diff --git a/doc/api/search.md b/doc/api/search.md
index ff044079e03264c10051e15c090b24933f554685..cec57e763528271e668dd57e13a1b83c4802f5a0 100644
--- a/doc/api/search.md
+++ b/doc/api/search.md
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ these additional scopes are available for the [advanced search](#advanced-search
 - `blobs`
 - `notes`
 
+If you want to use basic search instead, see
+[specify a search type](../user/search/index.md#specify-a-search-type).
+
 ## Advanced search API
 
 Search for a [term](../user/search/advanced_search.md#syntax) across the entire GitLab instance.
diff --git a/doc/user/search/exact_code_search.md b/doc/user/search/exact_code_search.md
index bffbd273df8d42faadef028a90d4aad10f351547..99280226b7d14eb24e471822811988765b67fae0 100644
--- a/doc/user/search/exact_code_search.md
+++ b/doc/user/search/exact_code_search.md
@@ -43,7 +43,8 @@ For more information, see the history.
 This feature is available for testing, but not ready for production use.
 
 With the Zoekt search API, you can use the [search API](../../api/search.md) for exact code search.
-When this feature is disabled, [advanced search](advanced_search.md) or [basic search](index.md) is used instead.
+If you want to use [advanced search](advanced_search.md) or basic search instead, see
+[specify a search type](index.md#specify-a-search-type).
 
 By default, the Zoekt search API is disabled on GitLab.com to avoid breaking changes.
 To request access to this feature, contact GitLab.
diff --git a/doc/user/search/index.md b/doc/user/search/index.md
index 8362d2e2051549e03a84f8dadcedc40a5ff502e8..5fd5376e2ce2fe11f2ec17eb2c09a9a4e476f7f4 100644
--- a/doc/user/search/index.md
+++ b/doc/user/search/index.md
@@ -21,8 +21,18 @@ For code search, GitLab uses these types in this order:
   or when you search against a non-default branch.
   This type does not support group or global search.
 
-When exact code search or advanced search is enabled, you can still use
-basic search by specifying the `basic_search=true` URL parameter.
+## Specify a search type
+
+> - [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/161999) in GitLab 17.4.
+
+To specify a search type, set the `search_type` URL parameter as follows:
+
+- `search_type=zoekt` for [exact code search](exact_code_search.md)
+- `search_type=advanced` for [advanced search](advanced_search.md)
+- `search_type=basic` for basic search
+
+`search_type` replaces the deprecated `basic_search` parameter.
+For more information, see [issue 477333](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/477333).
 
 ## Global search scopes
 
diff --git a/ee/app/services/concerns/search/elasticsearchable.rb b/ee/app/services/concerns/search/elasticsearchable.rb
index 35a7de0c46382a2909b99c2134739858554c875a..c103b05e0ede887cb4c25b7c8daeaf7d5771065d 100644
--- a/ee/app/services/concerns/search/elasticsearchable.rb
+++ b/ee/app/services/concerns/search/elasticsearchable.rb
@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@ module Elasticsearchable
     SCOPES_ADVANCED_SEARCH_ALWAYS_ENABLED = %w[users].freeze
 
     def use_elasticsearch?
-      return false if params[:basic_search]
-
       ::Gitlab::CurrentSettings.search_using_elasticsearch?(scope: elasticsearchable_scope)
     end
 
diff --git a/ee/app/services/concerns/search/zoekt_searchable.rb b/ee/app/services/concerns/search/zoekt_searchable.rb
index 21b37554b12cda50fc4753c487284b963cadf6d4..3acb1becc86a48d2a4ba05a2a2d84552475156a4 100644
--- a/ee/app/services/concerns/search/zoekt_searchable.rb
+++ b/ee/app/services/concerns/search/zoekt_searchable.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ module ZoektSearchable
     def use_zoekt?
       # TODO: rename to search_code_with_zoekt?
       # https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/421619
-      return false if params[:basic_search] || skip_api?
+      return false if skip_api?
       return false unless ::Search::Zoekt.enabled_for_user?(current_user) && zoekt_searchable_scope?
       return false if Feature.enabled?(:disable_zoekt_search_for_saas, root_ancestor)
 
