---
name: copilot-web-search
description: Search the web for current information using Copilot Plus or the configured Self-Host search provider. Use when the user asks to search online, look something up on the internet, or needs up-to-date facts beyond the vault. Prefer reading the vault for anything about the user's own notes.
license: Copilot Plus or Self-Host
metadata:
  copilot-enabled-agents: opencode, claude, codex
  copilot-builtin-version: "10"
---

# Copilot web search

Search the web through Copilot and return results for the user's query.

## How to run

Find the absolute path to this SKILL.md file on disk, then run the script next
to it that matches the operating system. Run it as a shell command with your shell command tool (for example
`Bash` in Claude Code, `shell` in OpenCode, `exec_command` in Codex). The command
is shell syntax, not JavaScript or TypeScript: never pass it as the code of a
code-execution tool.
No extra runtime is needed — `sh` (macOS/Linux) and `cmd`/PowerShell (Windows)
are always present.

On macOS or Linux:

```bash
sh "/absolute/path/to/this/skill/directory/web-search.sh" "<your search query>"
```

On Windows, run the `.cmd` wrapper. In PowerShell you must prefix it with the
call operator `&` (PowerShell treats a quoted path on its own as a string and
won't run it); from cmd, run the quoted path without the `&`:

```powershell
& "/absolute/path/to/this/skill/directory/web-search.cmd" "<your search query>"
```

Both print the result to stdout.

## If Copilot Plus is not active

If the script exits saying Copilot Plus is unavailable, do NOT retry it. Do what
the message says: fall back to your own equivalent built-in capability to handle
the request when you have one (otherwise tell the user it's unavailable) — never
refuse or block the user. Only mention upgrading or renewing Copilot Plus when
the script's message explicitly invites it, and keep any such note short and
friendly.