Flow Launcher Action Keywords: Route Queries to Plugins

Daily use · Published October 30, 2026 · Publisher: flowlauncher.app

At a glance

Action keywords tell Flow Launcher which plugin or search action should handle a query. Type ? in the launcher to inspect the keywords currently active. A dedicated keyword can reduce noisy global results and keep a network-backed plugin from being invoked for every ordinary search.

Steps to follow

Type ? and inspect the available keyword list. Treat it as the current configuration, not a fixed list copied from another person’s setup.
Open the target plugin in Settings and review its action keyword. The global wildcard and a dedicated word have different effects.
Choose an unambiguous keyword and test it with a simple query that the plugin should handle.
Try the same query without the keyword to confirm whether global behavior changed. Document the choice before configuring another plugin.

?
Use the keyword shown in your own plugin settings.

Check the result

The intended plugin responds when invoked explicitly, and unrelated queries no longer generate its unwanted results.

Limits and common pitfalls

Reusing the same keyword for several plugins may be intentional, but can make results ambiguous. Avoid keywords that collide with ordinary app names or paths.

Make the check repeatable

Keywords are especially useful for content search, web services, and tools that require account access. They let you express intent before a query is sent to a plugin. They do not replace reading a plugin’s privacy behavior or remove its permissions once it is running.

Questions and answers

Why is an installed plugin absent from normal search?

It may require a dedicated keyword. Check its active keyword and enabled state before reinstalling it.

Sources and scope

Documentation-based guidance, with source review on October 30, 2026. What was and was not tested.

Related guides

Daily use