Before you start, make sure you've configured your Quick View, Results Page, and General Settings inside the Smart Search editor. You can preview your setup in the editor or use the in-store preview to see it on your live site without customers seeing it.
Checkout our step by step video instructions to enabling Smart Search for your Shopify store:
Step 1: Enable the Rebuy Connector
The Rebuy Connector is required for Smart Search to appear on your storefront. If you've already enabled it for another Rebuy feature, it may already be on. Confirm it before proceeding.
In your Shopify Admin, go to Online Store > Themes > Customize on your live theme.
Click App Embeds in the left sidebar.
Find Rebuy Connector and confirm it's toggled on.
Click Save.
If the Rebuy Connector is already enabled, no action is needed. Just confirm the toggle is on.
(Screenshot above: Shopify Theme Editor "App embeds" panel showing the "Rebuy Connector" embed toggled on)
Step 2: Disable Native Shopify Search
You need to disable Shopify's default search so it doesn't conflict with Smart Search. The steps differ depending on your theme version.
Online Store 2.0 Themes
How to disable Shopify Native Search for Online Store 2.0 Themes.
In your Shopify Admin, go to Online Store > Themes and click Customize on your live theme.
At the top of the Theme Editor, open the page dropdown and navigate to the Search page.
In the left sidebar under Template, hover over Search Results and click the eye icon to hide it.
Click Save.
1.0 Vintage Themes
To disable Shopify Native Search for Online Store 1.0 Vintage Themes, no action is required. When Smart Search is enabled in Rebuy, it automatically injects code to take control of search on vintage themes.
If Smart Search isn't appearing correctly on a vintage theme, confirm that the theme's search input and button selectors are targeted correctly in Advanced Settings > Selectors. Test in an incognito tab to rule out caching.
Step 3: Enable Smart Search in Rebuy
Once the Shopify-side steps are complete:
In your Rebuy admin, go to Smart Search.
Toggle Smart Search on from the global settings page.
Click Save.
After enabling Smart Search for the first time, allow up to 30 minutes for your products to sync. If results aren't appearing after that window, contact support.
(Screenshot above: Rebuy Admin Smart Search "Global Settings" page showing "Search Enabled" status as "LIVE" - highlighting "Quick View" and "Results Page" toggles both enabled, and a "Search Results Page" field set to /search)
Disable Third-Party Search Apps
Smart Search does not integrate with other search apps. If you have a third-party search app installed, deactivate it before enabling Smart Search. Follow the instructions from that app's provider to remove it cleanly.
Rebuy cannot disable or remove native Shopify theme search functionality or custom code from third-party apps. If you run into issues with native search persisting, contact your theme developer or the third-party app provider directly.
Shopify Setup Helper
You can access these installation steps directly from within the Rebuy admin without leaving the app. The Shopify Setup Helper is a guided panel available in Smart Search > Global Settings, the Quick View editor, and the Results Page editor. Click View Installation Steps wherever you see it to open the panel. It includes a direct Install Search in Shopify button that opens your Shopify Theme Editor to the right location.
(Screenshot above: Rebuy Admin Smart Search "Global Settings" page with the "Shopify Installation Steps" modal open, showing a red box highlighting the "View Installation Guide" link that triggered it)
Smart Search Installation FAQs
For more, see the Smart Search FAQ or contact support via the messenger.
How do I preview Smart Search before going live?
Click Preview at the top right of the Smart Search Quick View editor, or the Results Page editor. The in-store preview lets you see it on your live site without it being visible to customers.
Smart Search isn't showing results after activation. What do I check?
Confirm Shopify's native search is fully disabled in your theme settings. Check that trigger elements in your theme are correctly linked to the search button. If using a 2.0 theme, make sure the Search Results section is hidden in the Theme Editor.