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How to Create a Custom People Search Vertical in SharePoint

Elise Williams Oct 9, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to configure a custom People Search vertical specifically at the SharePoint site level.

How to Create a Custom People Search Vertical in SharePoint

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Customizing the SharePoint search experience to include a specialized People Search tab for a specific site.
Observed behavior: The user needs to implement site-level search behavior that differs from the standard company-wide People Search settings.

Before you start

Creating a custom People Search vertical at the site level often requires SharePoint Search development knowledge and administrative access to search configuration settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Seek Assistance in the Microsoft Q&A Development Community

Because custom site-level People Search verticals require advanced search development and complex query configurations, consulting the dedicated Microsoft developer community is the recommended approach.

A custom People Search vertical at the site level is not a standard end-user toggle. It involves overriding or extending Microsoft Search logic.

By posting in the official developer forums, you can get precise guidance on custom KQL (Keyword Query Language) and search schemas tailored to your specific organizational needs.

Navigate to Microsoft Q&A

Go to the Microsoft Q&A website and sign in with your Microsoft 365 or organizational account.

Draft your requirement

Click on the 'Ask a question' button to start a new thread.

Detail the search behavior

Include specific details about how your desired site-level search behavior should differ from the default company-level People Search vertical.

Apply the correct tags

Tag your post with 'SharePoint Development' to ensure it reaches the appropriate search architecture experts.

Seek Assistance in the Microsoft Q&A Development Community

Provide Context: Be sure to mention whether you are using SharePoint Online (Microsoft Search) or an on-premises version, as the customization methods differ significantly.

Solution 2

Configure Basic Search Verticals in Site Settings

If you are an administrator and want to attempt standard search vertical customization, you can access the Verticals configuration within the Microsoft Search settings for your site.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a search vertical in SharePoint?

A search vertical is a dedicated tab on the search results page (such as 'All', 'Files', 'Sites', or 'People') that filters results to a specific type of content, helping users narrow down their search more efficiently.

Can I customize the default People search vertical built into Microsoft 365?

You generally cannot modify or delete the built-in, out-of-the-box People search vertical provided by Microsoft Search. However, administrators can create new, custom verticals at the site or organization level with specialized query rules.

Why does a custom site-level People Search require development help?

Creating a people-focused vertical at a specific site level often requires writing custom KQL (Keyword Query Language) queries, mapping managed properties, and sometimes deploying custom SPFx (SharePoint Framework) web parts, which goes beyond standard site configuration.

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