Ever find yourself searching for something on Kagi, only to realise you actually want to quickly look it up on a specific site, like Wikipedia, YouTube, or a favorite forum? That's exactly where bangs come in.
What are Bangs?
Bangs are powerful shortcuts you type directly into the Kagi search bar to instantly redirect your search to another website. You can learn more about using them here.
They follow a simple format: just prefix your query with an exclamation mark and a short code. For example, typing !r travel advice would redirect your search straight to Reddit, while !w winter olympics takes you directly to that page on Wikipedia.
Why are they useful?
They save time! Instead of searching on Kagi first, finding the site you want, and then navigating to it, a bang gets you there in a single step.
Secondly, they can really help streamline your workflow. Your Kagi search bar becomes a universal launcher for dozens or hundreds of websites.
They're also customizable! Kagi lets you create your own custom bangs, so you can set up shortcuts for the sites you use most, rather than just the ones that come built in.
When would you reach for a Bang?
| Scenario | Bang | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Search Kagi videos | !v | Searches straight in Kagi's video tab |
| Defining a word | !word | Opens the dictionary mode in Kagi Translate |
| Looking for a GitHub repository | !gh | Finds repo results in GitHub directly |
| Searching Kagi help docs | !help | Searches throughout Kagi documentation |
There are also regional bangs, AI related bangs, and specific bangs for time scope.
What users are saying about Bangs
"They are a massive life improvement!" - Genehack
"I've been using Kagi and really liking it. First time I didn't go running back to Google. Plus, if you include !recap in your query, it works! Or if you include !CourtListener to do case law." - Mike Lissner
"A few days into finally subscribing to Kagi, custom bang shortcuts are my favorite feature so far." - Spencer Greenhalgh
Getting started with custom Bangs
This may seem intimidating at first, but it's actually super easy! Here is a visual guide to help you understand the utility of Bangs in search, and how to create your own custom Bangs in Kagi: