Wordpress/WooCommerce: Changing SLUG for searchurl stops searching if the word is not "search" (via htaccess or functions.php)

Question

Running a WooCommerce site and I can successfully change the search slug from ?s=xxx to /search/xxx using one of the following:

htaccess:

RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} \\?s=([^&]+) [NC]
RewriteRule ^$ /search/%1/? [NC,R,L]

functions.php

function wp_change_search_url() {
    if ( is_search() && ! empty( $_GET['s'] ) ) {
        wp_redirect( home_url( "/search/" ) . urlencode( get_query_var( 's' ) ) );
        exit();
    }  
}
add_action( 'template_redirect', 'wp_change_search_url' );

The problem occurs when i change the term "search" to something else. In my case swedish: /sok/. Then the searchfunction stops working and Worpdress says "Nothing found". I tried it on 3 servers, 3 themes, 0 plugins. Same result. If "search" is there it works fine, any other word it stops.

Any idea why?

Edit: The slug "find" also works. I've read all over the internet that people are having problems with this - No solutions seems to have been found though.

Answer 1

You'll also need to change rewrite rules and flush permalinks after, so the process to change search slug to sok would be as follow:

Fist you start by creating proper redirect from the default search link to your targeted URL

function change_sok_url() {
    if ( is_search() && ! empty( $_GET['s'] ) ) {
        wp_redirect( home_url( "/sok/" ) . urlencode( get_query_var( 's' ) ) );
        exit();
    }
}
add_action( 'template_redirect', 'change_sok_url' );

Then change rewrite rules to match the new slug

function rewrite_sok_slug() {
    add_rewrite_rule(
        'sok(/([^/]+))?(/([^/]+))?(/([^/]+))?/?',
        'index.php?s=$matches[2]&paged=$matches[6]',
         'top'
    );
}
add_action( 'init', 'rewrite_sok_slug' );

Then flush permalinks by saving permalink settings from http://yoursite.com/wp-admin/options-permalink.php , just click Save Changes, this should flush rewrite rules and apply the new structure.

Note 1: This is tested and working.

Note 2: No need for .htaccess changes.