# Search Within the Current Category

> On category pages, adds an "Only in [category]" checkbox to the search form and Search block, ticked by default, so visitors can search just that section.

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

## Code

```php
// Label of the checkbox; %s is the category name.
$wpide_search_in_cat_label = 'Only in %s';

$wpide_search_in_cat = function ( $form ) use ( $wpide_search_in_cat_label ) {
    $cat_id = is_category() ? get_queried_object_id() : ( is_search() ? absint( get_query_var( 'cat' ) ) : 0 );
    $cat    = $cat_id ? get_category( $cat_id ) : null;

    if ( ! $cat || is_wp_error( $cat ) || false !== strpos( $form, 'wpide-search-in-cat' ) ) {
        return $form;
    }

    $box = '<label class="wpide-search-in-cat" style="display:block;flex-basis:100%;margin-top:.4em;font-size:.9em;"><input type="checkbox" name="cat" value="' . esc_attr( $cat->term_id ) . '" checked /> ' . esc_html( sprintf( $wpide_search_in_cat_label, $cat->name ) ) . '</label>';

    return str_replace( '</form>', $box . '</form>', $form );
};

add_filter( 'get_search_form', $wpide_search_in_cat );
add_filter( 'render_block_core/search', $wpide_search_in_cat );
```

## Notes

Do not combine with the Category Dropdown in the Search Form snippet; both use the same field.

## How to use it

Install the free WPIDE plugin (https://wordpress.org/plugins/wpide/), find "Search Within the Current Category" 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/