BUG: Installed programs not showing up in Flow Launcher

[EssentialCuber]

Checks

• I have checked that this issue has not already been reported.

• I am using the latest version of Flow Launcher.

• I am using the prerelease version of Flow Launcher.

Problem Description

I’m trying to start a program using Flow Launcher, but the search results only show some files and shortcuts. I’m really confused—where is my installed program?
I checked the “Program” plugin, but I couldn’t find the program I need in the list.
Maybe the default path doesn’t include the “Start Menu” folder?
I tried adding the path manually, and it worked, but not perfectly—some programs show up with two names, like both “Chinese” and “Pinyin.” I don’t understand why this happens.
I even tried deleting all Flow Launcher files and reinstalling it, but the problem is still there.
Maybe this is not bug, but I really need someone to help me.
Thank you.

To Reproduce

No response

Screenshots

Flow Launcher Version

1.20.2

Windows Build Number

Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (Build 22631.3880)

Error Log

Replace this line with the important log contents.

[deefrawley]

What is the exact path to the app you are looking for?

[EssentialCuber]

What is the exact path to the app you are looking for?

C:\Users\10138\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu

"C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\JetBrains\JetBrains Rider 2025.2.lnk"
"C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\JetBrains\PyCharm 2025.2.0.1.lnk"

"C:\Users\10138\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Visual Studio Code\Visual Studio Code.lnk"
"C:\Users\10138\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Clash for Windows.lnk"

The examples I listed above are applications that should have been found by the search, but in fact they aren’t. I have to manually add those two paths in order for the shortcuts to be indexed properly, which doesn’t seem normal.

[enoversum]

Similar issue here. I never touched the settings there, it just worked out of the box, so I didn't add any paths at the bottom. Recently, FlowLauncher started to not show any apps indexed at all, and if I click 'Re-Index', it just runs forever and never finishes.

[enoversum]

Edit: It might have been due to the 'Plugin Runner' plugin acting up. I had it disabled, since it was not working anymore, but it still threw an error in FL. I had to completely remove it, then a FL restart brought back my programs. Could that be the problem in your case as well, @EssentialCuber ?

[EssentialCuber]

Edit: It might have been due to the 'Plugin Runner' plugin acting up. I had it disabled, since it was not working anymore, but it still threw an error in FL. I had to completely remove it, then a FL restart brought back my programs. Could that be the problem in your case as well, @EssentialCuber ?

Fortunately, a few days after the issue appeared, my program went back to normal (though I’m not sure why). The program name now displays correctly. It still depends on manually adding the path, but since it works, I haven’t been paying much attention to this problem anymore. XD