# Collections filters disappear

**URL:** <https://community.weweb.io/t/collections-filters-disappear/20946>\
**Category:** Ask us anything\
**Created:** [March 26, 2026, 8:34am UTC](https://community.weweb.io/t/collections-filters-disappear/20946 "2026-03-26T08:34:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Corner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Corner](https://community.weweb.io/u/Corner)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2026, 8:34am UTC](https://community.weweb.io/t/collections-filters-disappear/20946/1 "2026-03-26T08:34:09Z")

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### Hi, I have an issue with my collections filters that disappear sometimes.

It’s not the first time it happens, and I might have done something wrong here, but could you help me with that issue ?

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/weweb/original/3X/d/e/de345533e3269307dd929408a59b625d1aebf755.png)

I don’t know if it’s because the collection doesn’t load so the parameter as a filter can’t be neither, or something like this.

I’m also thinking it’s because I’m putting a search bar value variable as a filter, variable that doesn’t exist when not used. As a result, I’m getting “Unknown” in filter that causes the collection to not load :

![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/weweb/original/3X/d/5/d58647ccf2117abd7930b9a69c5490a23d4cdee2.png)

If anyone could help me understand once for all !

Thanks !

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**Author:** ![Joyce](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.weweb.io/joyce/32/13232_2.png) [@Joyce](https://community.weweb.io/u/Joyce)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2026, 8:55am UTC](https://community.weweb.io/t/collections-filters-disappear/20946/2 "2026-03-26T08:55:38Z")

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Hey @Corner 👋

Would you mind recording a short video of how things are setup on your side?

I’m not sure I understand what you mean by “the collection doesn’t load” and “variable that doesn’t exist when not used”.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Corner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Corner](https://community.weweb.io/u/Corner)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2026, 9:19am UTC](https://community.weweb.io/t/collections-filters-disappear/20946/3 "2026-03-26T09:19:10Z")

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I think it’s something I might have missed, but I understand that a variable ”.. - value “ (for a search bar or a select for example), can’t be used as a collection filter. Because when a user is not on the page where the value variable is located, this variable is not usable anymore. Is that it ?

As a result, I’m creating a variable that will host the value of the built-in variable from component such as select or search bar, because a created variable is always “known” even when the use is not on the page.

Don’t know if I’m making my point here, I hope so !

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**Author:** ![Joyce](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.weweb.io/joyce/32/13232_2.png) [@Joyce](https://community.weweb.io/u/Joyce)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2026, 9:45am UTC](https://community.weweb.io/t/collections-filters-disappear/20946/4 "2026-03-27T09:45:20Z")

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Aaah yes, that’s it: because the variable is tied to the element, it only exists when the element exists on the page, i.e. if the user is on the page.

You’ll want to create a global variable with default values and update that variable with the values of the select and search variables when they are used. That way, the variable in your filters will always exist 🙂

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Corner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Corner](https://community.weweb.io/u/Corner)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2026, 11:34am UTC](https://community.weweb.io/t/collections-filters-disappear/20946/5 "2026-03-27T11:34:09Z")

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Yep okay, that’s clear now thanks 🙂