--- title: "How to Display Posts Using an AJAX Filter in Blog Listing?" url: https://theplusaddons.com/docs/display-posts-using-an-ajax-filter-in-blog-listing/ date: 2025-06-30 modified: 2026-09-11 lang: en author: "Aditya Sharma" description: "Does your blog category filter show an empty result for a category you know has posts? That happens when the filter only searches the posts already on the page. The..." word_count: 468 --- # How to Display Posts Using an AJAX Filter in Blog Listing? ## - The Plus Addons for Elementor Blog/Post Listing widget uses AJAX filter type to search all posts, not just the posts already on the page, so a category with hidden matches no longer returns an empty result. - Category Wise Filter and its AJAX filter type are Pro only in The Plus Addons for Elementor Pro, while the free plugin shows an upgrade notice instead of the settings. - Maximum Post Display still limits results in AJAX mode, and the feature does not apply on Carousel, Archive Page, or Single Page Related Posts. Does your blog category filter show an empty result for a category you know has posts? That happens when the filter only searches the posts already on the page. The AJAX filter type in the Blog/Post Listing widget from The Plus Addons for Elementor searches all of them instead. *To check the complete feature overview documentation of The Plus Addons for Elementor Blog Listing widget, [click here](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/blog-listing-widget-settings-overview/).* ***Requirement - This widget is a part of The Plus Addons for Elementor, make sure it's installed & activated to enjoy all its powers.*** [LIVE WIDGET LINK](https://theplusaddons.com/elementor-listing/?utm_source=tpae&utm_medium=docs&utm_campaign=text#blog-post-wgts) ## Before You Start - **Edition:** **Pro** — Category Wise Filter, including its AJAX filter type, is part of The Plus Addons for Elementor Pro. In the free plugin the option is visible but shows an upgrade notice instead of its settings.- **Posts in several categories**, so there is something to filter.- **Widget to enable:** Blog/Post Listing, switched on under **ThePlus Settings > Widgets**. ## Normal or AJAX: what is the difference? Say you have **8** posts and **Maximum Post Display** (labelled *Maximum Posts Display* in the free plugin) is **3**, so three show on the page. | | Normal | AJAX | | --- | ------ | ---- | | Searches | Only the 3 posts on the page | All 8 posts | | Click a category with posts outside the first 3 | Shows nothing, or too few | Fetches and shows them | | Page reload | No | No | **Normal** filtering, the default: **AJAX** filtering, with the same posts: ## Step 1: Add the widget Drag the **Blog/Post Listing** widget onto the page. In **Content > Layout**, keep **Post Listing Types** on **Normal Page** and choose any layout except Carousel. ## Step 2: Turn on the filter Open **Content > Category Wise Filter** and switch on **Category Wise Filter**. ![The Category Wise Filter toggle in the Content tab](https://theplusaddons.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/tp-blog-listout-category-wise-filter-wide-filter.webp) ## Step 3: Set Filter Type to AJAX In the same section, change **Filter Type** from **Normal** to **AJAX**. ## Step 4: Limit the first load In **Content > Content Source**, set **Maximum Post Display** (labelled *Maximum Posts Display* in the free plugin) lower than your total. With every post already on the page, Normal and AJAX behave the same. ## Settings Reference | Setting | Where | Default | | ------- | ----- | ------- | | Category Wise Filter | Content > Category Wise Filter | Hide | | Filter Type | Content > Category Wise Filter | Normal | | Maximum Post Display | Content > Content Source | 8 | ## Limitations - **Pro only**, like the category filter itself.- **The display limit still applies.** AJAX searches every post, but shows no more matches than **Maximum Post Display** (labelled *Maximum Posts Display* in the free plugin) at a time.- **Not on Carousel**, Archive Page or Single Page Related Posts. ## Troubleshooting ### A category still shows too few posts Check **Filter Type** is AJAX, and that the missing posts really have that category. ### I want visitors to be able to share a filtered view AJAX is the filter type that allows it. See [create a shareable URL with the category filter](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/create-a-shareable-url-with-category-filter-for-blog-posts-in-elementor/). ## Related Docs - [Blog Listing widget: settings overview](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/blog-listing-widget-settings-overview/) — every control in the widget.- [Add a category filter to a blog listing](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/add-category-wise-filter-in-blog-post-in-elementor/)- [Create a shareable URL with the category filter](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/create-a-shareable-url-with-category-filter-for-blog-posts-in-elementor/) ## Frequently Asked Questions **Q: Why does a blog category filter show too few posts on the page?** A: That usually happens when the filter only searches the posts already loaded on the page. With Normal filtering, the widget only looks at the first batch, so a category can appear empty or incomplete if matching posts are outside that batch. The AJAX filter type in the Blog/Post Listing widget from The Plus Addons for Elementor, The Plus Addons, Plus Addons for Elementor, POSIMYTH searches all posts instead, which is why it finds more matches. **Q: What do I need before using an AJAX filter in Blog Listing?** A: The Blog/Post Listing widget has to be installed and activated as part of The Plus Addons for Elementor. This tutorial also treats Category Wise Filter as a Pro feature, so the AJAX filter type belongs to The Plus Addons for Elementor Pro. The widget itself should be enabled under ThePlus Settings > Widgets, and the page needs posts in multiple categories so there is something meaningful to filter. **Q: Should I use Normal or AJAX filtering for a blog listing?** A: AJAX is the better choice when you want category filters to search beyond the posts already shown on the page. Normal filtering only checks the visible set, so with Maximum Post Display set to 3 and 8 total posts, some categories can return nothing or too few results. AJAX searches all 8 posts, but it still respects the display limit when showing matches. **Q: How do I make a filtered blog view shareable?** A: AJAX filtering is the option that supports a shareable filtered view. That matters because it lets visitors land on a URL that already reflects a chosen category instead of starting from an unfiltered listing. The related guide is [Create a shareable URL with the category filter](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/create-a-shareable-url-with-category-filter-for-blog-posts-in-elementor/), which is tied to this same AJAX category filter behavior. **Q: Why limit the first load in an AJAX blog listing?** A: Limiting the first load with Maximum Post Display keeps the initial page state small enough for filtering to matter. If every post is already on the page, Normal and AJAX behave the same because there is nothing extra for AJAX to discover. In this tutorial, setting Maximum Post Display lower than your total post count creates the difference between visible items and hidden matches. **Q: Can I use this AJAX category filter on every blog layout?** A: No. This setup is limited to Pro and it does not apply on Carousel, Archive Page, or Single Page Related Posts. It also depends on Category Wise Filter being available in The Plus Addons for Elementor Pro. For widget-level context, [Blog Listing widget: settings overview](https://theplusaddons.com/docs/blog-listing-widget-settings-overview/) covers the controls used alongside this feature.