If you’ve ever tried to search for a file on your computer only to have Windows show you a bunch of irrelevant web links from Bing instead, you know how frustrating the default search can be.
For this week’s Free & Open Source Software spotlight, I’m talking about a tool that has completely changed how I interact with my PC: Flow Launcher.
Flow Launcher is an open-source productivity tool for Windows. Think of it as a “Command Center” for your computer. Instead of clicking through menus, you just press a keyboard shortcut (Alt + Space), and a clean, fast search bar appears in the middle of your screen.
If you want to take it to the next level, I recommend pairing it with another free tool called “Everything.” When you combine them, Flow Launcher can find any file on a multi-terabyte hard drive in less than a second. It makes Windows feel like a high-performance machine again.
Flow Launcher is 100% free and open-source. You can download the installer or a “portable” version (which doesn’t even need to be installed) at FlowLauncher.com.
If you’re tired of fighting with the Windows Start Menu, give this a try for a week. I think you’ll find it’s one of those tools you can’t live without once you’ve tried it.
Check out our full list of recommended tools here: Totten Computers FOSS Guide
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