diff --git a/src/components/ProgressGuide/FollowDialog.tsx b/src/components/ProgressGuide/FollowDialog.tsx
index 18afa462af..511cee1a68 100644
--- a/src/components/ProgressGuide/FollowDialog.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ProgressGuide/FollowDialog.tsx
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import {popularInterests, useInterestsDisplayNames} from '#/lib/interests'
 import {logEvent} from '#/lib/statsig/statsig'
 import {isWeb} from '#/platform/detection'
 import {useModerationOpts} from '#/state/preferences/moderation-opts'
-import {useActorSearchPaginated} from '#/state/queries/actor-search'
+import {useActorSearch} from '#/state/queries/actor-search'
 import {usePreferencesQuery} from '#/state/queries/preferences'
 import {useGetSuggestedUsersQuery} from '#/state/queries/trending/useGetSuggestedUsersQuery'
 import {useSession} from '#/state/session'
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ function DialogInner({guide}: {guide: Follow10ProgressGuide}) {
     isFetching: isFetchingSearchResults,
     error: searchResultsError,
     isError: isSearchResultsError,
-  } = useActorSearchPaginated({
+  } = useActorSearch({
     enabled: !!searchText,
     query: searchText,
   })
diff --git a/src/lib/constants.ts b/src/lib/constants.ts
index c777480fc0..97a7679615 100644
--- a/src/lib/constants.ts
+++ b/src/lib/constants.ts
@@ -204,6 +204,7 @@ export const urls = {
   website: {
     blog: {
       initialVerificationAnnouncement: `https://bsky.social/about/blog/04-21-2025-verification`,
+      searchTipsAndTricks: 'https://bsky.social/about/blog/05-31-2024-search',
     },
   },
 }
diff --git a/src/screens/Search/Explore.tsx b/src/screens/Search/Explore.tsx
index 478cbba2c0..e512454fce 100644
--- a/src/screens/Search/Explore.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/Search/Explore.tsx
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import {logger} from '#/logger'
 import {type MetricEvents} from '#/logger/metrics'
 import {useLanguagePrefs} from '#/state/preferences/languages'
 import {useModerationOpts} from '#/state/preferences/moderation-opts'
-import {RQKEY_ROOT_PAGINATED as useActorSearchPaginatedQueryKeyRoot} from '#/state/queries/actor-search'
+import {RQKEY_ROOT as useActorSearchQueryKeyRoot} from '#/state/queries/actor-search'
 import {
   type FeedPreviewItem,
   useFeedPreviews,
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ export function Explore({
         queryKey: [getSuggestedUsersQueryKeyRoot],
       }),
       qc.resetQueries({
-        queryKey: [useActorSearchPaginatedQueryKeyRoot],
+        queryKey: [useActorSearchQueryKeyRoot],
       }),
       qc.resetQueries({
         queryKey: createGetSuggestedFeedsQueryKey(),
diff --git a/src/screens/Search/SearchResults.tsx b/src/screens/Search/SearchResults.tsx
index fcee3ab863..63decdad47 100644
--- a/src/screens/Search/SearchResults.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/Search/SearchResults.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ import {type AppBskyFeedDefs} from '@atproto/api'
 import {msg, Trans} from '@lingui/macro'
 import {useLingui} from '@lingui/react'
 
-import {usePalette} from '#/lib/hooks/usePalette'
+import {urls} from '#/lib/constants'
+import {cleanError} from '#/lib/strings/errors'
 import {augmentSearchQuery} from '#/lib/strings/helpers'
 import {useActorSearch} from '#/state/queries/actor-search'
 import {usePopularFeedsSearch} from '#/state/queries/feed'
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ import {atoms as a, useTheme, web} from '#/alf'
 import * as FeedCard from '#/components/FeedCard'
 import * as Layout from '#/components/Layout'
 import {InlineLinkText} from '#/components/Link'
+import {ListFooter} from '#/components/Lists'
 import {SearchError} from '#/components/SearchError'
 import {Text} from '#/components/Typography'
 
@@ -112,11 +114,11 @@ function Loader() {
 }
 
 function EmptyState({
-  message,
+  messageText,
   error,
   children,
 }: {
-  message: string
+  messageText: React.ReactNode
   error?: string
   children?: React.ReactNode
 }) {
@@ -126,7 +128,7 @@ function EmptyState({
     <Layout.Content>
       <View style={[a.p_xl]}>
         <View style={[t.atoms.bg_contrast_25, a.rounded_sm, a.p_lg]}>
-          <Text style={[a.text_md]}>{message}</Text>
+          <Text style={[a.text_md]}>{messageText}</Text>
 
