Configure Web Searches in Flow Launcher
The Web Searches plugin sends a query to a configured search provider and opens the result in a browser. It is separate from local file search. Use a dedicated action keyword and review the target URL so that searches go to the service you actually intend to use.
Steps to follow
- Open the Web Searches plugin settings and inspect an existing search source, including its keyword and URL template.
- Test the source with a non-sensitive phrase. Confirm the browser opens the expected domain and that spaces and punctuation are handled correctly.
- For a custom source, follow the template format accepted by your installed plugin instead of pasting an unrelated search URL unchanged.
- Review suggestions or autocomplete settings separately from the final browser search, because suggestions may involve earlier network requests.
Check the result
The typed phrase reaches the intended provider, and the resulting browser page contains that query rather than an unexpanded placeholder.
Limits and common pitfalls
Web queries leave your computer. Do not use private filenames, credentials, or confidential text as test phrases when debugging a remote search source.
Make the check repeatable
When a custom search fails, separate three layers: the action keyword, the URL template, and the browser association. Test the provider in your browser first, then compare the URL produced by Flow. This avoids changing file-search settings to solve a web-only issue.
Questions and answers
Is a web search the same as Flow searching my files?
No. It opens a remote search provider, while Explorer handles local indexed and path-based file searches.
Sources and scope
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