---
title: "Custom Queries for the Advanced Query Loop Block (Filter)"
source: "https://docs.nexcess.com/software/kadence/blocks/custom-queries-advanced-query-loop/"
description: "The Advanced Query Loop block (Kadence Blocks Pro) provides settings to create a custom query loop. However, sometimes, you need to alter the query beyond the c…"
vertical: "Software"
area: "Kadence Blocks"
date: "2023-12-05"
last_modified: "2026-07-02"
---

# Custom Queries for the Advanced Query Loop Block (Filter)

The [Advanced Query Loop](https://docs.nexcess.com/software/kadence/blocks/advanced-query-loop-block/) block ([Kadence Blocks Pro](https://www.kadencewp.com/kadence-blocks/pro/)) provides settings to create a custom query loop. However, sometimes, you need to alter the query beyond the capabilities of the Advanced Query Loop’s settings. In these cases, you can add a code snippet to alter the [WordPress Query](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/wp_query/) object. You can add PHP code to your site using a plugin like [Code Snippets](https://docs.nexcess.com/software/kadence/blocks/add-custom-filter-or-function-with-code-snippets/) or your functions.php file (in a [child theme](https://docs.nexcess.com/software/kadence/what-is-child-theme-do-i-need-one/)).

If you want to modify the query arguments, you can make use of the ‘**kadence\_blocks\_pro\_query\_loop\_query\_vars**‘ filter. Here is an example that implements the filter.

Examples

```php
add_filter( 'kadence_blocks_pro_query_loop_query_vars', function( $query, $ql_query_meta, $ql_id ) {

   if ( $ql_id == 5283 ) {
      $query['tax_query'] = array(
         array(
            'taxonomy' => 'category',
            'field' => 'slug',
            'terms' => 'sub',
         )
      );
   }
   
   return $query;
}, 10, 3 );
```

In the above code, the **$ql\_id** is set to **5283**. This is the post ID of the specific query you want to target. If you don’t provide the conditional “if” statement to target a query ID, all of your queries will share the arguments, which isn’t ideal. Among other ways, you can find the **$ql\_id** by navigating to **Kadence Blocks > All Queries**, hovering over the edit link of your desired query, and looking at the bottom left corner of your browser window. Be sure to change the ID to suit your needs.

![Query Post ID](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Query-Post-ID.jpeg)

The example also uses the [Simple Taxonomy Query](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/wp_query/#taxonomy-parameters) provided by the WordPress Query documentation. Here are some additional examples that have been modified from the WordPress documentation.

**Returns posts dated December 12, 2012**

Source: [https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/wp\_query/#date-parameters](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/wp_query/#date-parameters)

```php
add_filter( 'kadence_blocks_pro_query_loop_query_vars', function( $query, $ql_query_meta, $ql_id ) {

   if ( $ql_id == 5283 ) {

      $query['date_query'] = array(
         array(
            'year' => 2012,
            'month' => 12,
            'day' => 12,
         ),
      );
   }
   
   return $query;
}, 10, 3 );
```

Display posts where the custom field key is ‘color’ and the custom field value IS ‘blue’

Source: [https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/wp\_query/#custom-field-post-meta-parameters](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/wp_query/#custom-field-post-meta-parameters)

```php
add_filter( 'kadence_blocks_pro_query_loop_query_vars', function( $query, $ql_query_meta, $ql_id ) {

   if ( $ql_id == 5283 ) {

      $query['meta_key'] = 'color';
      $query['meta_value'] = 'blue';
      $query['meta_compare'] = '=';
   }
   
   return $query;
}, 10, 3 );
```

**Display posts with 25 comments or more**

Source: [https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/wp\_query/#comment-parameters](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/wp_query/#comment-parameters).

```php
add_filter( 'kadence_blocks_pro_query_loop_query_vars', function( $query, $ql_query_meta, $ql_id ) {

   if ( $ql_id == 5283 ) {
      $query['post_type'] = 'post';
      $query['comment_count'] = array(
         'value' => 1,
         'compare' => '>=',
      );
   }
   
   return $query;
}, 10, 3 );
```

Display posts that are not in a specific category

Source: [https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/wp\_query/#category-parameters](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/wp_query/#category-parameters)

```php
add_filter( 'kadence_blocks_pro_query_loop_query_vars', function( $query, $ql_query_meta, $ql_id ) {

   if ( $ql_id == 5283 ) {
      $query['category__not_in'] = 5;
   }	
   
   return $query;
}, 10, 3 );
```

Display posts from multiple specific taxonomies and terms

Source: [https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/wp\_query/#taxonomy-parameters](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/wp_query/#taxonomy-parameters)

```php
add_filter( 'kadence_blocks_pro_query_loop_query_vars', function( $query, $ql_query_meta, $ql_id ) {

   if ( $ql_id == 5283 ) {
      $query['tax_query'] = array(
         'relation' => 'AND', // Relation between taxonomies
         
         array(
            'taxonomy' => 'category',  // First taxonomy type
            'field'    => 'slug',
            'terms'    => 'a',         // Slug of the first taxonomy term
         ),

         array(
            'taxonomy' => 'category',  // Second taxonomy type
            'field'    => 'slug',
            'terms'    => 'fruit',     // Slug of the second taxonomy term
         ),
      );
   }

   return $query;
}, 10, 3 );
```

Display posts from author

```php
add_filter( 'kadence_blocks_pro_query_loop_query_vars', function( $query, $ql_query_meta, $ql_id ) {

   if ( $ql_id == 5283 ) {
     // Replace 123 with the user ID you want to filter by
     $query['author'] = 123;
     // Or use author__in for multiple users:
     // $query['author__in'] = array( 123, 456 );
   }

   return $query;
}, 10, 3 );
```

Show Related Posts for Custom Taxonomies

The Advanced Query Loop block includes an option to *Show Related Posts*, which by default uses the standard post categories and tags to determine related content. If you’re working with a custom post type and/or a custom taxonomy, you can use the following snippet to modify the query and show related posts based on a specific taxonomy.

```php
add_filter( 'kadence_blocks_pro_query_loop_query_vars', function( $query, $ql_query_meta, $ql_id ) {

   if ( $ql_id == 5283 ) {
      $current_post_id = get_the_ID();

      // Get the taxonomy terms of the current page
      $terms = get_the_terms( $current_post_id, 'edownload' ); //Replace 'edownload' with your taxonomy term
		
	  // Ensure the terms are valid
      if ( $terms && ! is_wp_error( $terms ) ) {
         $term_slugs = wp_list_pluck( $terms, 'slug' );

      // Return the terms in the tax_query array
         $query['tax_query'] = array(
            array(
               'taxonomy' => 'edownload',  //Replace 'edownload' with your taxonomy term
               'field'    => 'slug',
               'terms'    => $term_slugs,
            ),
         );
      }
   }

   return $query;
}, 10, 3 );
```

Show Only In-Stock WooCommerce Products

By default, Adv Query Loop will display all products regardless of stock status. The following will modify the query so that it only shows in-stock products.

```php
// Show only Products that are in-stock
add_filter( 'kadence_blocks_pro_query_loop_query_vars', function( $query, $ql_query_meta, $ql_id ) {
	if ( $ql_id == 149879 ) {  // <-- change to your Query Loop ID
		$query['meta_query'] = array(
			array(
				'key'     => '_stock_status',
				'value'   => 'instock',
				'compare' => '=',
			),
		);
	}
	return $query;
}, 10, 3 );
```

**Show Only WooCommerce Products that are on sale**

```php
// Show only Products that are on sale
add_filter( 'kadence_blocks_pro_query_loop_query_vars', function( $query, $ql_query_meta, $ql_id ) {
	if ( $ql_id == 149879 ) {  // <-- change to your Query Loop ID
	  // Get all product IDs on sale (WooCommerce core helper)
          $sale_ids = wc_get_product_ids_on_sale();

          if ( ! empty( $sale_ids ) ) {
              // Force using these IDs
              $query['post__in'] = $sale_ids;

              // Optionally, ensure it’s querying products
              $query['post_type'] = 'product';
          } else {
            // If no products on sale, force an empty result
            $query['post__in'] = [0];
          }
	}
	return $query;
}, 10, 3 );
```

Enable Relevanssi Integration

The text search feature for Adv Query Loop uses the native WordPress search function which only considers the **post title** and **post content** values. Additional details such as custom post meta values, categories, and tags are not included so native searches will not consider these additional fields. **Relevanssi** replaces the native WP search functionality and gives you greater control over your search results. To learn more about Relevanssi, see their [plugin page](https://wordpress.org/plugins/relevanssi/) or the [official website](https://www.relevanssi.com/).

Adding the following code snippet will enable the Kadence Advance Query Loop to use the Relevanssi search query for a specific Advanced Query Loop block:

```php
add_filter('kadence_blocks_pro_query_loop_query_vars', function( $query_args, $ql_query_meta, $ql_id ){

     if ( $ql_id == 5283 && function_exists( 'relevanssi_do_query' ) && isset( $query_args['s'] ) ) {
          $query_args['relevanssi'] = true;
     }

     return $query_args; 
}, 10, 3);
```