Site search is one of the most powerful tools in any e-commerce store, especially in Magento 2. When configured correctly, the Magento 2 search engine can drive faster product discovery, reduce bounce rates, and boost conversion. But when misconfigured, it can lead to zero-result pages and lost sales.
In this guide, we’ll explore how Magento search works, how to configure Magento 2 search settings properly, and how to fine-tune Magento product search keywords and search suggestions to match your users’ intent. If you're planning to upgrade to advanced solutions, we’ll walk you through every step to improve Magento search performance and make it more accurate, flexible, and effective.
How Magento 2 Search Works
Magento 2 search operates by scanning product attributes that are configured to be searchable. These attributes – like product name, SKU, and description – must have the “Use in Search” option enabled in the backend under Stores > Attributes > Product. Each attribute can also be assigned a search weight (1–10), which influences its importance in search results. Higher-weighted attributes push products up in the ranking when matched.
To appear in search results, a product must have its Visibility set to Catalog, Search, or Search. Otherwise, it won't show even if the keywords match.
Magento 2 also supports search autocomplete via the Suggested Terms feature. When users begin typing, Magento checks their query against existing search terms and offers real-time suggestions, only if those terms return at least one valid result. You can manage these at Marketing > SEO & Search > Search Terms.
Each search term can be configured individually:
Assign it to a specific store view
Enable or disable it for autocomplete suggestions
Set up a custom redirect URL to guide users directly to landing, category, or product pages
This functionality helps reduce zero-result searches and enhances the customer experience by guiding users to meaningful results faster.
Magento 2 Search Engine Options: OpenSearch, Elasticsearch, and Solr
Starting with Magento 2.4.8, Elasticsearch is deprecated, and OpenSearch is now the officially recommended search engine for both Magento Open Source and Adobe Commerce. This shift aligns Magento with a more open, community-driven, and Apache-licensed alternative to Elasticsearch.
What Changed in Magento 2.4.8?
OpenSearch is now the default supported engine.
Elasticsearch 7.x and earlier are deprecated.
Merchants are encouraged to migrate to OpenSearch 2.x for long-term compatibility and support.
OpenSearch (Recommended)
OpenSearch is a fork of Elasticsearch maintained by AWS and the open-source community. It offers all the core features Magento needs:
Full-text product search with high performance
Multilingual support
Real-time indexing with no frontend impact
Synonyms, stop words, and relevancy tuning
Compatibility with Magento’s built-in search UI and layered navigation
You can configure OpenSearch in Stores > Configuration > Catalog > Catalog > Catalog Search, similar to previous Elasticsearch setups.
Solr (Adobe Commerce Only)
Solr remains supported in Adobe Commerce but is not widely adopted in Magento communities. It requires custom configuration and is best suited for merchants with existing Solr infrastructure.
If you're running Magento Open Source and want advanced features like typo correction, AJAX instant search, or search analytics, modules like Amasty Elastic Search can extend OpenSearch’s capabilities with additional frontend features.
Magento Search Bar
Magento’s search bar is the user-facing gateway to the powerful search process on the backend. As customers type their queries, the search bar dynamically interacts with the underlying search engine to deliver instant, relevant results. A well-optimized search bar improves navigation, reduces friction, and increases the likelihood of a successful search for products and, ultimately, a purchase.
Key Benefits of a Powerful Magento Search Bar
Instant Results: Autocomplete and suggested terms help users find products as they type, reducing search time and frustration.
Relevant Suggestions: Display popular search terms, recently searched items, or personalized recommendations.
Direct Actions: Advanced search bars can include “Add to Cart” buttons or quick links, speeding up conversions.
Mobile-Friendly: A responsive design ensures seamless search experiences across all devices.
Because OpenSearch and Elasticsearch excel at quickly analyzing and indexing product attributes, the search bar can offer precise suggestions even before a user finishes typing. This seamless integration ensures your customers are guided toward products that best match their intent, boosting engagement and conversion rates.
