> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.mintlify.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Fix site search returning no results

> Diagnose why your documentation site's built-in search returns no results for any query, often caused by hidden: true on a version in docs.json.

If the built-in search on your Mintlify documentation site returns no results for any query, including exact page titles, your pages are likely excluded from the search index by a `hidden` setting in your `docs.json`.

## Check for `hidden: true` on a version or other top-level navigation element

Setting `hidden: true` on a version, anchor, dropdown, language, or product in your `docs.json` excludes every page beneath it from the search index. If that element contains all of your pages, such as your only version, the search index becomes empty and every search returns nothing. The site itself keeps working because hidden pages remain accessible by direct URL.

```json Example: this hides every page from search theme={null}
"navigation": {
  "versions": [
    {
      "version": "v1",
      "hidden": true,
      "groups": [...]
    }
  ]
}
```

To fix it, choose one of the following:

* Remove `hidden: true` from the version or other element.
* Keep the element hidden from navigation but restore its pages to search and indexing by setting `seo.indexing: "all"` in your `docs.json`:

  ```json theme={null}
  "seo": {
    "indexing": "all"
  }
  ```

Tabs and groups support the `searchable: true` opt-in. Versions and other top-level navigation elements don't. See [Hidden pages](/docs/organize/hidden-pages#search-seo-and-ai-indexing) for the full visibility and indexing behavior of each `hidden` placement.

Search reindexes when your site rebuilds, so push the `docs.json` change and wait for the deployment to complete before retesting.

## Other causes

* **Hidden tabs or groups**: `hidden: true` on a tab or group also excludes its pages from search. For tabs and groups, you can add `searchable: true` alongside `hidden: true` to keep descendant pages searchable. See [Include pages under specific hidden tabs or groups](/docs/organize/hidden-pages#include-pages-under-specific-hidden-tabs-or-groups).
* **Pages missing from navigation**: Mintlify excludes any page you haven't listed in your `docs.json` navigation from search by default.
* **Page frontmatter**: `hidden: true`, `noindex: true`, or `searchable: false` in a page's frontmatter each exclude that page from site search.


## Related topics

- [SEO](/docs/optimize/seo.md)
- [Mintlify CLI command reference](/docs/cli/commands.md)
- [Pages](/docs/organize/pages.md)