Launchbox

Having to find items of interest in a crowded workspace easily gets frustrating. Sure enough, you can rely on the search function Windows provides, but it can take a bit of time before it retrieves the exact result. Luckily, applications like Launchbox are specially built to cut all these frustrations and help you easily launch just about anything.

The setup process is over before you realize, but before you can fully enjoy all the application has to offer, it’s a good idea to make sure that your computer is fitted with .NET Framework. On the other hand, modern iterations of Windows come with it in the default set of features, so there’s a high chance it’s already there.

On launch, a text box shows up right in the middle of the screen, and is the search field used to run programs of interest. You might end up scratching your head for a while, but it all becomes clear once you add a few programs to the list. This is accomplished by accessing the configuration panel through the tray icon.

Note that the field isn’t actually a search bar, but a launcher for custom keywords you associate to program paths. Unfortunately, you can only pick executable files, so it can pretty much become a launcher for programs and video games. Later on you can choose to delete items from the list.

There are several inconveniences to the whole experience. For starters, the input field never goes away, and stays on top of everything else. It would have been really useful to be able to only toggle it through a set of hotkey commands.

All things considered, we come to the conclusion that Launchbox is a little rough around the edges both in terms of design and functionality. It can be a hassle to add new programs, and the lack of an option to make the input bar disappear can quickly make you look for alternatives.