories-via-the-category-dropdown-in-the-topic-list/397016
**Category:** UX
**Tags:** meta-redesign-2026
**Created:** [February 25, 2026, 3:24pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/finding-subcategories-via-the-category-dropdown-in-the-topic-list/397016 "2026-02-25T15:24:05Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![mcwumbly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/mcwumbly/32/103861_2.png) [@mcwumbly](https://meta.discourse.org/u/mcwumbly)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2026, 3:24pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/finding-subcategories-via-the-category-dropdown-in-the-topic-list/397016/1 "2026-02-25T15:24:05Z")

</div>

Continuing the discussion from [Updating how categories are organized on Meta](https://meta.discourse.org/t/updating-how-categories-are-organized-on-meta/396306/27):

Currently, in the topic list, we only show top level categories in the category dropdown:

In some conditions, a search field appears, where you can directly access subcategories:

> [@Updating how categories are organized on Meta](https://meta.discourse.org/t/updating-how-categories-are-organized-on-meta/396306/25):
>
> Here’s me searching for translations there:
> 
> ![Screenshot 2026-02-25 at 8.46.50 AM](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/4X/4/f/0/4f0d324140cd253ae1f23d73d1a63e661b5fc698.png)

But that doesn’t show up unconditionally (I think it depends on how many categories one can see perhaps?)

> [@Updating how categories are organized on Meta](https://meta.discourse.org/t/updating-how-categories-are-organized-on-meta/396306/24):
>
> This is what I see here without an option to search:
> 
> ![Screenshot_20260225_140208_Firefox](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/4X/7/0/9/70919650709e0ec1f7c24e17566cbded82df8490.jpeg)

In the composer and other areas of the app, on the other hand, people can always navigate directly to a subcategory.

A couple thoughts:

- (a) Should we update the logic that determines whether the search field appears?  
In particular, it’d be helpful for it to show up for everyone on meta now while we’re experimenting with a more nested category structure
- (b) Should we consider making it more like the rest of the category dropdowns, like the one in the composer?  
This would be a bigger change than (a), but perhaps it’s worth considering making it more consistent with other category choosers?

> [@Updating how categories are organized on Meta](https://meta.discourse.org/t/updating-how-categories-are-organized-on-meta/396306/27):
>
> > [@Updating how categories are organized on Meta](https://meta.discourse.org/t/updating-how-categories-are-organized-on-meta/396306/25):
> >
> > Hmm… can you share a screenshot of this not working for you?
> 
> What kind of screenshot do you expect?  
> I included this one:
> 
> > [@Updating how categories are organized on Meta](https://meta.discourse.org/t/updating-how-categories-are-organized-on-meta/396306/24):
> >
> > This is what I see here without an option to search:
> > 
> > ![Screenshot_20260225_140208_Firefox](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/4X/7/0/9/70919650709e0ec1f7c24e17566cbded82df8490.jpeg)
> 
> Does it work if you try while being logged out?  
> Maybe you can see more categories here than me. I think some kind of limit was added if there are less than 10 categories which results in hiding search.  
> Or more categories are loaded for you because of the ones you configured for your sidebar. I have only one category there (because 0 isn’t possible, then I get all the default categories)

---

_[View the full topic](https://meta.discourse.org/t/finding-subcategories-via-the-category-dropdown-in-the-topic-list/397016)._