Read More: Top 9 Magento 2 Search Extensions
Magento 2 Search Settings and Configuration
To make the most of Magento 2's search capabilities, store owners should fine-tune the built-in configuration options. These settings define how search behaves, how results are displayed, and how Magento processes user queries.
You can access the search configuration here: Admin Panel > Stores > Configuration > Catalog > Catalog > Catalog Search
Key Settings Explained:
Search Engine – Choose OpenSearch (Magento 2.4.8+) or Elasticsearch (for legacy support). Avoid MySQL as it’s deprecated.
Minimal Query Length – Sets the minimum number of characters users must type to trigger a search (e.g., 2 or 3). Helps avoid unnecessary queries.
Maximum Query Length – Limits the number of characters Magento will accept in a search query. Useful for preventing overly long or malformed searches.
Autocomplete Limit – Controls how many suggestions appear in the dropdown when users start typing. Typically set between 5–10.
Search Suggestions Count – Defines the number of “Did you mean…” suggestions shown when Magento finds partial matches or alternate terms.
Enable EAV Indexer – For performance optimization on large catalogs using EAV (Entity-Attribute-Value) structures. Enabling this speeds up attribute-based filtering.
Search Weight Configuration – You can assign search weights (from 1 to 10) to specific attributes. This is done via Stores > Attributes > Product > [Attribute] > Storefront Properties > Search Weight. Higher weights increase an attribute’s influence on search result ranking.
These settings allow you to strike the right balance between speed, accuracy, and user experience, especially when paired with a scalable engine like OpenSearch.
Managing Magento 2 Search Terms and Suggestions
Magento 2 gives you full control over the search terms your users enter. By configuring and analyzing these terms, you can improve relevance, guide users to better results, and drive more conversions.
Viewing and Editing Magento Search Terms
Go to Marketing > SEO & Search > Search Terms to view all queries logged by your store.
Here, you can:
Edit search terms to include redirects or suggested spellings
Assign terms to specific store views
Enable or disable their display in autocomplete suggestions
Add redirects to product, category, landing, or CMS pages
Magento 2 changing search query on its own is particularly useful for handling:
Common misspellings (e.g., “headfone” → “headphone”)
Synonyms (e.g., “sofa” = “couch”)
Seasonal trends (e.g., “back to school” → curated page)
Adding New Magento Search Suggestions
To manually create new search terms in a Magento 2 store:
Go to Marketing > SEO & Search > Search Terms
Click Add New Search Term
Fill in:
Search Query (e.g., “office chair”)
Store View
Redirect URL (optional)
Display in Suggested Terms (Yes/No)
Save and clear the cache to apply changes.
Using Search Terms for SEO & UX
Search terms are also SEO assets:
Magento’s Popular Search Terms page (if enabled) is indexed by Google
It helps you understand customer language, improve site copy, and adjust product listings and descriptions
To enable it: Stores > Configuration > Catalog > Catalog > Search Engine Optimization > Enable Popular Search Terms → Yes
Regularly review search term reports to identify underperforming keywords and opportunities for merchandising or SEO improvements.
Search Term Reports and Analytics
Monitoring how users interact with your Magento 2 search is crucial for ongoing optimization. Magento provides built-in reports to analyze search terms, helping you identify popular queries, zero-result searches, and opportunities for improvement.
To view the report, navigate to: Admin Panel > Reports > Marketing > Search Terms. Magento allows exporting search term data in CSV or Excel XML format, making it easy to analyze trends offline or share with your team. The reports show:
Search Query: The exact phrase entered by users
Results: Number of products returned for the query
Hits: How many times the query was used
Why do these metrics matter?
