Title: Random Posts from same category
Last modified: August 19, 2016

---

# Random Posts from same category

 *  Resolved [pshero](https://wordpress.org/support/users/pshero/)
 * (@pshero)
 * [16 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/random-posts-from-same-category/)
 * Hey gang,
    I’m working on a script that will pull recent posts in the same category.
   I’ve got it working, but it’s pulling the most recent 6 posts when I’d really
   like to be pulling 6 random posts from the category… I’ve spent hours trying 
   to resolve this but alas my PHP skills aren’t awesome… any help would be GREATLY
   appreciated.
 * Here’s what I’ve got:
 *     ```
       <?php
       	// get other posts from this category only as related posts //
       	$backup = $post;  // backup the current object
           $categories = get_the_category($post->ID);
           if ($categories) {
               $category_ids = array();
               foreach($categories as $individual_category) $category_ids[] = $individual_category->term_id;
   
               $args = array (
                   'category__in' => $category_ids,
                   'post__not_in' => array($post->ID),
                   'showposts'=>6, // Number of related posts that will be shown.
                   'caller_get_posts'=>1
               );
   
               $my_query = new wp_query($args);
               if( $my_query->have_posts() ) {
                   while ($my_query->have_posts()) : $my_query->the_post();
             ?>
                       <div>
                       <?php $image = get_post_meta($post->ID, 'article_image', true); ?>
                       <a href="<?php the_permalink($post->ID); ?>"><img src="<?php echo $image; ?>" alt="<?php the_title(); ?>" style="height: 90px; width: 90px; float: left; margin: 8px 8px 0px 0px; border: 1px black solid; padding: 0px;"></a>
                       </div>
       			<?php
       		endwhile;
       	  }
       	  $post = $backup;  // copy it back
       	  wp_reset_query(); // to use the original query again
       	}
       	?>
       ```
   

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

 *  [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/)
 * (@esmi)
 * [16 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/random-posts-from-same-category/#post-1368729)
 * Try:
 *     ```
       $args = array (
                   'category__in' => $category_ids,
                   'post__not_in' => array($post->ID),
                   'posts_per_page'=>6, // Number of related posts that will be shown.
                   'orderby' = > 'rand',
                   'caller_get_posts'=>1
               );
       ```
   
 *  Thread Starter [pshero](https://wordpress.org/support/users/pshero/)
 * (@pshero)
 * [16 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/random-posts-from-same-category/#post-1368751)
 * Thanks esmi! That worked like a charm! … feel a little stupid for not trying 
   that beforehand, but thank you so much for the help!

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

The topic ‘Random Posts from same category’ is closed to new replies.

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 2 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [pshero](https://wordpress.org/support/users/pshero/)
 * Last activity: [16 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/random-posts-from-same-category/#post-1368751)
 * Status: resolved

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