The Options → ActionPad tab is where you configure everything about the ActionPad: what appears when you search, how search works, and how the ActionPad looks. This FAQ describes each option on the tab. Where to Find It Right-click the ActiveWords icon (system tray or floating icon) and choose Options. Open the ActionPad tab. In ActiveWords 5, the ActionPad hotkey is configured only here, so all ActionPad...

Windows Search lets the ActionPad search your computer for files, folders, applications, and Start Menu items. When enabled, typing in the ActionPad finds not only your Words but also items across your system. Enabling Windows Search Open Options and go to the ActionPad tab. Turn on Windows Search to include files, folders, applications, and Start Menu items in ActionPad search results. When Windows Search is off, the...

The Advanced Calculator lets you perform math calculations directly in the ActionPad. Type a numeric expression and press Enter—the result is substituted immediately. This is useful for quick calculations without leaving your workflow. It supports basic arithmetic plus many advanced functions, constants, and operators; the full scope is too large to document here. Enabling the Advanced Calculator Open Options and go to the ActionPad tab. Turn on...

Date Calculations let you perform date arithmetic directly in the ActionPad and in your actions. Type expressions like today+1m and the result is substituted immediately—no need to look up the date yourself. Enabling Date Calculations Open Options and go to the ActionPad tab. Turn on Date Calculations to use date expressions in the ActionPad. On the same tab, set the date format for results: Short date or...

Tags help you organize, filter, and quickly find your Words and Actions. In ActiveWords 5, tags are accessed through a tag icon in the main window instead of a side column. Where to Find Tags (Version 5) Click the tag icon in the main window to open the tags view. The icon shows your tags and lets you work with them in one place. When the tags...

The Wizard is a right-click menu in the action editor that inserts common syntax for you, so you don't have to remember the commands. It appears when you create or edit Substitute Text, Substitute Content, Open URL, and other action types. What you see in the Wizard depends on the action type you're creating or editing. The Wizard is new in ActiveWords 5 and makes...

The ActionPad is a quick-launch input field that appears on demand. It provides a single place to enter and trigger your Words, act on text using Selected Text actions, search your computer, perform calculations, and more. Opening the ActionPad Press Ctrl+Space (the default hotkey) to open the ActionPad. You can change this hotkey in Options → ActionPad tab. In ActiveWords 5, the ActionPad hotkey is configured in...

Hotkeys are system-wide key combinations that give you instant access to ActiveWords features. In ActiveWords 5, hotkey management is more flexible and organized. Hotkeys are configured in two primary places: In the main ActiveWords window (where you edit individual actions) In Options (Hotkeys tab and ActionPad tab) Where to Configure Hotkeys Hotkeys are configured either in Options or in the main ActiveWords window, depending on the type of hotkey. Options...

Selected Text (formerly called ActionText in Version 4) acts on any text you select anywhere on your computer and on any text entered in the ActionPad. Selected Text serves as your entry point for services and information, providing instant access to searches, translations, and custom actions—much like the Windows Key, only more powerful. How to Use Selected Text Select any text from any application (web browser, document,...

ActiveWords 5 introduces important changes to how data is stored and managed. These changes are foundational and affect how ActiveWords behaves across versions. This article explains what has changed, why it changed, and what it means for you when testing ActiveWords 5. What Changed in ActiveWords 5 In previous versions, ActiveWords used a version-specific folder structure and database format. ActiveWords 5 moves away from that approach by: Using a single...