Cross-platform launcher for Linux Wayland
Updated September 2026 · Latest v2.4.5 · GitHub Release · Changelog
Wox is a native launcher on Linux, not an Electron shell. On Wayland it shows as a layer-shell overlay and still receives regular global hotkeys through the desktop portal.
What it is
Wox ships stable Linux builds alongside Windows and macOS. The main window is a layer-shell surface (namespace gtk-layer-shell) on the overlay layer, so it can appear above other windows without becoming a normal XDG toplevel.
Ordinary combination hotkeys such as Ctrl+Space go through org.freedesktop.portal.GlobalShortcuts. Double-modifier and CapsLock-combo hotkeys need extra input permissions because Wayland does not let Wox intercept raw keys the way X11 does.
Why the limits exist
Wayland compositors own animations, global shortcuts, and clipboard portals. Wox does not bypass those with a root daemon. Layer-shell also means compositor rules that target application windows will not hide Wox's open/close animation — you configure a layer rule instead.
These constraints are still true on current Wayland compositors.