Edited by Tejas Telkar · Published · Updated
Short answer
In NotchPop Links, select a search destination, enter a query and choose Search or press Return. The result opens in your default browser. The selected provider receives the query; this is a shortcut to web search, not an offline search of your Mac.
Choose a provider for the question
The Links tool offers Google, Perplexity, DuckDuckGo, GitHub and YouTube as destinations. Choose where you want to look before submitting a query. Documentation code, a video walkthrough and a general web question can benefit from different search surfaces; the tool provides a route to them rather than evaluating their results for you.
A search term leaves the app for the chosen web provider through your browser. Do not paste a private log, API token or confidential customer detail into the field by habit. Use a short, appropriate query that describes the problem without exposing material the search service does not need.
Run a focused search
- Open Links and select the intended provider.
- Enter a meaningful non-empty query.
- Choose Search or press Return.
- Check the browser destination and assess the results using their actual sources.
If nothing opens, verify a query was entered and the default browser can launch normally. If results are irrelevant, refine the question in the destination itself rather than expecting the island to know which result is correct. NotchPop does not guarantee an answer or endorse every page a search engine returns.
Use saved links for repeated destinations
If you keep searching for the same documentation home or dashboard, add it as a saved site instead. Searching is useful when the answer or destination is uncertain; a bookmark is more direct when you already know the right page. Avoid storing temporary sign-in links that contain sensitive query parameters.
For an unfinished question, draft it in Scratchpad and remove unnecessary private context before copying it. For local files, copying a pathname is a separate operation and does not make a file publicly searchable. The destination, data sent and expected result should be clear at each step.
Sources and editorial notes
Published by NotchPop, the maker of the app. macOS instructions and third-party claims are linked to the sources below. Settings and offers can change between versions. Read our editorial approach or send a correction.
