How Deskora Quick Search works
Windows search often pulls attention away from the current task. A start menu, an Explorer window and a separate content-search tool create three different workflows. Quick Search provides one keyboard-first surface, remains local, and opens the chosen item immediately.
Useful for opening a daily application, locating a project folder, revealing a download, finding a phrase inside a supported document, or reaching Documents and This PC while another application covers the desktop.
Practical uses
Useful for opening a daily application, locating a project folder, revealing a download, finding a phrase inside a supported document, or reaching Documents and This PC while another application covers the desktop.
Download Deskora freeKeyboard reference
- Open the overlay, type a few characters, move with the arrow keys and confirm with Enter. Use > for programs, f for names, c for document contents and ? for help. Shift+Enter reveals a file in Explorer; Ctrl+Enter requests an elevated launch.
- Exact names rank above prefixes, substrings and fuzzy token matches. Program launches, accumulated runtime and recent use add bounded bonuses. Repeated choices for the same query are learned locally, so the order becomes personal without uploading history.
- Queries run on a background worker and superseded work is cancelled. Fast in-memory program and system-place matches arrive before the broader index pass. The overlay shares Deskora’s D3D11 device, owns only its window resources, supports per-monitor DPI and closes without an idle timer.
Usage-aware ranking
Exact names rank above prefixes, substrings and fuzzy token matches. Program launches, accumulated runtime and recent use add bounded bonuses. Repeated choices for the same query are learned locally, so the order becomes personal without uploading history.
Queries run on a background worker and superseded work is cancelled. Fast in-memory program and system-place matches arrive before the broader index pass. The overlay shares Deskora’s D3D11 device, owns only its window resources, supports per-monitor DPI and closes without an idle timer.
Practical uses
Programs, files and folders
Useful for opening a daily application, locating a project folder, revealing a download, finding a phrase inside a supported document, or reaching Documents and This PC while another application covers the desktop.
Document-content search
Open the overlay, type a few characters, move with the arrow keys and confirm with Enter. Use > for programs, f for names, c for document contents and ? for help. Shift+Enter reveals a file in Explorer; Ctrl+Enter requests an elevated launch.
Local learning
Exact names rank above prefixes, substrings and fuzzy token matches. Program launches, accumulated runtime and recent use add bounded bonuses. Repeated choices for the same query are learned locally, so the order becomes personal without uploading history.
History
Queries run on a background worker and superseded work is cancelled. Fast in-memory program and system-place matches arrive before the broader index pass. The overlay shares Deskora’s D3D11 device, owns only its window resources, supports per-monitor DPI and closes without an idle timer.
Comparison with other launchers
Everything is exceptionally focused on file names, Listary integrates strongly with file dialogs, and PowerToys Run is an extensible launcher. Deskora is distinctive when one local list should combine installed programs, NTFS files, folders, desktop entries and optional document-content results.
| Feature | Deskora | Everything | Listary | PowerToys Run |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Programs, files and folders | Programs, files and folders | Files | Files | Programs, files and folders |
| Usage-aware ranking | Local learning | History | History | Plugin |
| Document-content search | Optional | Files | Optional | Plugin |
Keyboard reference
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Win+Space | Press Win+Space above any window and search programs, files, folders and Windows locations without interrupting your work. Deskora combines its local NTFS index with application usage data and presents the most useful matches first. |
| ↑ / ↓ | Action |
| Enter | Open the overlay, type a few characters, move with the arrow keys and confirm with Enter. Use > for programs, f for names, c for document contents and ? for help. Shift+Enter reveals a file in Explorer; Ctrl+Enter requests an elevated launch. |
| Shift+Enter | Files |
| Ctrl+Enter | Programs, files and folders |
| Tab | Document-content search |
How Deskora Quick Search works
Queries run on a background worker and superseded work is cancelled. Fast in-memory program and system-place matches arrive before the broader index pass. The overlay shares Deskora’s D3D11 device, owns only its window resources, supports per-monitor DPI and closes without an idle timer.
Exact names rank above prefixes, substrings and fuzzy token matches. Program launches, accumulated runtime and recent use add bounded bonuses. Repeated choices for the same query are learned locally, so the order becomes personal without uploading history.
Everything is exceptionally focused on file names, Listary integrates strongly with file dialogs, and PowerToys Run is an extensible launcher. Deskora is distinctive when one local list should combine installed programs, NTFS files, folders, desktop entries and optional document-content results.
Frequently asked questions
Does Quick Search send my queries to a server?
No. Matching and learning use local Deskora data. The learned query-to-result counters are stored with the existing user settings and can be reset by clearing that setting.
Document-content search?
Open the overlay, type a few characters, move with the arrow keys and confirm with Enter. Use > for programs, f for names, c for document contents and ? for help. Shift+Enter reveals a file in Explorer; Ctrl+Enter requests an elevated launch.
Local learning?
Exact names rank above prefixes, substrings and fuzzy token matches. Program launches, accumulated runtime and recent use add bounded bonuses. Repeated choices for the same query are learned locally, so the order becomes personal without uploading history.
Comparison with other launchers?
Everything is exceptionally focused on file names, Listary integrates strongly with file dialogs, and PowerToys Run is an extensible launcher. Deskora is distinctive when one local list should combine installed programs, NTFS files, folders, desktop entries and optional document-content results.
Practical uses
Useful for opening a daily application, locating a project folder, revealing a download, finding a phrase inside a supported document, or reaching Documents and This PC while another application covers the desktop.
Download Deskora free
