diff --git a/src/components/NavBar.js b/src/components/NavBar.js
index c7fe9bb..fc4c25a 100644
--- a/src/components/NavBar.js
+++ b/src/components/NavBar.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React from "react";
+import React, { useRef } from "react";
 import Button from "react-bootstrap/Button";
 import Container from "react-bootstrap/Container";
 import Form from "react-bootstrap/Form";
@@ -19,8 +19,11 @@ import useClickOutsideToggle from "../hooks/useClickOutsideToggle";
 const NavBar = () => {
   const currentUser = useCurrentUser();
   const setCurrentUser = useSetCurrentUser();
+  const searchRef = useRef(null);
 
-  const { expanded, setExpanded, ref } = useClickOutsideToggle();
+  const { expanded, setExpanded, ref } = useClickOutsideToggle({
+    ignoreRefs: [searchRef],
+  });
 
   const handleSignOut = async () => {
     try {
@@ -125,11 +128,11 @@ const NavBar = () => {
             >
               <i className="fa-solid fa-house me-1"></i>Home
             </NavLink>
-
             {currentUser ? loggedInIcons : loggedOutIcons}
           </Nav>
           <Form className="d-flex">
             <Form.Control
+              ref={searchRef}
               type="search"
               placeholder="Search"
               className="me-2"
diff --git a/src/hooks/useClickOutsideToggle.js b/src/hooks/useClickOutsideToggle.js
index 92a7566..7133a05 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useClickOutsideToggle.js
+++ b/src/hooks/useClickOutsideToggle.js
@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
 import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
 
-const useClickOutsideToggle = () => {
+const useClickOutsideToggle = ({ ignoreRefs = [] } = {}) => {
   const [expanded, setExpanded] = useState(false);
   const ref = useRef(null);
+  
   useEffect(() => {
     const handleClickOutside = (event) => {
-      if (ref.current && !ref.current.contains(event.target)) {
+      const isOutside = ignoreRefs.every((ignoreRef) => (
+        !ignoreRef.current || !ignoreRef.current.contains(event.target)
+      ));
+
+      if (ref.current && !ref.current.contains(event.target) && isOutside) {
         setExpanded(false);
       }
     };
@@ -14,7 +19,8 @@ const useClickOutsideToggle = () => {
     return () => {
       document.removeEventListener("mouseup", handleClickOutside);
     };
-  }, [ref]);
+  }, [ref, ignoreRefs]);
+
   return { expanded, setExpanded, ref };
 };