YNAB Hidden Categories: What They Do and How to Manage Them

Introduction

If you’ve ever wanted to declutter your YNAB budget without losing important financial data, hidden categories can be a useful tool. But how do they work, and what happens to the money in them? This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about hidden categories in YNAB.

Quick Answer (TL;DR)

To manage hidden categories in YNAB:

1. Hide a category by right-clicking and selecting “Hide.”
2. Unhide categories from the “Hidden Categories” section in the budget view.
3. Hidden categories do not delete data—transactions and reports remain intact.
4. Money in hidden categories remains allocated but won’t be visible unless you unhide them.
5. Use hidden categories strategically to keep your budget organized without losing historical data.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: How to Hide a Category

If you have old categories that you no longer use but don’t want to delete:

• Right-click on the category in your budget.
• Select “Hide” from the menu.
• The category disappears from the main budget view but remains in the hidden section.

Step 2: How to Unhide a Category

Need to bring back a hidden category?

• Scroll to the bottom of your budget, where the Hidden Categories section is located.
• Click on the section to expand it.
• Right-click on the category and select “Unhide” to return it to your active budget.

Step 3: How Hidden Categories Affect Reports

Hidden categories do not remove transactions from reports. If you’ve recorded spending under a hidden category, it will still show up in your spending reports and trends. This ensures your financial data remains accurate while keeping your budget streamlined.

Step 4: Managing Money in Hidden Categories

Money in hidden categories is still part of your budget. If you want to reallocate those funds:

• Unhide the category, move the money to a different category, then hide it again.
• Alternatively, if you’re done with that category entirely, move the money before hiding it.

Step 5: Deleting vs. Hiding Categories

• Hiding a category keeps its transaction history while removing it from view.
• Deleting a category erases it entirely, meaning past transactions must be moved to another category of your choosing.
• When in doubt, hiding is the safer option to maintain your financial records.

Personal Insight

I use specific budget categories for goals I’m saving up for, like a vacation or a major purchase. Once I achieve that goal, I decide whether to hide the category to keep a record or delete it if I no longer need it. This approach keeps my budget organized while maintaining flexibility for future financial planning.

Next Steps

Hidden categories can help keep your budget streamlined while preserving important data. If you need help optimizing your YNAB setup, I offer personalized coaching to simplify your budgeting process. Schedule a free call here.