How to Add a Searchable Document Library to Wix
October 15, 2026 · 3 min read
Wix makes it easy to link a button to a PDF, but there's no built-in way to show dozens of documents in a list visitors can search and filter. Repeaters and tables can display a list, but searching and filtering them usually means building a database collection and writing code.
A simpler route is to keep your document list in a Google Sheet and display it with Wix's Embed HTML element. This guide walks through it, including the one Wix-specific thing to get right: the size of the embed box.
How Wix embeds work
Wix places custom HTML inside a frame: a box on your page that shows the embedded content. That keeps your site safe, but it has two effects worth knowing:
- The box has a fixed height. You set it in the editor, and the content scrolls inside the box if it's taller. You'll want to make the box tall enough for the library.
- The page address doesn't change as visitors filter inside the frame, so "share this filtered view" links that work on other platforms don't carry over on Wix. Searching and filtering themselves work normally.
Step 1: Put your document links in a Google Sheet
To get a link for a file on Wix, upload it through the editor (for example, set a button's link to Document and upload the PDF), then open the live page, click the button, and copy the address of the file that opens. Files in Google Drive or Dropbox shared as "anyone with the link" work too.
Make a sheet with one row per document:
| Title | URL | Description | Category | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registration Form | (link to the PDF) | Sign up for the fall season. | Forms | 2026-08-01 |
| Parent Handbook | (link to the PDF) | Policies, schedules and contacts. | Handbooks | 2026-07-15 |
For tips on titles, categories and tags, see How to Add a Searchable Document Library to Your Website.
Step 2: Publish the sheet as CSV
In Google Sheets, choose File → Share → Publish to web, select the tab, choose Comma-separated values (.csv), and click Publish. Copy the link it shows.
Step 3: Add an Embed HTML element
The menu names differ slightly between the Wix Editor, Wix Studio and Wix's newer editor, but the steps are the same:
- Click Add (+), go to Embed Code (sometimes under More or Embed & Social), and add Embed HTML (also called Embed code or Custom embed).
- Click Enter Code, choose Code rather than Website address, and paste your library component's code with your sheet link.
- Click Update.
Step 4: Size the box
Drag the embed box to the full width of its section and make it tall: about 900 pixels on desktop is a good start for a library with filters and a dozen results. Then:
- Preview the page and scroll through the library. If a scroll bar appears inside the box, make it taller.
- Check the mobile view. Switch to the mobile view in the editor, select the embed and adjust its height there too, since cards stack and take more room on phones.
- Show fewer results at once if the box gets too tall. A component that loads a set number of results with a "Show more" button keeps the height predictable.
Keeping it current
You won't need to touch the Wix page again. Add, edit or remove rows in the sheet, and the library updates within a few minutes after Google refreshes the published copy.
The ready-made option for Wix
Resource Finder works in Wix's Embed HTML element with this exact setup: paste the snippet, add your sheet link, and size the box. Visitors get search as they type, category buttons, a file-type filter, sorting by date or title, and a "Show more" button that keeps long lists manageable. It works on phones and supports keyboards and screen readers.
The download includes Wix instructions, a spreadsheet template and a demo. It's a one-time purchase from $49 for one website, with no subscription.
Try the live demo, or ask us a question about your Wix site.