High Hits + Low Results: Indicates queries returning few or no matches — a red flag to add synonyms, redirects, or new products
High Hits + High Results: Shows popular and effective queries that drive product discovery
Low Hits + High Results: Less relevant queries; may signal niche interests or misaligned content
Once you have trustworthy report data, you can:
Add or adjust search terms and redirects to fix zero-result pages
Optimize product attributes and descriptions for frequently searched keywords
Use search analytics to inform merchandising and marketing strategies
- Introduce search synonyms for common variations or misspellings
Magento 2 Advanced Search Settings and Filtering
Magento 2 includes a built-in Advanced Search feature that lets customers search by multiple product attributes at once. This is especially valuable for online stores with large catalogs where users may want to filter by size, color, SKU, or material directly from the search page.
You can find the Advanced Search form linked in your storefront footer by default.
How to Enable Attributes for Advanced Search
Only attributes marked as searchable and visible in advanced search will appear as fields in the form.
To include a product attribute:
Go to Stores > Attributes > Product
Choose the attribute (e.g., Color, Material, Size)
Under Storefront Properties, set:
Use in Search → Yes
Visible in Advanced Search → Yes
Save the attribute and clear the cache
The attribute will now be available in the Advanced Search form, allowing users to enter more specific criteria.
Benefits of Advanced Search
Narrows down search results for precise product discovery
Useful for B2B stores or technical catalogs with complex specifications
Can be extended with layered navigation or third-party AJAX search tools for a more dynamic experience
If you need more intuitive UX, Amasty’s Advanced Search and Elastic Search modules can replace the default form with an AJAX-powered, auto-suggest interface that includes images, prices, and "Add to Cart" buttons right in the autocomplete dropdown.
Search Results and Weighted Ranking
Magento 2’s search results page displays products based on the relevance calculated from the matched attributes and their assigned search weights. Each product attribute used in search has a Search Weight value between 1 and 10 (the default is usually 1). Attributes with higher weights carry more influence when Magento ranks search results.
For example:
| Attribute | Search Weight | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Name | 10 | Highest priority – matches here rank top |
| SKU | 8 | High priority, essential for exact matches |
| Description | 3 | Lower priority – matches here rank lower |
| Color | 1 | Lowest priority – minimal ranking effect |
If a user searches for “red shirt,” products with “red” in the Name or SKU will rank higher than those with “red” only in the description.
Configuring Search Weights
To adjust search weights:
Go to Stores > Attributes > Product
Select the attribute you want to edit
Under Storefront Properties, find Search Weight
Assign a value from 1 to 10 based on importance
Save and clear the cache
Performance Tuning & Troubleshooting Magento 2 Search
A fast and reliable search experience is essential for conversion and usability. Magento 2 search performance can degrade over time due to catalog size, misconfigured engines, or outdated indexes. Below are best practices for tuning search performance and solving common issues.
Reindex Regularly
Magento uses indexing to speed up search queries. If search results seem outdated or slow:
Run the following CLI command:
php bin/magento indexer:reindexSchedule automatic reindexing during low-traffic hours
Monitor reindex completion — unindexed data won't appear in search
Clear Cache and Flush Storage
Magento's full-page and block caches can cause stale search results or failed autocomplete:
Clear caches via System > Cache Management
Or use CLI:
php bin/magento cache:cleanphp bin/magento cache:flush
Search Log Monitoring
Track what users search (and what leads to zero results) by monitoring:
Marketing > Search Terms (for queries)
Reports > Marketing > Search Terms (for hits and result counts)
Look for:
High-volume queries with low or no results
Frequently misspelled terms
Unindexed products
This reveals where to add synonyms, redirects, or correct attribute settings.
Test Your Search Engine
If you're using OpenSearch or Elasticsearch:
Verify service status and port (default is 9200)
Use CURL or browser: http://localhost:9200/ or http://yourdomain:9200/In Stores > Configuration > Catalog > Catalog Search, click Test Connection
Failure to connect may indicate:
Incorrect hostname or port
Firewall or server-level restrictions
Outdated or incompatible search engine versions
Troubleshooting Slow Search
Symptoms like delayed autocomplete, slow queries, or backend timeouts may be caused by:
Too many searchable attributes → Audit attributes under Stores > Attributes > Product and disable “Use in Search” for non-critical fields.
