Flow Launcher brings Mac-like Spotlight search to Windows. Here’s how to make it your command center.

Setup

Install via winget: winget install FlowLauncher.FlowLauncher. Default shortcut: Alt+Space. It appears as a floating search bar.

Basic Commands

Type to find apps and files. Press Enter to open. Beyond search, Flow Launcher is a command line:

  • > 15*3 → Calculator. Shows result as you type
  • wiki Albert Einstein → Search Wikipedia
  • g how to center a div → Google search
  • yt lofi hip hop → Search YouTube
  • color red → Color picker
  • shell ping google.com → Run shell commands

Essential Plugins

Right-click Flow Launcher icon → Plugin Store:

  • Calculator — Mathematical expressions
  • Shell — Run cmd/PowerShell commands directly
  • Explorer — Navigate and open folders
  • Browser Bookmarks — Search your Chrome/Firefox bookmarks
  • Clipboard History — Search through your copy history
  • Todoist — Add and view tasks
  • Window Walker — Switch between open windows by name

Custom Shortcuts

Settings → Hotkeys. Add custom keywords. Example: create a hotkey for code to open a specific folder in VS Code:

Add a custom plugin with action “Start Process,” program code, argument C:\Projects.

Tips

  • Type ? to see all available plugins and their shortcuts
  • Pin to taskbar and hide the system tray icon for a cleaner look
  • The search is instant — start typing before Flow Launcher fully opens