           {error && (
             <>
@@ -155,6 +157,41 @@ function EmptyState({
   )
 }
 
+function NoResultsText({query}: {query: string}) {
+  const t = useTheme()
+  const {_} = useLingui()
+
+  return (
+    <>
+      <Text style={[a.text_lg, t.atoms.text_contrast_high]}>
+        <Trans>
+          No results found for "
+          <Text style={[a.text_lg, t.atoms.text, a.font_medium]}>{query}</Text>
+          ".
+        </Trans>
+      </Text>
+      {'\n\n'}
+      <Text style={[a.text_md, a.leading_snug, t.atoms.text_contrast_high]}>
+        <Trans context="english-only-resource">
+          Try a different search term, or{' '}
+          <InlineLinkText
+            label={_(
+              msg({
+                message: 'read about how to use search filters',
+                context: 'english-only-resource',
+              }),
+            )}
+            to={urls.website.blog.searchTipsAndTricks}
+            style={[a.text_md, a.leading_snug]}>
+            read about how to use search filters
+          </InlineLinkText>
+          .
+        </Trans>
+      </Text>
+    </>
+  )
+}
+
 type SearchResultSlice =
   | {
       type: 'post'
@@ -176,9 +213,8 @@ let SearchScreenPostResults = ({
   active: boolean
 }): React.ReactNode => {
   const {_} = useLingui()
-  const {currentAccount} = useSession()
+  const {currentAccount, hasSession} = useSession()
   const [isPTR, setIsPTR] = useState(false)
-  const isLoggedin = Boolean(currentAccount?.did)
 
   const augmentedQuery = useMemo(() => {
     return augmentSearchQuery(query || '', {did: currentAccount?.did})
@@ -195,7 +231,6 @@ let SearchScreenPostResults = ({
     hasNextPage,
   } = useSearchPostsQuery({query: augmentedQuery, sort, enabled: active})
 
-  const pal = usePalette('default')
   const t = useTheme()
   const onPullToRefresh = useCallback(async () => {
     setIsPTR(true)
@@ -249,14 +284,13 @@ let SearchScreenPostResults = ({
     requestSwitchToAccount({requestedAccount: 'new'})
   }
 
-  if (!isLoggedin) {
+  if (!hasSession) {
     return (
       <SearchError
         title={_(msg`Search is currently unavailable when logged out`)}>
         <Text style={[a.text_md, a.text_center, a.leading_snug]}>
           <Trans>
             <InlineLinkText
-              style={[pal.link]}
               label={_(msg`Sign in`)}
               to={'#'}
               onPress={showSignIn}>
@@ -264,7 +298,6 @@ let SearchScreenPostResults = ({
             </InlineLinkText>
             <Text style={t.atoms.text_contrast_medium}> or </Text>
             <InlineLinkText
-              style={[pal.link]}
               label={_(msg`Create an account`)}
               to={'#'}
               onPress={showCreateAccount}>
@@ -283,10 +316,10 @@ let SearchScreenPostResults = ({
 
   return error ? (
     <EmptyState
-      message={_(
+      messageText={_(
         msg`We're sorry, but your search could not be completed. Please try again in a few minutes.`,
       )}
-      error={error.toString()}
+      error={cleanError(error)}
     />
   ) : (
     <>
@@ -307,10 +340,15 @@ let SearchScreenPostResults = ({
               onRefresh={onPullToRefresh}
               onEndReached={onEndReached}
               desktopFixedHeight
-              contentContainerStyle={{paddingBottom: 100}}
+              ListFooterComponent={
+                <ListFooter
+                  isFetchingNextPage={isFetchingNextPage}
+                  hasNextPage={hasNextPage}
+                />
+              }
             />
           ) : (
-            <EmptyState message={_(msg`No results found for ${query}`)} />
+            <EmptyState messageText={<NoResultsText query={query} />} />
           )}
         </>
       ) : (
@@ -329,24 +367,69 @@ let SearchScreenUserResults = ({
   active: boolean
 }): React.ReactNode => {
   const {_} = useLingui()
+  const {hasSession} = useSession()
+  const [isPTR, setIsPTR] = useState(false)
 
-  const {data: results, isFetched} = useActorSearch({
+  const {
+    isFetched,
+    data: results,
+    isFetching,
+    error,
+    refetch,
+    fetchNextPage,
+    isFetchingNextPage,
+    hasNextPage,
+  } = useActorSearch({
     query,
     enabled: active,
   })
 
