diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locator.cpp b/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locator.cpp
index d8509cf8260..a37e87bf185 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locator.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locator.cpp
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ static Locator *m_instance = nullptr;
 
 const char kDirectoryFilterPrefix[] = "directory";
 const char kUrlFilterPrefix[] = "url";
+const char kUseCenteredPopup[] = "UseCenteredPopupForShortcut";
 
 class LocatorData
 {
@@ -189,8 +190,10 @@ void Locator::loadSettings()
     // TOOD remove a few versions after 4.15
     const QString settingsGroup = settings->contains("Locator") ? QString("Locator")
                                                                 : QString("QuickOpen");
+    const Settings def;
     settings->beginGroup(settingsGroup);
     m_refreshTimer.setInterval(settings->value("RefreshInterval", 60).toInt() * 60000);
+    m_settings.useCenteredPopup = settings->value(kUseCenteredPopup, def.useCenteredPopup).toBool();
 
     for (ILocatorFilter *filter : qAsConst(m_filters)) {
         if (settings->contains(filter->id().toString())) {
@@ -313,11 +316,13 @@ void Locator::saveSettings() const
     if (!m_settingsInitialized)
         return;
 
+    const Settings def;
     SettingsDatabase *s = ICore::settingsDatabase();
     s->beginTransaction();
     s->beginGroup("Locator");
     s->remove(QString());
     s->setValue("RefreshInterval", refreshInterval());
+    s->setValueWithDefault(kUseCenteredPopup, m_settings.useCenteredPopup, def.useCenteredPopup);
     for (ILocatorFilter *filter : m_filters) {
         if (!m_customFilters.contains(filter) && filter->id().isValid()) {
             const QByteArray state = filter->saveState();
@@ -386,6 +391,16 @@ void Locator::setRefreshInterval(int interval)
     m_refreshTimer.start();
 }
 
+bool Locator::useCenteredPopupForShortcut()
+{
+    return m_instance->m_settings.useCenteredPopup;
+}
+
+void Locator::setUseCenteredPopupForShortcut(bool center)
+{
+    m_instance->m_settings.useCenteredPopup = center;
+}
+
 void Locator::refresh(QList<ILocatorFilter *> filters)
 {
     if (m_shuttingDown)
@@ -410,5 +425,27 @@ void Locator::refresh(QList<ILocatorFilter *> filters)
     });
 }
 
+void Locator::showFilter(ILocatorFilter *filter, LocatorWidget *widget)
+{
+    QTC_ASSERT(filter, return );
+    QTC_ASSERT(widget, return );
+    QString searchText = LocatorManager::tr("<type here>");
+    const QString currentText = widget->currentText().trimmed();
+    // add shortcut string at front or replace existing shortcut string
+    if (!currentText.isEmpty()) {
+        searchText = currentText;
+        const QList<ILocatorFilter *> allFilters = Locator::filters();
+        for (ILocatorFilter *otherfilter : allFilters) {
+            if (currentText.startsWith(otherfilter->shortcutString() + ' ')) {
+                searchText = currentText.mid(otherfilter->shortcutString().length() + 1);
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    widget->showText(filter->shortcutString() + ' ' + searchText,
+                     filter->shortcutString().length() + 1,
+                     searchText.length());
+}
+
 } // namespace Internal
 } // namespace Core
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locator.h b/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locator.h
index 95a6b63687b..04425f202ba 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locator.h
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locator.h
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include "ilocatorfilter.h"
-#include "locatorconstants.h"
 
 #include <coreplugin/actionmanager/command.h>
 #include <extensionsystem/iplugin.h>
@@ -41,6 +40,7 @@ namespace Core {
 namespace Internal {
 
 class LocatorData;
+class LocatorWidget;
 
 class Locator : public QObject
 {
@@ -65,6 +65,11 @@ public:
     int refreshInterval() const;
     void setRefreshInterval(int interval);
 
