Introduction

Wox is a keyboard-first launcher for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Use it to open apps, find files, capture notes, take screenshots, run timers, search the web, reuse clipboard history, talk to AI models, and extend the launcher with plugins.

If you are choosing between Wox, Flow Launcher, Raycast, or PowerToys Run, see Wox vs Flow, Raycast, and PowerToys.

The core app stays small. Built-in plugins cover daily work; the store and SDKs add the rest.

What Wox is good at

Opening things quickly: apps, folders, files, bookmarks, URLs, and system actions.
Finishing the next step: every result can expose actions such as copy, reveal, paste, save to Notes, or open in another tool.
Keeping local workflows close: clipboard history, calculator, converter, file search, notes, screenshots, timers, dictation, and window layouts are built in.
Letting plugins do the custom work: install community plugins, or ask an AI agent to create one.
Staying portable: Wox stores user data under ~/.wox on macOS/Linux and %USERPROFILE%\.wox on Windows.

How queries work

Wox routes what you type to plugins.

Some plugins listen globally. App search, calculator, converter, and web search can show results without a keyword. Other plugins use an explicit trigger:

Example	What it does
`f invoice`	Search files
`cb token`	Search clipboard history
`note meeting`	Search notes
`timer 5m`	Start a countdown
`wpm install`	Search the plugin store
`chat explain this`	Start an AI chat

When a result is selected, press Enter for the primary action or open the Action Panel for more choices.

Recommended first pass

Install Wox.
Open Wox with the default hotkey: Alt + Space on Windows, Command + Space on macOS, or Ctrl + Space on Linux.
Type an application name to confirm app search.
Read Querying for keywords, query hints, and fallback results.
Open Settings -> Plugins, or pick a built-in plugin from the sidebar, when you want to tune a workflow.