Querying

Basic Usage

Wox is triggered by a hotkey (defaults vary by platform). Once opened, you can type to search for applications, files, bookmarks, and more.

Query Structure

A query in Wox typically consists of three parts:

1. Trigger Keyword: Used to activate a specific plugin (e.g., wpm for plugin management).
2. Command: Some plugins support specific commands (e.g., install in wpm install).
3. Search Term: The actual content you want to search for or process.

Example: wpm install wox

• wpm: Trigger keyword
• install: Command
• wox: Search term

Global Trigger

Some plugins support a global trigger *, meaning they can be triggered by any query that doesn't match other specific keywords. This is commonly used for file search or application launching.

Built-in Everything file search (Windows)

Wox ships a built-in file plugin (trigger keyword: f) that uses the Everything engine on Windows. To use it:

• Install and run Everything so its service is active and indexed.
• Leave Everything running in the background; Wox calls its APIs for instant file results.

Shortcuts

Wox supports various shortcuts to improve your efficiency:

Shortcut	Description
Windows: Alt + Space	Toggle Wox visibility (default)
macOS: Cmd + Space	Toggle Wox visibility (default)
Linux: Ctrl + Space	Toggle Wox visibility (default)
Esc	Hide Wox
Up / Down	Navigate through results
Enter	Execute the selected result's default action
Alt/Cmd + J	Open the result's context menu (Action Panel)
Tab	Autocomplete the query

Hotkeys

You can customize the global hotkey to toggle Wox in the settings.

1. Open Wox Settings.
2. Go to the General tab.
3. Click on the Hotkey field and press your desired key combination.