-  return isFetched && results ? (
+  const onPullToRefresh = useCallback(async () => {
+    setIsPTR(true)
+    await refetch()
+    setIsPTR(false)
+  }, [setIsPTR, refetch])
+  const onEndReached = useCallback(() => {
+    if (!hasSession) return
+    if (isFetching || !hasNextPage || error) return
+    fetchNextPage()
+  }, [isFetching, error, hasNextPage, fetchNextPage, hasSession])
+
+  const profiles = useMemo(() => {
+    return results?.pages.flatMap(page => page.actors) || []
+  }, [results])
+
+  if (error) {
+    return (
+      <EmptyState
+        messageText={_(
+          msg`We're sorry, but your search could not be completed. Please try again in a few minutes.`,
+        )}
+        error={error.toString()}
+      />
+    )
+  }
+
+  return isFetched && profiles ? (
     <>
-      {results.length ? (
+      {profiles.length ? (
         <List
-          data={results}
+          data={profiles}
           renderItem={({item}) => <ProfileCardWithFollowBtn profile={item} />}
           keyExtractor={item => item.did}
+          refreshing={isPTR}
+          onRefresh={onPullToRefresh}
+          onEndReached={onEndReached}
           desktopFixedHeight
-          contentContainerStyle={{paddingBottom: 100}}
+          ListFooterComponent={
+            <ListFooter
+              hasNextPage={hasNextPage && hasSession}
+              isFetchingNextPage={isFetchingNextPage}
+            />
+          }
         />
       ) : (
-        <EmptyState message={_(msg`No results found for ${query}`)} />
+        <EmptyState messageText={<NoResultsText query={query} />} />
       )}
     </>
   ) : (
@@ -363,7 +446,6 @@ let SearchScreenFeedsResults = ({
   active: boolean
 }): React.ReactNode => {
   const t = useTheme()
-  const {_} = useLingui()
 
   const {data: results, isFetched} = usePopularFeedsSearch({
     query,
@@ -378,7 +460,7 @@ let SearchScreenFeedsResults = ({
           renderItem={({item}) => (
             <View
               style={[
-                a.border_b,
+                a.border_t,
                 t.atoms.border_contrast_low,
                 a.px_lg,
                 a.py_lg,
@@ -388,10 +470,10 @@ let SearchScreenFeedsResults = ({
           )}
           keyExtractor={item => item.uri}
           desktopFixedHeight
-          contentContainerStyle={{paddingBottom: 100}}
+          ListFooterComponent={<ListFooter />}
         />
       ) : (
-        <EmptyState message={_(msg`No results found for ${query}`)} />
+        <EmptyState messageText={<NoResultsText query={query} />} />
       )}
     </>
   ) : (
diff --git a/src/screens/Search/util/useSuggestedUsers.ts b/src/screens/Search/util/useSuggestedUsers.ts
index b1f9064096..0f7bc2607c 100644
--- a/src/screens/Search/util/useSuggestedUsers.ts
+++ b/src/screens/Search/util/useSuggestedUsers.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import {useMemo} from 'react'
 
 import {useInterestsDisplayNames} from '#/lib/interests'
-import {useActorSearchPaginated} from '#/state/queries/actor-search'
+import {useActorSearch} from '#/state/queries/actor-search'
 import {useGetSuggestedUsersQuery} from '#/state/queries/trending/useGetSuggestedUsersQuery'
 