Overweighted attributes → Reduce search weights for less important attributes to optimize query scoring.
Server performance limits → Increase memory allocation or upgrade to a more capable hosting plan.
OpenSearch misconfigurations → Review logs for errors, slow queries, or heap memory issues.
Future of Magento Search: AI, Personalization, and Voice Trends
The future of Magento site search is moving far beyond keyword matching. As shopper expectations evolve, search engines must become smarter, faster, and more personalized. Here's what’s shaping the next generation of Magento 2 search.
AI-Powered Search
Artificial Intelligence is being used to:
Predict user intent based on behavior and past queries
Offer context-aware results (e.g., “red shoes under $100”)
Automatically correct typos and suggest smarter alternatives
While native Magento does not yet include AI-driven search, solutions like Amasty Elastic Search, Klevu, or Algolia bring machine learning capabilities to Magento 2 Open Source and Adobe Commerce.
Read More: Mirasvit Search vs. Amasty Search for Magento 2
Semantic and Natural Language Processing
Search engines are beginning to understand queries like humans:
Recognizing word relationships (e.g., “hoodie” ≈ “sweatshirt”)
Interpreting long-tail queries (e.g., “gift ideas for runners under $50”)
Grouping similar products, even if the exact terms differ
Semantic search improves product discovery and reduces frustration from “No Results Found” pages.
Voice and Visual Search
As voice assistants and visual apps become mainstream, Magento stores may start integrating:
Voice search APIs to interpret spoken product queries
Image-based search for finding products from photos (via plugins or third-party AI)
These technologies are particularly powerful for mobile shoppers and visually driven verticals like fashion or home decor.
Read More: Magento 2 Voice Search Optimization
Multilingual and Region-Aware Search
Magento powers global stores. Advanced search solutions now support:
Language-specific stemming and stop-word filtering
Synonym management per language
Currency, unit, and location-aware suggestions
For multi-store setups, this means more personalized and accurate search across regions.
Magento Search Optimization Best Practices to Follow
Optimizing Magento 2 search is a continuous process that directly impacts customer satisfaction and sales. Here’s a quick checklist to help you audit and improve your store’s search experience:
Choose the right search engine: Use OpenSearch (Magento 2.4.8+) for best performance and future compatibility.
Configure search settings: Set minimal/max query lengths, autocomplete limits, and enable popular search terms.
Weight key attributes: Prioritize important product attributes (name, SKU) to improve relevance in results.
Manage search terms: Regularly review, add, and edit search queries to handle synonyms, misspellings, and redirects.
Enable advanced search: Activate and configure attributes for attribute-based filtering for better precision.
Monitor and analyze: Use Magento’s reports and logs to identify search gaps and optimize accordingly.
Maintain indexes and cache: Schedule reindexing and cache cleaning for up-to-date and fast searches.
Plan for the future: Explore AI-driven extensions, semantic search, and voice/visual search technologies.
Follow these steps to deliver a smoother, faster, and more relevant Magento product search that keeps customers engaged and drives conversions.
Frequently asked questions
Live search (autocomplete) is powered by Magento’s search engine (OpenSearch/Elasticsearch). To configure it, go to Stores > Configuration > Catalog > Catalog > Catalog Search. Set Autocomplete Limit to control how many suggestions appear as users type. Manage search terms and suggested terms at Marketing > SEO & Search > Search Terms to customize what shows in autocomplete.
Search criteria define filters and conditions for product searches. In Magento’s Admin, you configure searchable product attributes via Stores > Attributes > Product by enabling Use in Search and assigning weights. On the frontend, users can refine searches using advanced search forms or layered navigation, filtering by attribute values like color, size, or price.
To disable search suggestions (autocomplete), navigate to Stores > Configuration > Catalog > Catalog > Catalog Search and set Autocomplete Limit to zero or disable Suggested Terms by managing terms at Marketing > SEO & Search > Search Terms (e.g., uncheck “Display in Suggested Terms” for all terms). Clear cache to apply changes.
