Preview: These docs are available early so you can start using them now. Some pages may still be incomplete, outdated, or change as WebLibre develops.

Local Search in the Address Bar

WebLibre can search your own data directly from the address bar. When you type in Search or enter URL, it can show matches from sections such as Tabs, Bookmarks, Articles, and History.

Local results come from data already stored on your device. If you also enable a Default Autocomplete Provider, WebLibre can additionally fetch web suggestions from that provider.

With the Local Search Index enabled, WebLibre can even search the full text of pages you visited — entirely on your device.

What Local Search Can Find

The address bar can show several kinds of results at the same time.

Tabs

The Tabs section can match:

  • page titles

  • page addresses

  • text saved from page content

This is useful when you remember a phrase from a page, but not the site name. When an open-tab result matches saved page text, WebLibre offers to find that text in the page after switching to the tab.

Tab content search depends on what content WebLibre has already saved for that tab. Some pages may match by title or address only.

Bookmarks

The Bookmarks section searches your saved bookmarks. Results open the bookmarked page directly.

In search results, WebLibre shows the bookmark title and address.

Articles

If you use Web Feeds, the Articles section can search across saved feed articles. Matches can come from article titles, summaries, or article text.

This makes your feed list easier to reuse like a personal reading archive.

History

The History section shows pages from your browsing history that match what you typed. Results usually appear with the page title and address.

When the Local Search Index is enabled, history matches can also come from the indexed page content, not just titles and addresses.

Popular Sites

WebLibre can also suggest well-known websites as you type, even if they are not in your browsing history yet. On a fresh install, typing git can already complete to github.com.

These suggestions come from a built-in list, not from a web service, so nothing you type is sent anywhere for them.

Bang Providers

Bang providers are not local results, but they appear in the same address-bar workflow. When you want to send a query to a specific site, choose a bang chip below the search field or open Search Bangs from the chevron button.

If you are already on a page, WebLibre can also show separate Search On This Site and All Providers bang areas.

Learn more: Bang Providers

How to Use It

  1. Tap the address bar.

  2. Type a word, phrase, site name, or address.

  3. Review the grouped results such as Tabs, Bookmarks, Articles, or History.

  4. Tap the result you want.

You do not need to choose a search mode first. WebLibre checks the available sections automatically.

What to Expect While Typing

  • If your text looks like a web address, WebLibre treats it like an address.

  • If your text looks like a search, WebLibre can show local matches first.

  • If you enabled a Default Autocomplete Provider, web suggestions may also appear.

If no local result matches, you can still submit the text as a normal web search.

If you have not configured a default search engine, highlighting text on a page and choosing to search still works: WebLibre opens the search screen with your text pre-filled so you can pick a provider, instead of failing silently.

Practical Examples

"I still have that article open somewhere"

Type a phrase from the page. Check Tabs first, then History.

"I saved that site months ago"

Type the site name or topic and look in Bookmarks.

"I read this in one of my feeds"

Type a distinctive phrase and check Articles.

"I visited this before, but I do not remember when"

Type part of the title or address and check History.

Customize Which Sections Appear First

You can change the order of the search sections and hide sections you do not use.

  1. Open the address bar.

  2. Start typing to show search results.

  3. Tap Customize sections.

  4. Reorder the sections or hide the ones you do not want.

This changes the order of sections such as Tabs, Bookmarks, Articles, and History.

Local Search Index

The Local Search Index is enabled by default and lets WebLibre search the content of pages you visited, not just their titles and addresses. Visited pages are indexed locally, so content search works without sending any data off your device.

Manage it in Settings > Search > Local Search Index:

  • Enable local search index — turns content indexing on or off. Turning it off stops indexing but does not delete existing entries

  • Index private tabs — includes pages opened in private tabs in the index. Off by default.

  • Indexed pages — shows how many pages are currently searchable, with a Clear action that removes all indexed content while keeping your normal history

Some more details:

  • Stale entries are pruned automatically, so the index stays lean.

  • You can exclude individual containers with the Exclude from Search Index option in the container editor. See Containers.

  • Clearing your browsing history also clears the local search index.

When a History result matches indexed page text, opening it also opens Find in Page with your query so you can locate the matching passage.

Clipboard Suggestions

If you copied a link before opening the address bar, WebLibre can offer Fill link from clipboard. Tapping it pastes that link into the address bar for you.

It does not open the page immediately. You can still review or edit the link first.

Enable this in Settings > Search > Allow clipboard access for suggestions.

Search Suggestions from the Web

By default, you can keep autocomplete suggestions disabled for a more private setup. If you want web-based suggestions while typing, choose a Default Autocomplete Provider in Settings > Search.

Built-in provider options are available, and you can also leave this disabled for a more local-first setup.

This setting affects suggestions while typing. Your Default Search Provider can still be something different.

WebLibre can also complete addresses inline as you type, using your history and the built-in popular sites list. If you turn on Settings > Search > Autocomplete on enter, pressing enter accepts the current inline suggestion instead of searching for the literal text you typed.

Custom Search Engines

You can add your own site-specific bang providers from Settings > Search > Custom Search Engines.

When creating one, enter:

  • a name

  • a trigger

  • a URL template

Use {{{s}}} as the placeholder for the search terms.

Example:

https://example.com/search?q={{{s}}}

After that, the provider appears in WebLibre’s bang picker and bang browser, where you can select it for future searches.

Why People Use This

Local search helps when you remember something about a page, but not exactly where it came from. Instead of checking tabs, bookmarks, feeds, and history one by one, you can search from one place and open the result you need.