Frequently Asked Questions¶

General¶

What is Flow Search?¶

A search bar widget for your Android home screen that you design yourself. You pick the colour, the size, the style and the buttons, then search the web, your apps, your files and your contacts from that one bar.

Which Android versions are supported?¶

Android 7.0 and later, on phones and tablets.

Does it replace my launcher?¶

No. Flow Search is a widget and an app. It sits on the home screen your launcher already provides and works alongside it.

Is there an iOS version?¶

No. Flow Search is Android only.

Widgets¶

How many widgets can I add?¶

As many as you like, each with its own buttons, colours and layout.

What sizes are available?¶

4x1, 5x1, 4x2 and 5x2. After placing one you can resize it with your launcher's handles, down to roughly a 1x1 square.

Yes. Open the widget's setup screen at any time and change the button line up, the colours or the layout.

Widget rendering depends on your launcher and your Android version. Transparency and blur in particular vary between launchers.

Buttons¶

How many buttons are there?¶

39, across six categories: Search, Navigation, Capture, Media, Utilities and Device controls.

Up to 3 on the free plan and up to 10 with Pro.

Why does a button ask for a permission?¶

Some actions are only possible with an Android permission. Screenshot and Lock Screen need accessibility access, Media buttons need notification listener access, and so on. The App asks only when you add that specific button.

What if I refuse a permission?¶

Only that button stops working. Everything else is unaffected.

Search¶

Which search engines are supported?¶

Thirteen. Google, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo.jp, Baidu and Yandex.ru are free. Startpage, Brave Search, Ecosia, Qwant, Swisscows, MetaGer, Mojeek and Yandex.com are Pro.

Can I search my phone as well as the web?¶

Yes. One query searches web suggestions, installed apps, contacts, files and folders, and Android settings at the same time.

Can I stop it sending anything while I type?¶

Yes. Turn off Search Suggestions in Settings. Autocomplete is the only thing the App sends anywhere, and that switch disables it.

What is Paste and Go?¶

It takes whatever is on your clipboard and searches it in a single tap.

Privacy¶

Does Flow Search track what I search for?¶

No. No search query, result or history is ever sent to us. Search history is stored on your device and you can clear it in Settings.

So what is collected?¶

Three things, and you control two of them. Ads from Google AdMob, which need your consent and disappear entirely with Pro. Firebase Analytics, which is off until you consent and records only 8 events, all about purchases and rating prompts. Firebase Crashlytics, which records crashes in release builds. Full detail in the Privacy Policy.

Does my search history go to a server?¶

No. It is stored on your device only, and you can clear it in Settings. We run no server of our own, and there is no account or sign in.

Does the accessibility service read my screen?¶

No. The event handler is empty, so the App does not process accessibility events or read screen content. The capability is declared because Android requires it for the Screenshot button. The full detail is in the Privacy Policy.

Do I need an account?¶

No. There is no sign in.

Pro¶

What does Pro unlock?¶

Up to 10 buttons per widget instead of 3, and all 13 search engines instead of 5.

Are there ads?¶

Yes, in the free version, inside the app's own screens. Ads never appear in the search bar widget or in the search overlay, and they are switched off entirely for Pro users. They also require your consent before any ad is requested, which you can review at About → Privacy choices.

How do I restore a purchase?¶

Purchases are tied to your Google account. Sign in to Google Play with the same account and the App will recognise it.

Still stuck?¶

See Troubleshooting or email support@androxus.com.