Want to open a program or document without digging through menus and folders? Launchy brings up a keyboard search box, where a few typed characters can narrow the choices and Enter opens the selected result.
Call up the search box
Launchy runs in the background until you press its configured shortcut; Ctrl+Space is the default in the Windows fork. Clicking its tray icon also brings up the launcher. Type part of a program or file name, choose the matching result, and press Enter to open it.
Search beyond installed programs
Launchy indexes Start menu shortcuts and can catalog files in chosen folders. Its results can include documents, project files, folders, URLs, and bookmarks, so the same keyboard search can handle different kinds of destinations.
- Use the Weby plugin to open URLs or run web searches.
- Use Controly to find Control Panel items.
- Use Calcy for simple calculations.
Pass an argument to a program
For a command that needs a second value, select the program and press Tab to enter the parameter. For example, select a text editor, tab to its argument field, and provide a file path before launching. This lets a single search sequence open a program with a specific document.
Pros
- Searches indexed Start menu programs and files by typing
- Can open folders, bookmarks, websites, and documents
- Supports launching a program with an additional parameter
- Plugins add calculator, web search, and Control Panel access
Cons
- Older skins and plugins may not work with newer Launchy releases
System requirements: Windows 7, Windows 10
How do I bring up Launchy?
Press the configured keyboard shortcut; Ctrl+Space is the default in the Windows fork. You can also click the tray icon.
Can Launchy open a file or folder as well as an app?
Yes. It can search indexed files and folders, along with programs, documents, URLs, and bookmarks.
How do I start a program with a file path?
Select the program, press Tab, enter the path as its parameter, then launch it.