Setup¶
Instant filtering is turned on per SRP template, on the core Listings widget you already use. You don't add or replace any widgets. The filters, sort dropdown, search box, and pagination already on the page start working instantly.
Turning it on¶
- Open your SRP template in Elementor.
- Select the Listings widget (the results grid).
- Open the new Instant Filtering tab.
- Switch on Enable Instant Filtering.
- Update the template.
The setting belongs to that SRP template. If your site has more than one SRP template (for example Cars and Trucks), turn it on in each one you want instant.
Settings¶
| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Instant Filtering | Off | Loads the whole inventory with the page and handles every filter change in the browser. |
| Instant Filtering Preload Cap | 500 | The most listings loaded with the page. While instant filtering is on, this replaces the widget's normal query size. |
Your existing Per Page setting still decides how many listings show on each page of results. The preload cap only controls how many are loaded behind the scenes.
Listings past the cap can't be found
Only the listings inside the preload cap take part in filtering. Listings are loaded newest first, so if a type has 700 listings and the cap is 500, the 200 oldest won't appear in any filter result. Set the cap above your largest realistic inventory for the type. See Caching and Performance.
What keeps working¶
Every core filter widget sends its changes through the same place in DMS, and Instant Filtering takes over at that point. That means these all work instantly with no changes:
- Checkbox, dropdown, radio, color, image, and toggle filters
- Range filters, including their histograms (the bars update as other filters change)
- Order by
- Keyword search (matches the title, description, and any category marked searchable)
- Pagination and infinite scroll
- Reset filters and the active filter chips
- Dropdown option counts, so "(12)" next to a make updates as other filters change
- Radius Search, if that extension is active
Sorting uses the same options as your order by widget: price, date, discount, date acquired, date on lot, date sold, distance, and numeric categories.
Sold listings¶
Instant Filtering follows your listing type's own settings under Listing Type → Settings:
- Hide Sold Listings keeps sold listings out of the results entirely.
- Sold Listings to Bottom pushes sold listings below the rest, whatever sort is active.
There's nothing extra to set on the widget.
Status prefilters¶
If the SRP page only shows certain statuses (for example a "Coming Soon" page), that restriction still applies. Instant Filtering only ever works within the listings the page is allowed to show.
View switcher¶
The view switcher changes which SRI template draws the cards, which means genuinely different markup. That can't be done from what's already on the page, so switching views makes one quick request to fetch the cards in the new layout. Everything after that is instant again.
Radius Search¶
"Near me" is instant, since the browser already knows the visitor's location. Searching by ZIP or postal code makes one lookup to turn it into coordinates, then filters instantly. Repeat searches for the same code don't look it up again.
What visitors see¶
- Animations. Listings use the same exit and entrance animations as a normal SRP. On each filter change all visible listings animate out, then the matching ones animate back in one after another.
- No layout jump. The results area holds its height while listings swap, so the footer doesn't jump up and back down.
- First paint is instant. A visitor arriving on a pre-filtered link (for example from a "Shop Ford" button) sees the filtered results straight away, with no animation. Clearing the filter brings back the full inventory right away, since it's already loaded.
Turning it off¶
Switch Enable Instant Filtering off and update the template. The SRP goes back to loading results from the server on each change. Nothing else needs to be undone.