Create and import query suggestions for the classic search experience in SharePoint Server
APPLIES TO: 
2013 2016 2019 Subscription Edition 
SharePoint in Microsoft 365
An easy way to help users search for information in SharePoint Server is to create query suggestions. Query suggestions are words that appear under the search box as users type a query.
SharePoint Server automatically creates a query suggestion when users have clicked a search result for a query at least six times. For example, if users have entered the query word "coffee" and then clicked on a search result six times, then "coffee" automatically becomes a query suggestion. We can also create query spelling suggestions manually. In this article, we'll use a simple example to show how to do this.
How to create a query suggestions file
Open a text editor, for example Notepad.
Enter the query spelling suggestions that you want to add. Add one word or phrase per line.
Save the file as a .txt file and encoding UTF-8.
Now that you have a query suggestions file, the next task is to import it to SharePoint Server.
How to import a query suggestions file to SharePoint
Go to More features in the SharePoint admin center, and sign in with an account that has admin permissions in Microsoft 365.
Under Search, select Open.
Select Query Suggestion Settings.
In the Language for suggestions phrases section, select the language of your query suggestions. In the Always suggest phrases section, select Import from text file.
In the Text file that has phrases section, select Choose File, and import your query suggestions file.
Select OK, and then Save Settings.
Important
When you import query suggestions, existing query suggestions are overwritten. If you haven't previously imported any query suggestions, you have nothing to worry about. Automatically created query suggestions will not be overwritten when you import new ones. But, if you want to import additional query suggestions, you should export the existing query suggestions file, update it, and then reimport it.
How to import a query suggestions file to SharePoint Server
Go to Central Administration --> Manage service applications --> Search Service Application --> Query Suggestions.
On the Query Suggestion Settings page, in the Always suggest phases section, select Import from text file.
On the Import phrases for query suggestions page, select Browse, and import your query suggestions file.
Select OK, and then Save Settings.
Important
When you import query suggestions, existing query suggestions are overwritten. If you haven't previously imported any query suggestions, you have nothing to worry about. Automatically created query suggestions won't be overwritten when you import new ones. But, if you want to import additional query suggestions, you should export the existing query suggestions file, update it, and then reimport it.
How to verify that your query suggestions are working
Important
After you have uploaded your query suggestions file, it might take some hours before your query suggestions are displayed.
To verify that your query suggestions are working correctly, in a search box, type two letters of a phrase from your query suggestions file. The query suggestions appear under the search box.
See also
Concepts
Manage query suggestions in SharePoint Server