diff --git a/doc/changelog.d/584.miscellaneous.md b/doc/changelog.d/584.miscellaneous.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4bbea430c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/changelog.d/584.miscellaneous.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+fix: enable local page `Search` and default to PyData search on 'Enter'
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/ansys_sphinx_theme/theme/ansys_sphinx_theme/components/search-button-field.html b/src/ansys_sphinx_theme/theme/ansys_sphinx_theme/components/search-button-field.html
index 32e26e831..eee4e6945 100644
--- a/src/ansys_sphinx_theme/theme/ansys_sphinx_theme/components/search-button-field.html
+++ b/src/ansys_sphinx_theme/theme/ansys_sphinx_theme/components/search-button-field.html
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 
 <div class="search-bar pst-js-only" id="search-bar">
-    <form class="bd-search d-flex align-items-center" action="{{ pathto('search') }}" method="get">
-      <i class="fa-solid fa-magnifying-glass"></i>
-      <input type="search" class="form-control" name="q" placeholder="{{ theme_search_bar_text }}"
-             aria-label="{{ theme_search_bar_text }}" autocomplete="off" autocorrect="off"
-             autocapitalize="off" spellcheck="false"/>
-      <span class="search-button__kbd-shortcut">
-        <kbd class="kbd-shortcut__modifier">Ctrl</kbd>+<kbd>K</kbd>
-      </span>
-    </form>
-    <div id="search-results" class="search-results" style="display: none;" tabindex="0"></div>
+  <form class="bd-search d-flex align-items-center" action="{{ pathto('search') }}" method="get">
+    <i class="fa-solid fa-magnifying-glass"></i>
+    <input type="search" class="form-control" name="q" placeholder="{{ theme_search_bar_text }}"
+      aria-label="{{ theme_search_bar_text }}" autocomplete="off" autocorrect="off"
+      autocapitalize="off" spellcheck="false" />
+    <span class="search-button__kbd-shortcut">
+      <kbd class="kbd-shortcut__modifier">Ctrl</kbd>+<kbd>K</kbd>
+    </span>
+  </form>
+  <div id="static-search-results" class="static-search-results" style="display:none;" tabindex="0"></div>
 </div>
diff --git a/src/ansys_sphinx_theme/theme/ansys_sphinx_theme/static/css/ast-search.css b/src/ansys_sphinx_theme/theme/ansys_sphinx_theme/static/css/ast-search.css
index 8ab9f6ae4..130272e36 100644
--- a/src/ansys_sphinx_theme/theme/ansys_sphinx_theme/static/css/ast-search.css
+++ b/src/ansys_sphinx_theme/theme/ansys_sphinx_theme/static/css/ast-search.css
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 @import "ansys-sphinx-theme-variable.css";
 
-.search-results {
+.static-search-results {
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
   align-content: stretch;
diff --git a/src/ansys_sphinx_theme/theme/ansys_sphinx_theme/static/js/pydata_search.js b/src/ansys_sphinx_theme/theme/ansys_sphinx_theme/static/js/pydata_search.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 58a326314..000000000
--- a/src/ansys_sphinx_theme/theme/ansys_sphinx_theme/static/js/pydata_search.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-let searchInput = document.querySelector("form.bd-search input");
-if (searchInput) {
-  searchInput.focus();
-  searchInput.select();
-  console.log("[PST]: Set focus on search field.");
-}
-src = "{{ pathto('_static/searchtools.js', 1) }}";
-src = "{{ pathto('_static/language_data.js', 1) }}";
-src = "{{ pathto('searchindex.js', 1) }}";
diff --git a/src/ansys_sphinx_theme/theme/ansys_sphinx_theme/static/js/search.js b/src/ansys_sphinx_theme/theme/ansys_sphinx_theme/static/js/search.js
index a01ba7490..059f253bd 100644
--- a/src/ansys_sphinx_theme/theme/ansys_sphinx_theme/static/js/search.js
+++ b/src/ansys_sphinx_theme/theme/ansys_sphinx_theme/static/js/search.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 const SEARCH_BAR = document.getElementById("search-bar");
 const SEARCH_INPUT = SEARCH_BAR.querySelector(".bd-search input.form-control");
-const RESULTS = document.getElementById("search-results");
+const RESULTS = document.getElementById("static-search-results");
 const MAIN_PAGE_CONTENT = document.querySelector(".bd-main");
 let CURRENT_INDEX = -1;
 
@@ -28,12 +28,13 @@ require(["fuse"], function (Fuse) {
   // Initialize Fuse when the data is fetched
   function initializeFuse(data, options) {
     fuse = new Fuse(data, options);
+    // add env variable "FUSE_ACTIVE" to indicate that the search is ready
+    document.documentElement.setAttribute("data-fuse_active", "true");
   }
 
   // Expand the search bar input
   function expandSearchInput() {
     RESULTS.style.display = "flex";
-    searchingForResultsBanner();
     SEARCH_INPUT.classList.add("expanded");
     MAIN_PAGE_CONTENT.classList.add("blurred");
     SEARCH_INPUT.focus();
@@ -115,7 +116,8 @@ require(["fuse"], function (Fuse) {
     RESULTS.style.display = "flex";
     const warningBanner = document.createElement("div");
     warningBanner.className = "warning-banner";
-    warningBanner.textContent = "No results found.";
+    warningBanner.textContent =
+      "No results found. Press Enter for extended search.";
     warningBanner.style.display = "block";
     warningBanner.style.fontStyle = "italic";
     RESULTS.appendChild(warningBanner);
@@ -187,6 +189,12 @@ require(["fuse"], function (Fuse) {
           const href = resultItems[CURRENT_INDEX].dataset.href;
           navigateToHref(href);
         }
+        if (resultItems.length > 0) {
+          event.preventDefault(); // Prevent default enter action
+          const href = resultItems[0].dataset.href;
+          navigateToHref(href);
+        }
+
         break;
 
       case "ArrowDown":
@@ -205,7 +213,15 @@ require(["fuse"], function (Fuse) {
         break;
 
       default:
-        searchingForResultsBanner();
+        // if environment variable "FUSE_ACTIVE" is set to true
+        if (
+          document.documentElement.getAttribute("data-fuse_active") === "true"
+        ) {
+          searchingForResultsBanner();
+        } else {
+          console.error("[AST]: Fuse is not active yet.");
+          RESULTS.style.display = "none";
+        }
         handleSearchInput();
     }
   }