---
title: "Creating Filters"
description: "Filters are used to narrow down the search for a particular product."
url: "https://docs.j2commerce.com/v6/catalog/creating-filters"
markdown_url: "https://docs.j2commerce.com/v6/catalog/creating-filters.md"
last_updated: "2026-10-23T02:33:38+00:00"
version: "J2Commerce 6"
breadcrumbs:
  - title: "Home"
    url: "https://docs.j2commerce.com/"
  - title: "J2Commerce 6"
    url: "https://docs.j2commerce.com/v6"
  - title: "Catalog"
    url: "https://docs.j2commerce.com/v6/catalog"
  - title: "Creating Filters"
    url: "https://docs.j2commerce.com/v6/catalog/creating-filters"
---

# Creating Filters

Filters are used to narrow down the search for a particular product.

In this page, first Filter Groups are created, and in each group, some Filter Names will be added, and based on the Filter Name, products will be searched.

- E.g., Filter Group: Flavor
- Filter Names: Milk, Dark, White, Mixed

> **Info:** NOTE: If you are adding a large number of filters (1000+), make sure "max_input_vars" in your PHP.ini is set to a higher number as well

## Requirements

- with PHP 8.3.0 +
- Joomla! 6.x
- J2Commerce 6.x

## Locating Filters

You have to create the filter before you can add it to your products. So let's create the filter first and then we will add it to a product.

There are **two** ways you can access the plugin.

**Option a:** Go to the **J2Commerce** icon at the top right corner **-> Catalog -> Filters**

**Option b:** Go to **Components** on the left sidebar **-> J2Commerce -> Dashboard -> Catalog -> Filters**

![Filter Groups screen reached through Components, J2Commerce, and the J2Commerce menu with Catalog and Filters highlighted](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/filters-locate.webp)

## Creating a Filter Group

The filter page shows all of your current Filter Groups, and now we are going to create a **new** Group called 'Flavor.'

![Creating a new filter](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/filters-group.webp)

### Creating Filter Values

In the example below, the Filter Group is 'Flavor,' and its filter values are 'Dark', 'Milk', 'White', 'Mixed' for a chocolate company. You can add/remove or rearrange the order of the filter value

![Creating filter values](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/filters-group2.webp)

Now that you have created the filters, you can add them to your products. If you need to add more filters in the future for different products, just go back into the Filter Group called 'Flavor' and add more filter values

## Adding filters to products

**Content -> Categories -> Article**

![Articles: Categories list with the Content and Categories sidebar entries highlighted and the Published article count 3 for Gifts highlighted](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/filters-article.webp)

Click on the product you want to add filters to. **J2Commerce** tab **-> Filters** tab

Type the first few letters of the unique name of the product filters in the search box.

It will display the search results in a dropdown. Choose the filters from the dropdown and save the product.

![Product edit screen, Filters tab highlighted: Search and Add Product Filters field with "flavor" typed and matching Flavor values listed in the dropdown](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/filters-dropdown.webp)

If your filter doesn't show up in this section, then it's because you forgot to add filter values to the filter group mentioned above.

![Adding a filter to the product](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/filters-product.webp)

You can add as many filters as needed to each product

## Stylizing the Filters for the Frontend

The following section is all controlled by how you set up your store menu link. There are many different ways to display the filters on the product pages. They are all controlled by just two sections. The **Specifications** and **Description and Specifications** sections.

Go to **Menu -> Main Menu -> Store**

![Menus: Items (Main Menu) list with the Menus sidebar entry, Main Menu and the Store menu item highlighted](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/filters-menu.webp)

Select the **Product** tab and scroll to the bottom until you see **Specifications**.

**Example 1:**

As a default, **Specifications** will be set as '**No**'. This means that any specifications that belong to a product will not appear on the individual product pages. ie, filters, dimensions, weight, etc. The Filters will appear on the category page, though.

![Store menu item product options with the Specifications switch set to No highlighted and Description and Specifications set to Use Tabs highlighted](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/filters-specs-1.webp)

**Frontend - Category Page**

![Gifts category page with the Filters heading and the Flavor filter group with Dark, Milk, White and Mixed highlighted beside product cards](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/filters-category.webp)

**Frontend - Product Page**

![Heart Box product page with Color swatches Pink, Red and Black, price, SKU and an Add to Cart button, with no Specifications tab shown](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/filters-specs-1-1.webp)

**Example 2:**

Once you select '**Yes**' for **Specifications**, two more options will appear

![Store menu item product options: Specifications Yes, Product Filters Show and Hide Empty Dimensions Yes highlighted, layout set to No Tabs/Accordions](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/filters-specs-2.webp)

**Product Filters:** Select '**Show**' to display the product filter values in the Specifications area.

**Hide Empty Dimensions:** Select '**Yes**' to hide empty weight, length, height, and width values (i.e., you want to show the product filters in the Specifications, but not empty dimensions).

**Description and Specifications:** (No Tabs/Accordions) They will appear on top of each other.

![Heart Box product page with Description and Specifications stacked one after another, the Specifications block showing Flavor values highlighted](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/filters-specs-2-1.webp)

**Example 3:**

We will keep the previous options the same and only change how the **Description and Specifications** are shown.

![Store menu item product options: Specifications, Product Filters and Hide Empty Dimensions set to Yes highlighted, layout set to Use Tabs highlighted](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/filters-specs-3.webp)

**Description and Specifications:** (Use Tabs) They are now next to each other in separate tabs

![Heart Box product page with Description and Specifications in tabs, the Specifications tab and its Flavor values highlighted](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/filters-specs-3-1.webp)

**Example 4:**

We will keep the previous options the same and only change how the **Description and Specifications** are shown.

![Store menu item product options: Specifications, Product Filters and Hide Empty Dimensions set to Yes highlighted, layout set to Use Accordions highlighted](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/filters-specs-4.webp)

**Description and Specifications:** (Use Accordions) They are now under the Add to Cart button in an accordion style that can be opened or closed.

![Heart Box product page with collapsible Description and Specifications accordion panels highlighted, Specifications open showing Flavor values](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/filters-specs-4-1.webp)