Instant Search – Live Ajax Search & Voice Search

Instant Search adds a fast, real-time search bar to any WordPress site. Your visitors see results the moment they start typing, no page reload, no waiting. It also includes live voice search powered by the browser’s built-in Web Speech API, making your site more accessible without any third-party services or API keys.

It works with any theme and is built to work great with WooCommerce shops, blogs, portfolios, directories, and any site with custom post types.

Drop the shortcode [instant_search] anywhere: in a page, a post, a widget, or your theme’s header template, and you have a working search form with instant Ajax results.

Voice Search for WordPress

Voice search is no longer a nice-to-have. Mobile users expect it, and users with disabilities depend on it. Instant Search is one of the only WordPress search plugins that includes live voice search for free.

It uses the browser’s built-in Web Speech API. The visitor clicks the microphone icon, speaks their query, and results appear instantly. Voice search works on Chrome, Edge, Safari, and most modern mobile browsers.

Why Instant Search?

It’s lightweight, free, and self-hosted, your search queries never leave your server.

Unlike the default WordPress search, Instant Search shows results as you type in a dropdown, so visitors find what they need without ever leaving the page. And with voice search built in, users on mobile or with accessibility needs can speak their query instead of typing it.

Features (Free)

• Live Ajax search — results appear instantly as you type, no page reload needed
• Live voice search — speak instead of type, powered by the Web Speech API
• Search analytics — see what your visitors are searching for with a built-in analytics dashboard
• WooCommerce product search — search products by title, content, excerpt, and SKU
• All post types — search across posts, pages, products, and any registered custom post type
• Grid layout — display search results as a visual grid with thumbnails
• List layout — display search results in a compact list
• Inline or overlay mode — choose between showing results below the search bar (inline) or in a full overlay box
• Customizable text — change the placeholder text to match your site’s language
• Customizable width — control how wide the search form is to fit any layout or sidebar
• Enable or disable voice search — keep voice search on or turn it off with one toggle
• Shortcode support — place [instant_search] anywhere on your site
• Works with any theme — tested with Divi, Elementor, Rey, Astra, GeneratePress, Kadence, and standard block themes

Works With Your Theme & Page Builder

Instant Search is designed to integrate with the themes and page builders:

• Divi by Elegant Themes — place the shortcode in Divi’s Code module, including the header
• Elementor — use a Shortcode widget or embed in your Elementor header/footer template
• Rey Theme — fully compatible, works in the Rey header out of the box
• Block themes (FSE) — add via a Shortcode block in the Site Editor

WooCommerce Search That Actually Works

The default WooCommerce search is basic, it only matches post titles. Instant Search goes further:

• Search products by SKU, so customers who know the part number or model code find the right product instantly
• Results appear in a dropdown as the customer types, so they never leave the page they’re on
• Choose between grid and list layouts for product results
• Works with variable products, simple products, and any WooCommerce product type

Search Analytics

Instant Search includes a built-in analytics dashboard that shows you what your visitors are searching for. See the top 20 search terms at a glance. No Google Analytics required, no tracking scripts, no cookie banners. The data stays on your server.

PRO Version (Coming Soon)

A PRO version is in development with advanced features for WooCommerce shops and power users:

• Compact, Big Cards, and Masonry result layouts
• Show product price, sale badge, stock status, and star ratings in search results
• Add to Cart and Buy Now buttons directly inside the search dropdown
• Quick View modal with product gallery, description, and variations
• Zero-results rescue: “Did you mean?” suggestions and best-seller fallback
• Pinned results and boost rules (boost best-sellers, newest, or featured products)
• Click-through rate and cart conversion analytics
• Cmd/Ctrl+K keyboard shortcut to open search from anywhere
• Floating search button on every page
• Search history — show the visitor’s recent queries
• Dark mode and auto-theming to match the visitor’s OS
• Brand colors — tint the search UI to match your brand without CSS
• Custom CSS editor
• Open animation effects
• Image aspect ratio control for consistent thumbnails
• Search in taxonomies (categories, tags, custom taxonomies)
• Search in product attributes (color, size, brand, material)
• Search in custom fields and ACF fields
• Auto-focus on page load
• Exclude specific posts, pages, or products from results
• Searches per day chart with click-through rate overlay
• Zero-results queries report — see what visitors searched for and didn’t find

Join the waitlist if you’re interested in the PRO version.

Contributors

Marincas Marius Mugurel – www.marincas.net