Windows Search feels entirely broken after you attempt this small totally free app

Science

Released Sep 12, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT

Oluwaseun is a tech author and editor whose profession started in 2021. Throughout the years, he has actually developed a strong portfolio of how-to guides, evaluations, tech newspaper article, contrast posts, and explainers, covering Windows, Android, hardware and apps, customer tech, and video gaming. His work has actually appeared on publications like Techloy and Itechguides, and he has actually likewise composed with SEO companies such as OutreachX.

He signed up with MakeUseOf (MUO) in 2025 to share his know-how with an even larger audience while pursuing a Higher National Diploma(HND) in Computer Science.

When he isn’t composing, Oluwaseun delights in playing computer game and checking out brand-new tech items.

Windows Search has actually been on a dreadful run in current years. Consisting of the important things nobody requested for, like web results blended into regional search, a chaotic user interface, and in general slow efficiency, whatever has actually simply been a mess.

<p>Worse, it has a hard time at the one task it's expected to do. I can look for something I'm 100% sure is on my PC, however for some factor, Windows Search will not have the ability to discover it. Given, Windows has actually been dealing with enhancing Search, however it took them enough time. I currently called it stops on Windows Search a while earlier and changed to Flow Launcher. This is a totally free application launcher and search tool that totally altered how I look for things on my PC.</p>    

Circulation Launcher gets out of the method

No web results, no suggestions, simply a search box

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The very first thing I observed about Flow Launcher is how easy it is. There’s no chaotic home screen filled with suggested material, web outcomes, ads, or other things defending my attention. When I open Flow Launcher, I get a little search box, which’s generally it.

<p>I type what I'm searching for, and Flow Launcher provides me coordinating outcomes. This simpleness makes Flow Launcher feel much quicker, even before entering into what's occurring under the hood. There's less going on aesthetically, and I do not need to go </p><h2 id="windows-index-wasn-39-t-cutting-it-so-i-swapped-it-out"> through unneeded outcomes to get where I'm going.    </h2><p>Circulation Launcher likewise provides me a keyboard faster way, much like Windows Search does. Windows Search usages <strong>Windows + S</strong>while Flow Launcher utilizes <strong>Alt + Space</strong> by default. The distinction is that Flow Launcher does not require me to stick to its default faster way. I can alter the hotkey to whatever I desire from its settings.</p>    Windows Index wasn't sufficing, so I switched it out

Integrating Flow Launcher with Everything provides me extremely quick submit searches

Circulation Launcher is currently a great tool, however I believe it ends up being a lot more effective when you combine it with Everything. Whatever is a search tool developed by Voidtoolsand it’s popular for how rapidly it can discover files and folders on Windows.

<p>Unlike the standard Windows indexing procedure, Everything works by checking out the NTFS Master File Table (MFT) straight. This permits it to construct its file index incredibly rapidly and return outcomes nearly immediately, even when you're handling a substantial variety of files.</p>    <p>This post might have quickly been about Everything rather of Flow Launcher. The issue is that Everything is primarily developed as an exceptionally quick file and folder search tool. It isn't actually a standard application launcher like Flow Launcher and Windows Search. The good news is, Everything discovered its method into Flow Launcher.</p>    <p>Circulation Launcher's default file online search engine is Windows Index, however I can alter that to Everything through the settings. I simply open <strong>Circulation Launcher's settings</strong>go to <strong>Plugins</strong>choose <strong>Explorer</strong>broaden the <strong>General </strong>alternatives, and alter the <strong>Index Search Engine</strong> <strong>Material Search Engine</strong>and <strong>Directory Site Recursive Search Engine</strong> to <strong>Whatever</strong></p>    <p>Now, I get the very best of both worlds. I get Flow Launcher's tidy user interface and application-launching abilities, while Everything deals with the part it's exceptional at.</p>    Plugins turn Flow Launcher into something larger

Apps, files, commands, settings, and even YouTube, all from one search box

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A substantial part of what makes Flow Launcher helpful is its plugin system. That’s generally its entire identity, to be reasonable. Plugins resemble the elements that provide Flow Launcher access to various parts of Windows and other services. The Explorer plugin provides Flow Launcher access to browse for files in Windows File Explorer. There’s likewise a Windows Settings plugin that lets me look for Windows settings straight from Flow Launcher. Yeah, you get the essence.

<p>Those plugins and a number of other crucial plugins are set up on Flow Launcher by default, and I can disable any of them if I do not desire them consisted of in my searches. There's likewise a plugin shop where I can set up extra plugins and broaden what Flow Launcher can do.</p>    

I set up the FlowYouTube plugin, for example, which lets me look for YouTube videos straight from Flow Launcher. Rather of opening my web browser, going to YouTube, and typing my search there, I can bring up Flow Launcher, go into the video I’m looking for, and search YouTube straight.

The more plugins I include, the more Flow Launcher begins to seem like a main command box for my PC instead of simply another search application.

I do not miss out on Windows Search at all

Windows Search utilized to be something everybody counted on without considering it. Someplace along the method, that basic experience ended up being much more complex than it required to be.

<p>Circulation Launcher brought me back to that simpleness. I get a tidy search user interface without unneeded material, a personalized keyboard faster way, and very quick file searches when I combine it with Everything. There is the plugin system, which provides me numerous more search possibilities. Offer it a shot and see what you believe.</p>    






















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Circulation Launcher

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                    <strong>OS</strong>                     </dt>
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                                        Windows


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                                        Free


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