How to use PowerFind
PowerFind lives one keystroke away. Press Alt+P from any app to open the search bar, start typing, and results appear instantly. The same bar finds files, searches file contents, launches apps, browses clipboard history, and answers questions in plain language—all on your computer, fully offline.
Windows 10 / 11 x64 · Free forever · No ads · Fully offline
Getting started in three steps
From download to your first result takes under a minute.
1 · Install
Download PowerFind for Windows 10 or 11 and run the installer. The core search is free forever, with no account required.
2 · Press Alt+P
Bring up the search bar from any app with Alt+P. Prefer a different key? Change the hotkey in Settings—it is remembered across restarts.
3 · Start typing
Type a keyword and results appear as you type. Use ↑ ↓ to select and Enter to open. That is the whole loop.
Keyboard shortcuts
The full set. The summon hotkey is customizable in Settings; the rest work inside the search bar.
| Key | What it does |
|---|---|
| Alt+P | Open the search bar from anywhere (default hotkey — change it in Settings) |
| Enter | Open the selected file, or launch the selected app |
| Space | Preview the selected file (press again or Esc to close) |
| Tab | Expand to the full window |
| Esc | Clear the search, then hide the window |
| ↑ ↓ | Move the selection up and down the results |
You can also open this same list any time from the ? button in the app.
What you can do from the search bar
One box switches between all of these—no separate windows, no separate shortcuts to remember.
| Type this | And you get |
|---|---|
report 2026 | Files whose name matches, ranked by relevance and your usage history |
| any keyword | Full-text search inside documents, code, PDFs, and Office files (Free: up to 20 results per search; Pro: unlimited) |
| a plain-language question | AI file finding—e.g. "the contract my boss sent last week"—with the answer read straight from the file and its source shown, all on-devicePro |
| an app name | Launch an installed program or open a Windows setting |
clip: keyword | Search your clipboard history—text and images (Free: recent 50; Pro: unlimited) |
/email | Expand a text snippet you defined; supports variables like {date} {time} {user} (Free: up to 20 snippets; Pro: unlimited) |
win: | Window commands—minimize, maximize, close, and arrange windows |
3+4*2 | Instant calculator result (also powers, parentheses, sqrt) |
Search the web without leaving the bar
Start with a short prefix, then your query. It opens in your default browser.
| Prefix | Opens | Example |
|---|---|---|
g | g powerfind | |
b | Bing | b powerfind |
baidu | Baidu | baidu powerfind |
yt | YouTube | yt powerfind |
wiki | Wikipedia | wiki powerfind |
gh | GitHub | gh powerfind |
Good to know
Everything stays local
Indexing, content search, and even the natural-language AI run on your machine. No account, no cloud, no telemetry for search—your file contents never leave this computer.
Chinese search just works
Filenames and file contents in Chinese are searchable by substring, with no word segmentation to set up—an area where many similar tools offer limited support.
Content search is opt-in
Turn on content indexing in Settings to search inside files. You choose which folders to index and how much to spend on it—your call, adjustable any time.
Frequently asked questions
How do I open PowerFind?
Press the global hotkey — Alt+P by default — from any app, and the search bar appears. Press it again or press Esc to hide it. PowerFind runs quietly in the background and the tray, so it is always one keystroke away.
Can I change the hotkey?
Yes. Open Settings and pick a different modifier (Alt, Ctrl, Shift, or the Windows key) and key. The change takes effect as soon as you save, and it is remembered across restarts.
Do I need an account to use it?
No. Filename and content search need no account and no internet connection — everything runs on your computer. An account is only used for purchasing and activating Pro.
Is PowerFind free?
The core search is free forever, with no ads and no time limit. Advanced workflows (unlimited content-search results, AI file finding, unlimited clipboard, personalized ranking, and more) are in Pro — a one-time purchase for a lifetime license, not a subscription.
One hotkey, everything within reach
Install PowerFind, press Alt+P, and start finding. Core features are free forever.
Download PowerFind free