Create custom category list with exclude category

 function wpb_list_categories() {

 

// define category list parameneters

$args = array (

'echo'          => false,

'title_li'      => '',

'exclude'               => '12,16,21', //this is the category id

'hide_empty'    => 0

);

 

// get categories list

$display_cats = wp_list_categories($args);

 

//display custom categories list

return $display_cats;

}

 

// create shortcode

add_shortcode('custom_categories_list','wpb_list_categories');







reference 1 - https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/how-to-display-a-category-only-if-it-has-posts-in-wordpress/

refernce 2 -

https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/wp_list_categories/