You can use Alfred to paste text strings into a pre-defined search URL to trigger searching in online directories. This makes it easier to just search from the Alfred interface vs. going to the source and doing a search.
Here’s an example of how this works:
Here’s how to configure this search:
- Go to Alfred Preferences
- Click Web Search > Click Add Custom Search
- In the Search URL box - enter the URL that you’re searching with a {query} placeholder where your search query will be pasted.
- Note that some apps don’t embed the search string in their URL - they’re shitty apps. Don’t use them.
- Enter a Title and Keyword to trigger the search. Here’s an example of the how my Todoist search Is configured
But Leon, how do I get that search URL?!
The stupid simple way is the best way
- Go to the web app you’d like to search
- Run a search under a key term (keep it simple so it’s easy to find)
- Copy the URL from your search
- Replace your key term with {query} in the Alfred config.
- Trim out any additional tagging happening in the URL to keep it simple.
- Here’s an example:
