Add shopify search to page / Array 'search.results' is not paginateable

Topic summary

A user is attempting to add Shopify’s built-in search functionality to a page body (separate from the header search) by following community instructions.

Core Issue:

  • Implementation results in error: Liquid error (sections/main-search line 66): Array 'search.results' is not paginateable
  • Error occurs at line 66 of the main-search.liquid file

Context:

  • User followed instructions from a Shopify community post about adding search as a section in Dawn theme
  • The code appears to be default implementation with pagination logic
  • Question asks whether there’s an easier method or if code modification is required

Current Status:

  • Discussion remains unresolved
  • One follow-up comment asks if the issue was fixed, but no solution has been provided
  • The error suggests the search results array cannot be paginated in the current context, likely because pagination requires specific URL parameters or template context not present on regular pages
Summarized with AI on November 17. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.

I’m trying to add a free/standard/Shopify search bar to the body of a page. I already have one working in my header.

I’ve followed these instructions: https://community.shopify.com/c/shopify-design/add-search-bar-as-a-section-dawn-theme/m-p/1902558

When I do that and add search I get the following error on the page;

Liquid error (sections/main-search line 66): Array 'search.results' is not paginateable.

Is there an easier way to add inbuilt/free search? Or do I need to change the “main-search.liquid” code? The current code is as per the default implementation;

{{ 'template-collection.css' | asset_url | stylesheet_tag }}
{{ 'component-card.css' | asset_url | stylesheet_tag }}
{{ 'component-price.css' | asset_url | stylesheet_tag }}
{{ 'component-search.css' | asset_url | stylesheet_tag }}

{%- if section.settings.enable_filtering or section.settings.enable_sorting -%}
  {{ 'component-facets.css' | asset_url | stylesheet_tag }}
  
{%- endif -%}

{% if section.settings.image_shape == 'blob' %}
  {{ 'mask-blobs.css' | asset_url | stylesheet_tag }}
{%- endif -%}

{%- liquid
  assign sort_by = search.sort_by | default: search.default_sort_by
  assign terms = search.terms | escape
  assign search_url = '?q=' | append: terms | append: '&options%5Bprefix%5D=last&sort_by=' | append: sort_by
-%}

{%- style -%}
  .section-{{ section.id }}-padding {
    padding-top: {{ section.settings.padding_top | times: 0.75 | round: 0 }}px;
    padding-bottom: {{ section.settings.padding_bottom | times: 0.75 | round: 0 }}px;
  }

  @media screen and (min-width: 750px) {
    .section-{{ section.id }}-padding {
      padding-top: {{ section.settings.padding_top }}px;
      padding-bottom: {{ section.settings.padding_bottom }}px;
    }
  }
{%- endstyle -%}

{% paginate search.results by 24 %}
  
    

      # 
        {%- if search.performed -%}
          {{- 'templates.search.title' | t -}}
        {%- else -%}
          {{- 'general.search.search' | t -}}
        {%- endif -%}
      
      
        {%- if settings.predictive_search_enabled -%}
          
        {%- endif -%}

      

      {%- if search.performed -%}
        {%- unless section.settings.enable_filtering or section.settings.enable_sorting -%}
          {%- if search.results_count > 0 -%}
            

{{ 'templates.search.results_with_count_and_term' | t: terms: search.terms, count: search.results_count }}

          {%- endif -%}
        {%- endunless -%}
        {%- if search.results_count == 0 and search.filters == empty -%}
          

{{ 'templates.search.no_results' | t: terms: search.terms }}

        {%- endif -%}
      {%- endif -%}
    

    {%- if search.performed -%}
      {%- if section.settings.enable_sorting and section.settings.filter_type == 'vertical' and search.filters != empty -%}
        
      {%- endif -%}
      

    {%- endif -%}
  
{% endpaginate %}
{% if section.settings.image_shape == 'arch' %}
  {% render 'mask-arch' %}
{%- endif -%}

{% schema %}
{
  "name": "t:sections.main-search.name",
  "tag": "section",
  "class": "section",
  "settings": [
    {
      "type": "range",
      "id": "columns_desktop",
      "min": 1,
      "max": 5,
      "step": 1,
      "default": 4,
      "label": "t:sections.main-search.settings.columns_desktop.label"
    },
    {
      "type": "header",
      "content": "t:sections.main-search.settings.header__1.content"
    },
    {
      "type": "select",
      "id": "image_ratio",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "adapt",
          "label": "t:sections.main-search.settings.image_ratio.options__1.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "portrait",
          "label": "t:sections.main-search.settings.image_ratio.options__2.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "square",
          "label": "t:sections.main-search.settings.image_ratio.options__3.label"
        }
      ],
      "default": "adapt",
      "label": "t:sections.main-search.settings.image_ratio.label"
    },
    {
      "type": "select",
      "id": "image_shape",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "default",
          "label": "t:sections.all.image_shape.options__1.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "arch",
          "label": "t:sections.all.image_shape.options__2.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "blob",
          "label": "t:sections.all.image_shape.options__3.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "chevronleft",
          "label": "t:sections.all.image_shape.options__4.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "chevronright",
          "label": "t:sections.all.image_shape.options__5.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "diamond",
          "label": "t:sections.all.image_shape.options__6.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "parallelogram",
          "label": "t:sections.all.image_shape.options__7.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "round",
          "label": "t:sections.all.image_shape.options__8.label"
        }
      ],
      "default": "default",
      "label": "t:sections.all.image_shape.label",
      "info": "t:sections.all.image_shape.info"
    },
    {
      "type": "checkbox",
      "id": "show_secondary_image",
      "default": false,
      "label": "t:sections.main-search.settings.show_secondary_image.label"
    },
    {
      "type": "checkbox",
      "id": "show_vendor",
      "default": false,
      "label": "t:sections.main-search.settings.show_vendor.label"
    },
    {
      "type": "checkbox",
      "id": "show_rating",
      "default": false,
      "label": "t:sections.main-search.settings.show_rating.label",
      "info": "t:sections.main-search.settings.show_rating.info"
    },
    {
      "type": "header",
      "content": "t:sections.main-collection-product-grid.settings.header__1.content"
    },
    {
      "type": "checkbox",
      "id": "enable_filtering",
      "default": true,
      "label": "t:sections.main-collection-product-grid.settings.enable_filtering.label",
      "info": "t:sections.main-collection-product-grid.settings.enable_filtering.info"
    },
    {
      "type": "select",
      "id": "filter_type",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "horizontal",
          "label": "t:sections.main-collection-product-grid.settings.filter_type.options__1.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "vertical",
          "label": "t:sections.main-collection-product-grid.settings.filter_type.options__2.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "drawer",
          "label": "t:sections.main-collection-product-grid.settings.filter_type.options__3.label"
        }
      ],
      "default": "horizontal",
      "label": "t:sections.main-collection-product-grid.settings.filter_type.label",
      "info": "t:sections.main-collection-product-grid.settings.filter_type.info"
    },
    {
      "type": "checkbox",
      "id": "enable_sorting",
      "default": true,
      "label": "t:sections.main-collection-product-grid.settings.enable_sorting.label"
    },
    {
      "type": "header",
      "content": "t:sections.main-search.settings.header__2.content",
      "info": "t:sections.main-search.settings.header__2.info"
    },
    {
      "type": "checkbox",
      "id": "article_show_date",
      "default": true,
      "label": "t:sections.main-search.settings.article_show_date.label"
    },
    {
      "type": "checkbox",
      "id": "article_show_author",
      "default": false,
      "label": "t:sections.main-search.settings.article_show_author.label"
    },
    {
      "type": "header",
      "content": "t:sections.main-search.settings.header_mobile.content"
    },
    {
      "type": "select",
      "id": "columns_mobile",
      "default": "2",
      "label": "t:sections.main-search.settings.columns_mobile.label",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "1",
          "label": "t:sections.main-search.settings.columns_mobile.options__1.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "2",
          "label": "t:sections.main-search.settings.columns_mobile.options__2.label"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "type": "header",
      "content": "t:sections.all.padding.section_padding_heading"
    },
    {
      "type": "range",
      "id": "padding_top",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 100,
      "step": 4,
      "unit": "px",
      "label": "t:sections.all.padding.padding_top",
      "default": 36
    },
    {
      "type": "range",
      "id": "padding_bottom",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 100,
      "step": 4,
      "unit": "px",
      "label": "t:sections.all.padding.padding_bottom",
      "default": 36
    }
  ]
}
{% endschema %}

Did you manage to fix this?