Description
At a glance
SearchWP Live Ajax Search v1.8.8 is a free WordPress plugin with 50K+ active installs, 4.7/5 rating from 36 reviews, updated August 8, 2026, requires WordPress 4.8+ & PHP 5.6+. Download the latest GPL version below — free, with live demo included.
Does not require SearchWP, but will utilize it if available. Full documentation is available at searchwp.com.
SearchWP Live Ajax Search enables AJAX powered live search for your search forms. Designed to be a developer’s best friend, SearchWP Live Ajax Search aims to stay out of your way but at the same time allowing you to customize everything about it. It’s set up to work with any WordPress theme and uses a template loader to display results. The template based approach allows you to seamlessly customize your SearchWP Live Search implementation without messing with dozens of cluttered options.
Works best with SearchWP (but SearchWP is not necessary)
SearchWP Live Ajax Search is best utilized in conjunction with SearchWP, but it is not required. If SearchWP is installed and activated, SearchWP Live Ajax Search can be customized to use any of your search engines per search form.
Customization
You can customize the implementation of SearchWP Live Ajax Search to a great degree, including any number of developer-defined configurations. The results are based on a template loader, allowing SearchWP Live Ajax Search to stay out of your way and letting you write the results template as you would any other WordPress theme file.
Everything is powered by adding a single HTML5 data attribute (data-swplive="true") to the input field of your search form. This happens automagically out of the box for any search forms generated from get_search_form().
Widget support
SearchWP Live Ajax Search ships with a Widget allowing you to insert live search forms wherever you’d like.
Frequently asked questions
What is SearchWP Live Ajax Search?
SearchWP Live Ajax Search is a free WordPress plugin available under the GPL license. The current version is 1.8.8. It is active on over 50K websites.
Is SearchWP Live Ajax Search free to download?
Yes — SearchWP Live Ajax Search 1.8.8 is a free GPL download with no hidden fees, no account needed, and no feature locked behind a paywall in this package. Users rate it 4.7 out of 5 based on 36 reviews.
How do I install SearchWP Live Ajax Search 1.8.8?
Download the ZIP file from this page, then in your WordPress dashboard go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin, choose the file, click Install Now, then Activate. The plugin works immediately after activation — no license key or extra setup is required for the core features.
What are the requirements for SearchWP Live Ajax Search?
SearchWP Live Ajax Search 1.8.8 requires WordPress 4.8 or higher and PHP 5.6 or higher. Most modern WordPress hosts already meet these versions. Running older versions may cause features to break, so update WordPress and PHP first if your site is behind.
When was SearchWP Live Ajax Search last updated?
Version 1.8.8 was last updated on August 8, 2026. This page is refreshed automatically, so the download here always matches the newest version we have verified.
Is the SearchWP Live Ajax Search download safe?
The file is sourced directly from the official WordPress.org repository — the same file the developer published. It is served unmodified, so what you install here is byte-identical to the official release.
Version: 1.8.8
Updated: October 1, 2026
Technical details
| Version | 1.8.8 |
|---|---|
| Last updated | August 8, 2026 |
| Active installs | 50,000+ |
| Rating | ★★★★★ 4.7/5 (36 reviews) |
| Requires WordPress | 4.8 or higher |
| Requires PHP | 5.6 or higher |
| Author | Syed Balkhi |
| Tags | ajax, live, search |
Demo SearchWP Live Ajax Search
Download SearchWP Live Ajax Search
Download SearchWP Live Ajax Search WP PluginNote: if the download does not start, disable your ad blocker and try again.
