---
title: "How to Create Checkbox Filter for Custom Posts with Custom Fields in Elementor? (ACF, Pods, Metabox)"
url: https://theplusaddons.com/docs/create-checkbox-filter-for-custom-posts-with-custom-fields-in-elementor/
date: 2023-09-14
modified: 2026-09-28
lang: en
author: "Aditya Sharma"
description: "A checkbox filter lets a visitor select several values at once - for example, three categories in a single search - rather than picking only one. The WP Filters widget's..."
image: https://theplusaddons.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/How-to-Create-Checkbox-Filter-for-Custom-Posts-with-Custom-Fields-in-Elementor_-ACF-Pods-Metabox-1024x536.jpg
word_count: 257
---

# How to Create Checkbox Filter for Custom Posts with Custom Fields in Elementor? (ACF, Pods, Metabox)

## 

- WP Filters uses the Checkbox sub-type to let a visitor select several values at once, such as three categories in a single search, instead of only one.
- WP Filters reads checkbox options from a taxonomy or from an ACF, Pods, Toolset, or Metabox custom field, and Select Type can be set to Taxonomy, ACF connection, PODs connection, Toolset connection, or Metabox connection.
- The Plus Addons for Elementor Pro is required for WP Search Filters, and the widget is enabled from The Plus Addons > Widgets by searching for WP Filters and turning its toggle on.

A checkbox filter lets a visitor select several values at once - for example, three categories in a single search - rather than picking only one.

The WP Filters widget's **Checkbox** sub-type reads its options from a taxonomy or from an ACF, Pods, Toolset or Metabox custom field.

For the full settings tour of the **WP Search Filters** widget, see [WP Search Filters Widget Settings Overview](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/wp-search-filters-widget-settings-overview/).

***Requirement - This widget is a part of The Plus Addons for Elementor Pro, make sure it's installed & activated to enjoy all its powers.***

[LIVE WIDGET LINK](https://theplusaddons.com/elementor-builder/grid-builder/?utm_source=tpae&utm_medium=docs&utm_campaign=text#Ajaxfilters)

## Before You Start

- **Prerequisite:** [Elementor](https://wordpress.org/plugins/elementor/) (free) installed and active.- **Edition:** WP Search Filters is a **Pro** widget - it requires The Plus Addons for Elementor Pro to be installed and active.- **Widget to enable:** go to **The Plus Addons > Widgets**, search for **WP Filters** and turn its toggle on.- A custom post type with either a taxonomy or a custom-field plugin (ACF/Pods/Toolset/Metabox) storing the values you want to filter by.

## Steps

Add the WP Filters widget, set **Filter Type** to **WP Filter**, then set **Select Source** to **Checkbox**.

![WP Filter Type set to Checkbox](https://theplusaddons.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/wp-search-filters-filter-type-checkbox.webp)

Set **Select Type** to **Taxonomy**, **ACF connection**, **PODs connection**, **Toolset connection** or **Metabox connection**, then pick the specific taxonomy or field key.

![Select Type control with Taxonomy/ACF/PODs/Toolset/Metabox options](https://theplusaddons.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/wp-search-filters-select-type-source.webp)

## Settings Overview

| Setting | What it does | Default |
| ------- | ------------ | ------- |
| WP Filter Type | Set to Checkbox for multi-select filtering. | - |
| Select Type | Taxonomy, ACF, PODs, Toolset or Metabox connection. | - |
| Show Count | Show how many posts match each checkbox option. | Off |

## Related Docs

- [How to Create Radio Button Filter for Custom Posts with Custom Fields in Elementor?](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/create-radio-button-filter-for-custom-posts-with-custom-fields-in-elementor/)- [How to Create Dropdown Filter for Custom Posts with Custom Fields in Elementor?](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/create-dropdown-filter-for-custom-posts-with-custom-fields-in-elementor/)

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: What do I need before creating a checkbox filter for custom posts in Elementor?**
A: Elementor free has to be installed and active, and The Plus Addons for Elementor Pro must also be installed and active because WP Search Filters is a Pro widget. You also need a custom post type with values stored in either a taxonomy or a custom-field plugin such as ACF, Pods, Toolset, or Metabox. That setup matters because the checkbox options are read from those sources, so there has to be real data to filter.

**Q: Can I use checkbox filters with ACF, Pods, Toolset, or Metabox fields?**
A: The checkbox sub-type reads its options from a taxonomy or from ACF, Pods, Toolset, or Metabox custom fields. That makes it a fit for custom post archives where the filter values live in field data instead of standard post categories. The Plus Addons for Elementor, The Plus Addons, Plus Addons for Elementor, POSIMYTH provides this through the WP Filters widget inside Elementor.

**Q: What is the difference between checkbox filters and radio button filters?**
A: Checkbox filters are for multi-select filtering, so a visitor can pick several values at once. Radio button filters are the better choice when only one value should be selected at a time. That difference matters because checkbox filtering is built for broader searches, while radio filtering narrows results to a single option. The related radio tutorial is [How to Create Radio Button Filter for Custom Posts with Custom Fields in Elementor?](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/create-radio-button-filter-for-custom-posts-with-custom-fields-in-elementor/).

**Q: Why is my checkbox filter not showing any options?**
A: The most common cause is missing source data. The widget pulls checkbox options from a taxonomy or from an ACF, Pods, Toolset, or Metabox field key, so if that source is empty or not connected to the custom post type, there is nothing to display. Another gotcha is that WP Search Filters has to be enabled under The Plus Addons > Widgets before the widget can work inside Elementor.

**Q: Should I show counts on each checkbox option?**
A: Show Count is useful when visitors need to see how many posts match each option before they click it. In the settings overview it is off by default, which keeps the filter cleaner and less noisy. Turning it on makes sense when result volume matters more than minimal UI. The full widget settings are covered in [WP Search Filters Widget Settings Overview](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/wp-search-filters-widget-settings-overview/).

**Q: Is there another way to filter custom posts by custom fields in Elementor?**
A: The same workflow also has radio button and dropdown versions, so checkbox filtering is not the only option in this family. Use checkboxes when you want multi-select behavior, then compare it with [How to Create Dropdown Filter for Custom Posts with Custom Fields in Elementor?](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/create-dropdown-filter-for-custom-posts-with-custom-fields-in-elementor/) if you want single-choice selection in a tighter control.