--- title: "How to Create Search Filter for Custom Posts in Elementor?" url: https://theplusaddons.com/docs/create-search-filter-for-custom-posts-in-elementor/ date: 2023-09-14 modified: 2026-09-28 lang: en author: "Aditya Sharma" description: "A search-input filter lets visitors type a keyword and narrow a listing to matching posts, without leaving the page. The WP Search Filters widget's Search sub-type turns any filter item..." image: https://theplusaddons.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/How-to-Create-Search-Filter-for-Custom-Posts-in-Elementor_-1024x536.jpg word_count: 248 --- # How to Create Search Filter for Custom Posts in Elementor? ## - The WP Search Filters widget’s Search sub-type turns a filter item into a keyword search box and lets it match against specific fields. - The Plus Addons for Elementor Pro is required, and the widget is enabled from The Plus Addons > Widgets by searching for WP Filters and turning its toggle on. - Generic Filters lets the search keyword match Title, Content, Name, Excerpt, Category, or Tags, with Search in Title set On by default and Search in Content and Search in Excerpt set Off. A search-input filter lets visitors type a keyword and narrow a listing to matching posts, without leaving the page. The WP Search Filters widget's **Search** sub-type turns any filter item into a keyword search box, with control over which fields it matches against. 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 several published entries. ## Steps Add the WP Filters widget, keep **Filter Type** set to **WP Filter**, then set **Select Source** to **Search Input**. ![WP Filter Type set to Search Input](https://theplusaddons.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/wp-search-filters-filter-type-search.webp) Open **Generic Filters** and toggle which fields the keyword should match: **Search in Title**, **Content**, **Name**, **Excerpt**, **Category** or **Tags**. ![Generic Filters popover with per-field search switches](https://theplusaddons.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/wp-search-filters-generic-filters.webp) ## Settings Overview | Setting | What it does | Default | | ------- | ------------ | ------- | | WP Filter Type | Set to Search Input to enable keyword filtering. | - | | Search in Title | Include the post title in the keyword match. | On | | Search in Content | Include the post body in the keyword match. | Off | | Search in Excerpt | Include the post excerpt in the keyword match. | Off | ## Related Docs - [How to Create Filters for Custom Post Types with Custom Taxonomy in Elementor?](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/create-filters-for-custom-post-types-with-custom-taxonomy-in-elementor/)- [How to Search Posts by Custom Field in Elementor?](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/search-posts-by-custom-field-in-elementor/) ## Frequently Asked Questions **Q: What do I need before creating a search filter for custom posts in Elementor?** A: Elementor free needs to be installed and active, and WP Search Filters is a Pro widget, so The Plus Addons for Elementor Pro must also be installed and active. The page also calls out a custom post type with several published entries, which matters because the search box needs real content to match against. The Plus Addons for Elementor, The Plus Addons, Plus Addons for Elementor, POSIMYTH provides the WP Search Filters widget inside Elementor. **Q: Why isn’t the search filter showing up in Elementor?** A: The usual blocker is that WP Search Filters is a Pro widget and has to be enabled first. The page says to go to The Plus Addons > Widgets, search for WP Filters, and turn its toggle on. If the widget is still missing after that, the other hard requirement is that Elementor free must be installed and active. That combination is what makes the search-input filter available inside the editor. **Q: Can I use this search filter with custom post types?** A: This tutorial is built for custom posts, so it fits custom post type listings as long as they have several published entries. The search-input filter narrows a listing by keyword without leaving the page, which is useful when visitors need to scan a larger archive quickly. The Plus Addons for Elementor, The Plus Addons, Plus Addons for Elementor, POSIMYTH also points to related setup guides for custom taxonomy and custom field filtering if you need a different matching strategy. **Q: What fields can the keyword search match against?** A: The Generic Filters settings let you choose exactly where the keyword should match: Search in Title, Content, Name, Excerpt, Category, or Tags. That matters because broader matching can surface more results, while narrower matching keeps the list cleaner and more predictable. By default, Search in Title is on, while Search in Content and Search in Excerpt are off. For a full settings breakdown, see [WP Search Filters Widget Settings Overview](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/wp-search-filters-widget-settings-overview/). **Q: What’s the best way to set up a search box for a post listing in Elementor?** A: Use Filter Type set to WP Filter and Select Source set to Search Input. That combination turns the filter item into a keyword search box instead of another kind of filter control. From there, decide which fields should participate in matching under Generic Filters so you do not return noisy results from every part of the post. The live widget example is here: [LIVE WIDGET LINK](https://theplusaddons.com/elementor-builder/grid-builder/?utm_source=tpae&utm_medium=docs&utm_campaign=text#Ajaxfilters). **Q: What should I read next if I need more advanced filtering in Elementor?** A: Two related guides fit common follow-up use cases: [How to Create Filters for Custom Post Types with Custom Taxonomy in Elementor?](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/create-filters-for-custom-post-types-with-custom-taxonomy-in-elementor/) and [How to Search Posts by Custom Field in Elementor?](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/search-posts-by-custom-field-in-elementor/). Those are useful when keyword search alone is not enough and you need taxonomy-based filtering or field-based searching instead. The Plus Addons for Elementor, The Plus Addons, Plus Addons for Elementor, POSIMYTH groups them as related docs for extending the same filtering workflow.