 /**
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ export function useSuggestedUsers({
     category,
     overrideInterests,
   })
-  const searched = useActorSearchPaginated({
+  const searched = useActorSearch({
     enabled: !!search,
     // use user's app language translation for this value
     query: category ? interestsDisplayNames[category] : '',
diff --git a/src/screens/StarterPack/Wizard/StepProfiles.tsx b/src/screens/StarterPack/Wizard/StepProfiles.tsx
index fa4a42f253..3d4fee4b5b 100644
--- a/src/screens/StarterPack/Wizard/StepProfiles.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/StarterPack/Wizard/StepProfiles.tsx
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import {Trans} from '@lingui/macro'
 import {isNative} from '#/platform/detection'
 import {useA11y} from '#/state/a11y'
 import {useActorAutocompleteQuery} from '#/state/queries/actor-autocomplete'
-import {useActorSearchPaginated} from '#/state/queries/actor-search'
+import {useActorSearch} from '#/state/queries/actor-search'
 import {List} from '#/view/com/util/List'
 import {useWizardState} from '#/screens/StarterPack/Wizard/State'
 import {atoms as a, useTheme} from '#/alf'
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ export function StepProfiles({
     data: topPages,
     fetchNextPage,
     isLoading: isLoadingTopPages,
-  } = useActorSearchPaginated({
+  } = useActorSearch({
     query: encodeURIComponent('*'),
   })
   const topFollowers = topPages?.pages
diff --git a/src/state/queries/actor-search.ts b/src/state/queries/actor-search.ts
index 5347ca0a15..84e6d88f29 100644
--- a/src/state/queries/actor-search.ts
+++ b/src/state/queries/actor-search.ts
@@ -1,25 +1,18 @@
-import {
-  type AppBskyActorDefs,
-  type AppBskyActorSearchActors,
-} from '@atproto/api'
+import {type AppBskyActorSearchActors} from '@atproto/api'
 import {
   type InfiniteData,
   keepPreviousData,
   type QueryClient,
   type QueryKey,
   useInfiniteQuery,
-  useQuery,
 } from '@tanstack/react-query'
 
 import {STALE} from '#/state/queries'
 import {useAgent} from '#/state/session'
 
-const RQKEY_ROOT = 'actor-search'
-export const RQKEY = (query: string) => [RQKEY_ROOT, query]
-
-export const RQKEY_ROOT_PAGINATED = `${RQKEY_ROOT}_paginated`
-export const RQKEY_PAGINATED = (query: string, limit?: number) => [
-  RQKEY_ROOT_PAGINATED,
+export const RQKEY_ROOT = 'actor-search'
+export const RQKEY = (query: string, limit?: number) => [
+  RQKEY_ROOT,
   query,
   limit,
 ]
@@ -27,27 +20,6 @@ export const RQKEY_PAGINATED = (query: string, limit?: number) => [
 export function useActorSearch({
   query,
   enabled,
-}: {
-  query: string
-  enabled?: boolean
-}) {
-  const agent = useAgent()
-  return useQuery<AppBskyActorDefs.ProfileView[]>({
-    staleTime: STALE.MINUTES.ONE,
-    queryKey: RQKEY(query || ''),
-    async queryFn() {
-      const res = await agent.searchActors({
-        q: query,
-      })
-      return res.data.actors
-    },
-    enabled: enabled && !!query,
-  })
-}
-
-export function useActorSearchPaginated({
-  query,
-  enabled,
   maintainData,
   limit = 25,
 }: {
@@ -65,7 +37,7 @@ export function useActorSearchPaginated({
     string | undefined
   >({
     staleTime: STALE.MINUTES.FIVE,
-    queryKey: RQKEY_PAGINATED(query, limit),
+    queryKey: RQKEY(query, limit),
     queryFn: async ({pageParam}) => {
       const res = await agent.searchActors({
         q: query,
@@ -78,35 +50,38 @@ export function useActorSearchPaginated({
     initialPageParam: undefined,
     getNextPageParam: lastPage => lastPage.cursor,
     placeholderData: maintainData ? keepPreviousData : undefined,
+    select,
   })
 }
 
+function select(data: InfiniteData<AppBskyActorSearchActors.OutputSchema>) {
+  // enforce uniqueness
+  const dids = new Set()
+
+  return {
+    ...data,
+    pages: data.pages.map(page => ({
+      actors: page.actors.filter(actor => {
+        if (dids.has(actor.did)) {
+          return false
+        }
+        dids.add(actor.did)
+        return true
+      }),
+    })),
+  }
+}
+
 export function* findAllProfilesInQueryData(
   queryClient: QueryClient,
   did: string,
 ) {
-  const queryDatas = queryClient.getQueriesData<AppBskyActorDefs.ProfileView[]>(
-    {
-      queryKey: [RQKEY_ROOT],
-    },
-  )
-  for (const [_queryKey, queryData] of queryDatas) {
-    if (!queryData) {
-      continue
-    }
-    for (const actor of queryData) {
-      if (actor.did === did) {
-        yield actor
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
-  const queryDatasPaginated = queryClient.getQueriesData<
+  const queryDatas = queryClient.getQueriesData<
     InfiniteData<AppBskyActorSearchActors.OutputSchema>
   >({
-    queryKey: [RQKEY_ROOT_PAGINATED],
+    queryKey: [RQKEY_ROOT],
   })
-  for (const [_queryKey, queryData] of queryDatasPaginated) {
+  for (const [_queryKey, queryData] of queryDatas) {
     if (!queryData) {
       continue
     }