---
title: "How to hide results and only display them if a search is performed"
date: 2026-04-23
updated: 2026-10-05
author: "GravityKit"
link: "https://www.gravitykit.com/docs/gravityview/search/how-to-hide-results-and-only-display-them-if-a-search-is-performed/"
category: "GravityView > Search"
---

Let's say you want to hide your View results, and only display them after a search is performed. That's a built-in setting in GravityView called "Hide View data until search is performed" which you can find in the View Settings box inside the View editor:

![Settings menu with option to hide view data until a search is performed](https://www.gravitykit.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/file-CzPu5ypBsy.png)
*With this option checked, your View will look like this before any search is performed:*![Contact form with a name input field and search button](https://www.gravitykit.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/file-CRzxRguXNi.png)
*And, after performing a search:*![Contact form with search functionality, displaying three search results for "Alice" with names and emails](https://www.gravitykit.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/file-Ult8VFODTh.png)

## What counts as a search

In GravityView 3.6.0 and later, the View stays empty until it gets a search with a value in a field that visitors are allowed to search:

- A search from the Search Bar counts when at least one field has a value. Searching with every field empty still shows nothing.
- A link counts when it searches one of the Search Bar's fields with a value, such as a link to a page of search results.
- A link that searches only other fields of the form doesn't count, unless the Search Bar has a **Search Everything** field. With one, links can search any field, or only the fields the View shows when **Search in visible fields only** is checked.
- A search of all fields (`gv_search` in the address) counts only when the Search Bar has a **Search Everything** field. By default, a search made only of spaces doesn't count.

Default values alone don't count, so the View stays empty on the first visit even when its fields have defaults. Clicking **Search** with the defaults filled in does count. [Setting a default value](https://www.gravitykit.com/docs/gravityview/search/configuring-the-search-bar/#default-value) explains defaults.

The setting also applies to the View's REST API results, its CSV and TSV exports, and `[gravityview detail]` counts.