+    static bool useCenteredPopupForShortcut();
+    static void setUseCenteredPopupForShortcut(bool center);
+
+    static void showFilter(ILocatorFilter *filter, LocatorWidget *widget);
+
 signals:
     void filtersChanged();
 
@@ -79,8 +84,14 @@ private:
 
     LocatorData *m_locatorData = nullptr;
 
+    struct Settings
+    {
+        bool useCenteredPopup = false;
+    };
+
     bool m_shuttingDown = false;
     bool m_settingsInitialized = false;
+    Settings m_settings;
     QList<ILocatorFilter *> m_filters;
     QList<ILocatorFilter *> m_customFilters;
     QMap<Utils::Id, QAction *> m_filterActionMap;
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locatormanager.cpp b/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locatormanager.cpp
index 5c1bb0a0b54..262af92b990 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locatormanager.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locatormanager.cpp
@@ -57,10 +57,12 @@ static LocatorWidget *locatorWidget()
     // if that is a popup, try to find a better one
     if (window->windowFlags() & Qt::Popup && window->parentWidget())
         window = window->parentWidget()->window();
-    if (auto *widget = Aggregation::query<LocatorWidget>(window)) {
-        if (popup)
-            popup->close();
-        return widget;
+    if (!Locator::useCenteredPopupForShortcut()) {
+        if (auto *widget = Aggregation::query<LocatorWidget>(window)) {
+            if (popup)
+                popup->close();
+            return widget;
+        }
     }
     if (!popup) {
         popup = createLocatorPopup(Locator::instance(), window);
@@ -71,23 +73,7 @@ static LocatorWidget *locatorWidget()
 
 void LocatorManager::showFilter(ILocatorFilter *filter)
 {
-    QTC_ASSERT(filter, return);
-    QString searchText = tr("<type here>");
-    const QString currentText = locatorWidget()->currentText().trimmed();
-    // add shortcut string at front or replace existing shortcut string
-    if (!currentText.isEmpty()) {
-        searchText = currentText;
-        const QList<ILocatorFilter *> allFilters = Locator::filters();
-        for (ILocatorFilter *otherfilter : allFilters) {
-            if (currentText.startsWith(otherfilter->shortcutString() + ' ')) {
-                searchText = currentText.mid(otherfilter->shortcutString().length() + 1);
-                break;
-            }
-        }
-    }
-    show(filter->shortcutString() + ' ' + searchText,
-         filter->shortcutString().length() + 1,
-         searchText.length());
+    Locator::showFilter(filter, locatorWidget());
 }
 
 void LocatorManager::show(const QString &text,
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locatorwidget.cpp b/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locatorwidget.cpp
index 2b05025bc39..a2da50e2681 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locatorwidget.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locatorwidget.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "ilocatorfilter.h"
 #include "locator.h"
 #include "locatorconstants.h"
+#include "locatormanager.h"
 #include "locatorsearchutils.h"
 
 #include <coreplugin/icore.h>
@@ -328,7 +329,7 @@ void CenteredLocatorPopup::doUpdateGeometry()
     const QSize size = preferredSize();
     const QSize parentSize = parentWidget()->size();
     const QPoint local((parentSize.width() - size.width()) / 2,
-                        parentSize.height() / 2 - size.height());
+                       (parentSize.height() - size.height()) / 2);
     const QPoint pos = parentWidget()->mapToGlobal(local);
     QRect rect(pos, size);
     // invisible widget doesn't have the right screen set yet, so use the parent widget to
@@ -568,12 +569,13 @@ bool CompletionList::eventFilter(QObject *watched, QEvent *event)
 
 // =========== LocatorWidget ===========
 
-LocatorWidget::LocatorWidget(Locator *locator) :
-    m_locatorModel(new LocatorModel(this)),
-    m_filterMenu(new QMenu(this)),
-    m_refreshAction(new QAction(tr("Refresh"), this)),
-    m_configureAction(new QAction(ICore::msgShowOptionsDialog(), this)),
-    m_fileLineEdit(new Utils::FancyLineEdit)
+LocatorWidget::LocatorWidget(Locator *locator)
+    : m_locatorModel(new LocatorModel(this))
+    , m_filterMenu(new QMenu(this))
+    , m_centeredPopupAction(new QAction(tr("Open as Centered Popup")))
+    , m_refreshAction(new QAction(tr("Refresh"), this))
+    , m_configureAction(new QAction(ICore::msgShowOptionsDialog(), this))
+    , m_fileLineEdit(new Utils::FancyLineEdit)
 {
     setAttribute(Qt::WA_Hover);
     setFocusProxy(m_fileLineEdit);
@@ -602,6 +604,19 @@ LocatorWidget::LocatorWidget(Locator *locator) :
     m_fileLineEdit->installEventFilter(this);
     this->installEventFilter(this);
 
+    m_centeredPopupAction->setCheckable(true);
+    m_centeredPopupAction->setChecked(Locator::useCenteredPopupForShortcut());
+    connect(m_filterMenu, &QMenu::aboutToShow, this, [this] {
+        m_centeredPopupAction->setChecked(Locator::useCenteredPopupForShortcut());
+    });
+    connect(m_centeredPopupAction, &QAction::toggled, locator, [locator](bool toggled) {
+        if (toggled != Locator::useCenteredPopupForShortcut()) {
+            Locator::setUseCenteredPopupForShortcut(toggled);
+            QMetaObject::invokeMethod(locator, [] { LocatorManager::show({}); });
+        }
+    });
+
+    m_filterMenu->addAction(m_centeredPopupAction);
     m_filterMenu->addAction(m_refreshAction);
     m_filterMenu->addAction(m_configureAction);
 
@@ -669,11 +684,16 @@ void LocatorWidget::updateFilterList()
     m_filterMenu->clear();
     const QList<ILocatorFilter *> filters = Locator::filters();
     for (ILocatorFilter *filter : filters) {
-        Command *cmd = ActionManager::command(filter->actionId());
-        if (cmd)
-            m_filterMenu->addAction(cmd->action());
+        if (filter->shortcutString().isEmpty() || filter->isHidden())
+            continue;
+        QAction *action = m_filterMenu->addAction(filter->displayName());
+        action->setToolTip(filter->description());
+        connect(action, &QAction::triggered, this, [this, filter] {
+            Locator::showFilter(filter, this);
+        });
     }
     m_filterMenu->addSeparator();
+    m_filterMenu->addAction(m_centeredPopupAction);
     m_filterMenu->addAction(m_refreshAction);
     m_filterMenu->addAction(m_configureAction);
 }
@@ -1038,7 +1058,11 @@ LocatorPopup *createLocatorPopup(Locator *locator, QWidget *parent)
 {
     auto widget = new LocatorWidget(locator);
     auto popup = new CenteredLocatorPopup(widget, parent);
-    popup->layout()->addWidget(widget);
+    auto layout = qobject_cast<QVBoxLayout *>(popup->layout());
+    if (QTC_GUARD(layout))
+        layout->insertWidget(0, widget);
+    else
+        popup->layout()->addWidget(widget);
     popup->setWindowFlags(Qt::Popup);
     popup->setAttribute(Qt::WA_DeleteOnClose);
     return popup;
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locatorwidget.h b/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locatorwidget.h
index 9371b5aac98..8d608089a8d 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locatorwidget.h
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locatorwidget.h
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ private:
     static LocatorWidget *m_sharedFutureOrigin;
 
     QMenu *m_filterMenu = nullptr;
+    QAction *m_centeredPopupAction = nullptr;
     QAction *m_refreshAction = nullptr;
     QAction *m_configureAction = nullptr;
     Utils::FancyLineEdit *m_fileLineEdit = nullptr;