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Question

Does Box Support OpenSearch or SearchAction for users to have the ability to search their Box files using other software?

  • May 22, 2025
  • 2 replies
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C
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OpenSearch or SearchAction Search Standards

There are many use case scenarios in which users wish to search their Box.com files and folders directly within other software/platforms.

For example, a very popular productivity application for macOS called "Alfred" allows users to integrate custom search shortcuts directly through the application. Performing a search on sites such as Wikipedia, Twitter, eBay, IMDB, Ask.com, LinkedIn, YouTube, Amazon, Weather, Gmail, Google Drive, Translate, Wolfram Alpha, are just a few of the web searches supported.

However, if the site isn't natively supported, a user can add a custom search for a site if the site supports OpenSearch or SearchAction standards.

Many Stock Imagery and Photography websites support these standards to allow the community to search across their catalogs across many different applications and methods.

Does Box support any of these standards or protocols so that users may search their files using many diverse, albeit more customized, methods?

    2 replies

    C
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    Hi Seviant, 

    Welcome to the Box Community and thanks for your post in the forum!
     
    Have you checked out this our support article on "Search for Files, Folders, and Content"?
     
    This may be relevant to your problem with the next steps!
     
    Unfortunately, we don't currently offer the feature you asked about. 
     
    If this is something you would like to be able to do, I would highly recommend submitting this feature request at pulse.box.com! Our product managers review these requests and take them into consideration for future product development.
     
    Best,
    C
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    When working with Files and Folders on macOS, no native application is able to work with Box Drive because nearly ALL native macOS applications use the same macOS system file/metadata index as Spotlight.

    Dear Box Team, users don't live on the Box.com Site, which is why there is an overwhelming demand for an application such as Box Drive. You have to prioritize the ability for users to interact with their Box Drive files NATIVELY on their respective local systems. 

    For example, a simple "MOVE TO" command using a popular productivity application such as "Alfred or Silverlight" cannot be executed because they are unable to even SEE the Box Drive folder.

    This is not necessarily a "feature request," this is more of a necessity, especially considering search protocols such as OpenSearch or SearchAction Standards are not supported.

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