Launchy, QuickSilver for Windows

June 22, 2006 · 16 comments

I recently discovered an application for Windows called Launchy. Similar to QuickSilver for OS X, Launchy can be activated with a simple key combination and open a prompt for easily launching applications and executing files. While it’s no where near as comprehensive as QuickSilver, it is no doubt a long awaited application for XP users. It also comes pre-installed with a variety of skins. You have the ability of telling Launchy to index several directories, such as your music directory, which comes in handy when looking for a song to play.

Launchy
Launchy 2
Launchy 3

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{ 3 trackbacks }

The Sunday Slice: Dappin with Desktops at Low End Theory
June 25, 2006 at 10:18 pm
ÐáñïõóéÜóç ôïõ Launchy - pestaola.gr
July 26, 2006 at 5:47 am
Launchy, QuickSilver for Windows
February 28, 2007 at 6:05 pm

{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Jordan Arentsen June 22, 2006 at 2:20 am

I would also suggest trying Colibri (http://colibri.leetspeak.org). In my opinion it has a better interface, although I have not used Launchy. I’ll be getting my Macbook next week, so hopefully I’ll finally be able to use the real thing.

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2 Cyrris June 22, 2006 at 2:53 am

Very handy, I fell in love with this 5 seconds after installing it. Definitely a keeper – though for some reason (even after uninstalling and reinstalling) I don’t get the programs icons showing at all like. Gonna have to look in to that.

Thanks for the tip off.

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3 Sam Kellett June 22, 2006 at 6:40 am

YAY! I’ve made Launchy famous! :D

It is a killer time-saver. I can’t live without it now.

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4 Long June 22, 2006 at 7:11 am

I never clicked the mouse a lot and thanks to Launchy, now I click even less.

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5 Angel June 22, 2006 at 8:04 am

I’ve used it on Windows in hopes of mimicking Quicksilver, but as you said, it’s no where near Quicksilver. It reminded me of that everytime I used it, so I stopped using it because I kept trying Quicksilver commands, lol.

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6 eric June 22, 2006 at 8:59 am

i wish this was out when i was still a pc user.

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7 David Paquet June 22, 2006 at 9:35 am

Well I prefer to use Google Desktop since it’s offer this functionnality and many more.

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8 Hans June 22, 2006 at 2:49 pm

Has anyone tried AppRocket? In my opinion it’s the best. I’ve actually stumbled upon it through a comment among the XP must-have of Paul. AppRocket is just the best compacting all the stuff in a nice minibar that doesn’t not get into the way. Try it surely it will do it up to the level of QuickSilver!!!

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9 Andrei June 25, 2006 at 9:22 am

You might want to try out SlickRun, too. I found it really nice, but unfortunately I did not have the time to change my working habits when I discovered SlickRun.

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10 Gordon July 3, 2006 at 10:49 am

Late to this post.

I’ve tried Colibri, AppRocket and others and Launchy has them all licked.

It now supports indexing of DIRECTORIES meaning you can jump easily to any folder on your system if you so desire.

Top tip – create one folder and dump all often used shortcuts (to apps, sites, whatever) in there. Make sure their names are what you’d normally want to type and you have an excellent, pre-filtered, list.

I no longer have any icons on my desktop, nor a quicklaunch bar.. it’s ALL LAUNCHY!!

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11 Mike August 3, 2006 at 6:06 pm

You should check out PC-Com (www.boletrice.com/pccom) if you like Launchy. PC-Com is similar because it scans your Start Menu and Desktop and automatically adds keywords to your programs, but it has so many more features. You can also launch websites, search the web, look up a word in a dictionary, shut down/restart/log off your comp., and even record macros.

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12 robert October 9, 2007 at 11:26 pm

Paul — take a look at Keybreeze. It has a lot more features than both Launchy and Quicksilver, and it’s also free.

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13 Yojimbo November 16, 2007 at 9:36 pm

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