diff --git a/ee/spec/controllers/ee/search_controller_spec.rb b/ee/spec/controllers/ee/search_controller_spec.rb
index ef67393c3132d89d45c14639e763c2a7af5154bf..ab67fc2c0e05275cdf917ab0b5d5d17a70abb0df 100644
--- a/ee/spec/controllers/ee/search_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/ee/spec/controllers/ee/search_controller_spec.rb
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ def request
           expect(payload[:metadata]['meta.search.type']).to eq(search_type)
         end
 
-        get :show, params: { search: 'hello world', basic_search: true }
+        get :show, params: { search: 'hello world', search_type: search_type }
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/ee/spec/services/concerns/search/elasticsearchable_spec.rb b/ee/spec/services/concerns/search/elasticsearchable_spec.rb
index c1fbc35dfa7b46564d8cdfbfba0af2483ba0d412..9fe01622e268022bd14407757ab318cd86bff0b3 100644
--- a/ee/spec/services/concerns/search/elasticsearchable_spec.rb
+++ b/ee/spec/services/concerns/search/elasticsearchable_spec.rb
@@ -33,14 +33,6 @@ def elasticsearchable_scope
         allow(Gitlab::CurrentSettings).to receive(:search_using_elasticsearch?).and_return(true)
       end
 
-      context 'when basic_search param is passed in' do
-        let(:params) { { basic_search: true } }
-
-        it 'is false' do
-          expect(class_instance).not_to be_use_elasticsearch
-        end
-      end
-
       context 'when scope is epics' do
         let(:params) { { scope: 'epics' } }
 
diff --git a/ee/spec/services/search/group_service_spec.rb b/ee/spec/services/search/group_service_spec.rb
index c5354ac01356f3f87ca120b70e626ac3718daf2a..449ff3683342371ca3046a2aab2700b6e7fafd41 100644
--- a/ee/spec/services/search/group_service_spec.rb
+++ b/ee/spec/services/search/group_service_spec.rb
@@ -142,14 +142,12 @@
 
   context 'when searching with Zoekt', :zoekt_settings_enabled do
     let(:service) do
-      described_class.new(user, group, search: 'foobar', scope: scope,
-        basic_search: basic_search, page: page, source: source)
+      described_class.new(user, group, search: 'foobar', scope: scope, page: page, source: source)
     end
 
     let(:source) { nil }
     let(:use_zoekt) { true }
     let(:scope) { 'blobs' }
-    let(:basic_search) { nil }
     let(:page) { nil }
     let(:zoekt_nodes) { create_list(:zoekt_node, 2) }
     let(:circuit_breaker) { instance_double(::Search::Zoekt::CircuitBreaker) }
@@ -183,6 +181,7 @@
 
         it 'returns a Search::Zoekt::SearchResults' do
           expect(service.use_zoekt?).to eq(true)
+          expect(service.search_type).to eq('zoekt')
           expect(service.zoekt_searchable_scope).to eq(group)
           expect(service.execute).to be_kind_of(::Search::Zoekt::SearchResults)
         end
@@ -219,11 +218,13 @@
       end
     end
 
-    context 'when basic_search is requested' do
-      let(:basic_search) { true }
+    context 'when basic search is requested' do
+      let(:service) do
+        described_class.new(user, group, search: 'foobar', scope: scope, page: page, source: source, search_type: 'basic')
+      end
 
