# Search Box in the Main Menu

> Adds the search form as the last item of a classic theme's main navigation menu.

- Type: PHP
- Runs: Run everywhere
- Category: [Search](https://wpide.com/library/category/search/)
- Tags: search, menu, navigation
- Author: WPIDE Team
- Installs: 0
- Updated: 2026-10-28
- Page: https://wpide.com/library/search-box-in-menu/

## Code

```php
// Theme menu location that gets the search box.
$wpide_search_menu_location = 'primary';

add_filter( 'wp_nav_menu_items', function ( $items, $args ) use ( $wpide_search_menu_location ) {
    if ( empty( $args->theme_location ) || $wpide_search_menu_location !== $args->theme_location ) {
        return $items;
    }

    return $items . '<li class="menu-item wpide-menu-search">' . get_search_form( array( 'echo' => false ) ) . '</li>';
}, 10, 2 );
```

## Notes

Set the theme menu location; it is often primary or main. Block themes should add a Search block to the Navigation block instead.

## How to use it

Install the free WPIDE plugin (https://wordpress.org/plugins/wpide/), find "Search Box in the Main Menu" in its snippet library and add it in one click; or create a new PHP snippet in WPIDE (or any code snippets plugin) and paste the code above. More snippets: https://wpide.com/library/