Why am I seeing “FacetWP was unable to auto-detect the post listing”?

If you see this error, FacetWP can’t find a suitable query. This usually happens when you have a custom WP_Query on a standard WordPress page. To let FacetWP detect the custom query, you have to add facetwp => true to the query arguments. See this section for more information.

This error can also happen:

• If you are using the WP External Links plugin.
• If the facetwp-template class exists multiple times on a page. There should only be one facetwp-template class on a page. Check your page source HTML to see if this is the case. This can happen:
  • If you added multiple listings to the page yourself, which does not work. You can have only one filterable listing on a page.
  • If you added the facetwp-template class manually somewhere on the page, for example on a <div> surrounding a Listing Builder listing. Adding the facetwp-template class manually is almost never necessary: all listing template types add it automatically. The only reason to add this class manually would be if FacetWP’s automatic loop detection fails.
• If you are using the Bricks add-on with a FacetWP-enabled Bricks element. To fix the issue, go to Bricks > Settings > Performance and disable the “Cache query loops” setting.
• If you are using Elementor, with the Element Caching feature enabled. Element Caching is incompatible with FacetWP. If you see a “FacetWP was unable to auto-detect the post listing” error, or if your facets are not showing (or disappearing after use), make sure to disable Element Caching globally or in every FacetWP-related widget.
• If you are using the AIOSEO plugin with the “Run Shortcodes” setting enabled. To fix the issue, go to All in One SEO > Search Appearance > Advanced, and disable the “Run Shortcodes” setting, or exclude FacetWP shortcodes from being parsed.
• If you are using an object caching plugin, like Redis Object Cache or Object Cache Pro. Object caching can interfere with FacetWP’s ability to detect the right query on refresh. Depending on the implementation or plugin used, you may be able to exclude your facet page or its cache groups from being cached. Or you could disable object caching entirely. See this page for more info.
• If you are hosting your site on WP Engine:
  • By WP Engine caching FacetWP’s API URL.
  • Because of WP Engine’s object cache.
• If you are hosting your site on Pressable, because of Pressable’s object caching.

See also

• Using a custom WP_Query
• Troubleshooting guide
• Using FacetWP with WP External Links
• Can I use multiple queries / FacetWP templates on the same page?
• Using FacetWP with Bricks Builder
• Using FacetWP with Elementor
• Using FacetWP with All in One SEO (Pro)
• Using FacetWP with WP Engine
• Using FacetWP with Pressable
• Using FacetWP with Cloudflare
• Why do I see no results after using facets?
• Why am I seeing “FacetWP has not detected a listing template” in the Console?
• Using FacetWP with object caching