       it 'does not search with Zoekt' do
-        expect(service.use_zoekt?).to eq(false)
+        expect(service.search_type).to eq('basic')
         expect(service.execute).not_to be_kind_of(::Search::Zoekt::SearchResults)
       end
     end
diff --git a/ee/spec/services/search/project_service_spec.rb b/ee/spec/services/search/project_service_spec.rb
index a013eda40650821a6704bdca68293ed02b22d923..1a505dea2d1df534620264c501546a44c09bb0e4 100644
--- a/ee/spec/services/search/project_service_spec.rb
+++ b/ee/spec/services/search/project_service_spec.rb
@@ -97,7 +97,6 @@
         project,
         search: 'foobar',
         scope: scope,
-        basic_search: basic_search,
         advanced_search: advanced_search,
         source: source
       )
@@ -106,7 +105,6 @@
     let(:search_code_with_zoekt) { true }
     let(:user_preference_enabled_zoekt) { true }
     let(:scope) { 'blobs' }
-    let(:basic_search) { nil }
     let(:advanced_search) { nil }
     let(:zoekt_nodes) { create_list(:zoekt_node, 2) }
     let(:circuit_breaker) { instance_double(::Search::Zoekt::CircuitBreaker) }
@@ -126,6 +124,7 @@
 
     it 'searches with Zoekt' do
       expect(service.use_zoekt?).to eq(true)
+      expect(service.search_type).to eq('zoekt')
       expect(service.zoekt_searchable_scope).to eq(project)
       expect(service.execute).to be_kind_of(::Search::Zoekt::SearchResults)
     end
@@ -173,11 +172,21 @@
       end
     end
 
-    context 'when basic_search is requested' do
-      let(:basic_search) { true }
+    context 'when basic search is requested' do
+      let(:service) do
+        described_class.new(
+          (anonymous_user ? nil : user),
+          project,
+          search: 'foobar',
+          scope: scope,
+          advanced_search: advanced_search,
+          search_type: 'basic',
+          source: source
+        )
+      end
 
       it 'does not search with Zoekt' do
-        expect(service.use_zoekt?).to eq(false)
+        expect(service.search_type).to eq('basic')
         expect(service.execute).not_to be_kind_of(::Search::Zoekt::SearchResults)
       end
     end
diff --git a/ee/spec/support/shared_examples/services/search_service_shared_examples.rb b/ee/spec/support/shared_examples/services/search_service_shared_examples.rb
index c0081eec741ee8437428938159702d3d6d260ea5..b5c6e991c87537773650a056c1c6a11b94eb1ceb 100644
--- a/ee/spec/support/shared_examples/services/search_service_shared_examples.rb
+++ b/ee/spec/support/shared_examples/services/search_service_shared_examples.rb
@@ -34,17 +34,6 @@
 
       expect(service.use_elasticsearch?).to eq(:value)
     end
-
-    context 'when requesting basic_search' do
-      let(:params) { { search: '*', basic_search: 'true' } }
-
-      it 'returns false' do
-        expect(Gitlab::CurrentSettings)
-          .not_to receive(:search_using_elasticsearch?)
-
-        expect(service.use_elasticsearch?).to eq(false)
-      end
-    end
   end
 
   describe '#execute' do
diff --git a/lib/api/search.rb b/lib/api/search.rb
index ad7f46ccae7af616e1889c50d6283110960e2cc4..456d6f1f06774dbd6038300c775178ab974232c1 100644
--- a/lib/api/search.rb
+++ b/lib/api/search.rb
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ def search_service(additional_params = {})
             state: params[:state],
             confidential: params[:confidential],
             snippets: snippets?,
-            basic_search: params[:basic_search],
             num_context_lines: params[:num_context_lines],
             search_type: params[:search_type],
             page: params[:page],
diff --git a/spec/requests/api/search_spec.rb b/spec/requests/api/search_spec.rb
index e21eb374be3f03daa3be8be32c085245845c6cf9..fbbc732ac24f3ce53f8c4eab6a42c5c7d65e0c60 100644
--- a/spec/requests/api/search_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/api/search_spec.rb
@@ -766,9 +766,9 @@ def request
 
       context 'when requesting basic search' do
         it 'passes the parameter to search service' do
-          expect(SearchService).to receive(:new).with(user, hash_including(basic_search: 'true'))
+          expect(SearchService).to receive(:new).with(user, hash_including(search_type: 'basic'))
 
-          get api(endpoint, user), params: { scope: 'issues', search: 'awesome', basic_search: 'true' }
+          get api(endpoint, user), params: { scope: 'issues', search: 'awesome', search_type: 'basic' }
         end
       end