https://docs.magento.com/m2/ce/user_guide/catalog/category-create.html

Creating Categories

The category structure of your catalog is like an upside-down tree, with the root at the top. Each section of the tree can be expanded and collapsed. Any disabled or hidden categories are grayed out. The first level of categories below the root typically appear as options in the main menu. You can create as many additional subcategories as needed, according to themaximum menu depth that is set in the configuration. Categories can be dragged and dropped to other locations in the tree. The category ID number appears in parentheses after the category name at the top of the page.

For a website with multiple stores, you can create a different root category for each store that defines the set of categories that is used for the top navigation.


Category Tree

OpenStep 1: Create a Category

1. On the Admin sidebar, tap Products. Then under Inventory, choose Categories.
2. Set Store View to determine where the new category is to be available.
3. In the category tree, tap the parent category of the new category. The parent is one level above the new category.

If you’re starting from the beginning without any data, there might be only two categories in the list: “Default Category,” which is the root, and an “Example Category.”

4. Tap  Add Subcategory .

OpenStep 2: Complete the Basic Information

1. If you want the category to be immediately available in the store, set Enable Category to the “Yes” position.
2. To include the category in the top navigation, set Include in Menu to the “Yes” position.
3. Enter the Category Name.

Basic Information
4. Tap Save and continue.

OpenStep 3: Complete the Category Content

1. Expand  the Content section.
2. To display a Category Image at the top of the page, tap  Upload . Then, choose the image that you want to represent the category.
3. In the Description box, enter the text that you want to appear on the category landing page.  Then, format the text as needed. To learn more, see: Using the Editor.
4. To include a content block on the category landing page, choose the CMS Block that you want to appear.
5. Tap Save and continue.

Content

OpenStep 4: Complete the Display Settings

1. Expand  the Display Settings section.
2. Set Display Mode to one of the following:
  • Products Only
  • Static Block Only
  • Static Block and Products
3. If you want the category page to include the “Filter by Attribute” section of layered navigation, set Anchor to the “Yes” position.
4. To change the Available Product Listing Sort By options, do the following:
a. Clear the Use All checkbox.
b. Select one or more of the available values to be available for customers to sort the list. By default, all available values are included. For example, the values might include:
  • Position
  • Product Name
  • Price
5. To set the default sort order for the category, choose the Default Product Listing Sort By value.
6. To change the default layered navigation price step setting, do the following:
a. Clear the Use Config Settings checkbox.
b. Enter the value to be used as an incremental price step for layered navigation.
7. Tap Save and continue.

Display Settings

OpenStep 5: Complete the Search Engine Optimization Settings

1. Expand  the Search Engine Optimization Settings section.
2. Complete the following meta data for the category:
  • Meta Title
  • Meta Keywords
  • Meta Description

Search Engine Optimization
3. Tap Save and continue.

OpenStep 6: Choose the Products in Category

1. Expand  the Products in Category section. Then, use one of the following methods to add products to the category.
2. Use the filters as needed to find the products.

To display all records that are not yet included in the category, set the record chooser in the first column to “No.” Then, click Search.

3. In the first column, mark the checkbox of each product to include in the category.

Products In Category
4. Tap Save and continue.

OpenStep 7: Complete the Design Settings

1. Expand  the Design section. Then, do the following:
a. To change the design of the category pages, choose the Theme that you want to apply.
b. To change the column layout of the category pages, choose the Layout that you want to apply.
c. To enter custom code, enter valid XML code in the Layout Update XML box.
d. To use the same design for product pages, set Apply Design to Products to the “Yes” position.

Design
2. To schedule the design update for a specific time period, do the following:
a. Expand the Schedule Design Update section.
b. Use the calendar () to choose the Schedule Update From and To dates.

Scheduled Design Update
3. When complete, tap Save.