OpenSearch Description XML Builder

OpenSearch is the standard format browsers use to recognize a site as a search engine — Firefox and Edge auto-detect, Chrome uses it for the address bar. Generate the XML once, link it from your HTML <head>, and your site appears in browser search settings.

opensearch.xml

Link from your HTML head: <link rel="search" type="application/opensearchdescription+xml" title="My Site" href="/opensearch.xml">

How to use the OpenSearch Description XML Builder

Fill in your site name, a short name, description, the search URL template (include the {searchTerms} placeholder where the query goes), and an icon URL. Copy the generated opensearch.xml, upload it to your site root, and link it from your HTML <head> with the provided <link rel="search"> tag.

Registering your site as a browser search engine

OpenSearch is the small XML format that lets a browser treat your site as a search engine. With it in place, Firefox and Edge auto-detect the search box, Chrome can offer it in the address bar, and users can query your site directly without visiting it first.

This builder generates that opensearch.xml from a few fields — site name, description, the search URL with a {searchTerms} placeholder, and an icon. Upload the file and link it from your <head>, and your site appears in the browser's search settings. If you also need crawler directives, pair it with the robots.txt generator.

Common use cases

  • Address-bar search — let users query your site from the browser bar.
  • Auto-detection — have Firefox and Edge recognize your search box.
  • Documentation sites — add quick in-browser search for docs.
  • Intranets — register internal tools as searchable engines.
  • Branding — show your name and icon in browser search settings.

Frequently asked questions

What is the {searchTerms} placeholder?

It marks where the user's query goes in your search URL. The browser substitutes the typed terms into that spot when running a search.

Where does the file go?

Upload it to your site (commonly /opensearch.xml) and link it from the <head> with a <link rel="search"> tag.

What icon size should I use?

A 16×16 or 64×64 PNG or ICO. Browsers show it beside your engine in their search settings.

Does every browser support it?

Firefox and Edge auto-detect it; Chrome uses it for address-bar engines. Behavior varies, but the format is widely understood.
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