When you select a search vertical like News, People, or Conversations in SharePoint, the results page may display an empty set with no items found. This problem occurs when the search vertical is misconfigured or the underlying result source is missing or broken. This article explains why search verticals return empty results and provides the exact steps to diagnose and fix the issue.
Key Takeaways: Fixing Empty Search Vertical Results
- SharePoint admin center > Search > Search Verticals: Check the configuration of each vertical, especially the result source and query template.
- Result source URL or query template: A missing or invalid result source is the most common root cause of empty vertical results.
- Test the result source directly: Use the Search REST API or the classic Search Center to verify the result source returns items before fixing the vertical.
Why Search Verticals Return Empty Results
A search vertical is a predefined view that filters search results by content type or source. SharePoint includes default verticals for Everything, People, News, Conversations, and Videos. Custom verticals can be created for specific sites or content types. Each vertical is linked to a result source and a query template. The result source defines where the search engine looks for content. The query template applies additional filters or sorting. If the result source is misconfigured, deleted, or restricted by permissions, the vertical returns zero results. A second common cause is a query template that uses a property or managed property that does not exist in the search schema. A third cause is the vertical being restricted to a specific site collection or hub that the current user cannot access.
Steps to Diagnose and Fix Empty Search Vertical Results
Follow these steps in order. Start with the simplest check and move to deeper configuration fixes.
- Verify the search vertical is enabled
Go to SharePoint admin center > Search > Search Verticals. Locate the vertical that shows empty results. Ensure the toggle under the vertical name is set to On. If it is Off, turn it on and wait 15 minutes for propagation. Then test the vertical again. - Check the result source assigned to the vertical
In the same Search Verticals page, click the vertical name. Look at the Result source field. It should show a valid result source name such as Local SharePoint Results or People Search. If it shows a custom result source that no longer exists, the vertical will return empty. Click Edit and select a working result source. Save the change. - Test the result source directly
Go to SharePoint admin center > Search > Result Sources. Find the result source used by the vertical. Click the name to view the query template. Copy the full query text. Open a browser tab and run this URL:https://[tenant].sharepoint.com/_api/search/query?querytext=''&sourceid='[source-id]'. Replace [tenant] with your tenant name. Replace [source-id] with the GUID from the result source. If the JSON response shows zero primary results, the result source itself is broken. Edit the result source and fix the query template or the source URL. - Review the query template for invalid properties
In the result source editor, examine the Query template field. A common mistake is referencing a managed property that is not mapped or has no crawled property. For example,{?owstaxIdProductCatalog}will return empty if the Product Catalog term set is not configured. Remove or replace the invalid property. Save the result source. - Check search vertical scope restrictions
In the Search Verticals page, open the vertical and look for the Scope field. If it is set to a specific site collection or hub, the vertical only shows results for that scope. Users outside that scope see empty results. Change the scope to All Sites if the vertical should work tenant-wide. - Reindex the content source
If the result source is a custom indexer or a specific content source, the index may be stale. Go to SharePoint admin center > Search > Content Sources. Select the content source used by the vertical and click Start Full Crawl. Wait for the crawl to complete, then test the vertical. - Reset the search vertical to default
If the vertical is a default vertical like News or Conversations, you can reset it. In the Search Verticals page, select the vertical and click Reset vertical. This restores the default result source and query template. Customizations are lost. Test the vertical after reset.
If Search Verticals Still Show Empty Results
Search vertical works for some users but not others
This indicates a permissions issue. The result source may include content from a site that the user cannot access. Check the result source query template. If it uses path or site filters, ensure those sites grant read access to the affected users. Also check if the vertical is scoped to a hub site that has unique permissions.
Search vertical returns results in classic search but not in modern search
Modern search verticals use the same result sources as classic search, but they may apply additional filters. Go to the vertical settings and review the Query template. Look for a ContentTypeId filter that does not match the content. Remove the filter and test again.
Custom search vertical shows empty after creation
A newly created vertical may not appear in search results until the search index is updated. Wait 15 minutes after creating the vertical. If it still shows empty, delete the vertical and recreate it. Ensure you select a result source that is actively returning results.
Default Search Verticals vs Custom Search Verticals
| Item | Default Search Vertical | Custom Search Vertical |
|---|---|---|
| Result source | Preconfigured and maintained by Microsoft | Must be created and assigned by an administrator |
| Query template | Built-in and optimized for the vertical type | Defined by the creator; prone to errors |
| Scope | All Sites by default | Can be restricted to a site collection or hub |
| Reset option | Available via Reset vertical button | Must be manually reconfigured or deleted |
| Empty results cause | Rare; usually a permissions or indexing issue | Common; often a misconfigured result source or query template |
After completing the diagnostic steps, you can now identify and fix the root cause of empty search vertical results. Start by verifying the result source and query template. If the problem persists, check the vertical scope and content source crawl status. For custom verticals, always test the result source separately before assigning it to a vertical.