With TextExpander, you can quickly expand chunks of text, such as email messages, instructions, and frequent tweets, by giving each an abbreviation to type out instead. In this way, each snippet has its own keyboard-shortcut-like abbreviation. But those certainly aren’t the only keyboard shortcuts for TextExpander.
Key takeaways
- Every Snippet abbreviation is already a shortcut. Typing an abbreviation expands an email, a set of instructions, or any saved text, and TextExpander adds keyboard shortcuts for searching, creating, and editing Snippets on top of that.
- Inline Search finds any Snippet without leaving your app. Press Command + / on a Mac, Control + / on Windows, or Control + . in Chrome, find the Snippet you need, and press Return to expand it where you’re typing.
- You can set your own hotkeys in Preferences. Open TextExpander > Preferences > Hotkeys, choose a command such as Create Snippet from Clipboard or Edit Last Expanded Snippet, and press a combination that includes a modifier key plus a letter or number.
- Shortcuts keep your best wording current. Create Snippet from Clipboard saves a good reply the moment you write it, and Edit Last Expanded Snippet fixes outdated text right after you use it, so the Snippets your team relies on stay accurate.
If you open TextExpander > Preferences > Hotkeys on a Mac or PC, you’ll see a set of keyboard shortcuts that can do some pretty powerful things.
For example, the Inline Search shortcut—Command + / (Mac), Control + / (PC), and Control + . (Chrome)—allows you to search your entire snippet library on-the-fly in any app. Once you find the snippet you need, press Return to expand it into the current app.
The Create Snippet from Clipboard shortcut does just that: copy some text—say, a recent customer email or a common tweet you repeatedly post—then use this shortcut to create a new snippet.
Also useful is the Edit Last Expanded Snippet shortcut. It’s a great way to update an outdated snippet quickly.
How to set TextExpander keyboard shortcuts
To set a shortcut (or “hotkey“) in that preferences pane:
- Click the “Push to set hotkey” button next to any command
- Press a key combination that includes Command (Mac), Alt (Windows), Control, Option and/or Shift, plus any letter or number to set your hotkey
Some good hotkey examples are Command-Control-1 on a Mac, or Control-Alt-S on a PC. Check out our support documentation to learn more about creating hotkeys and their combo requirements.
Feel free to explore these shortcuts, as they can become supremely useful to any TextExpander workflow. Click the button next to any of them to set the actual shortcut, then go wild.
What are the default TextExpander keyboard shortcuts?
TextExpander has four built-in shortcuts that work without any setup: open the Command Menu, repeat the last Snippet expansion, open Inline Search, and insert a most-used Snippet from Quick Actions. They use Command on a Mac and Control on Windows, and the Chrome extension has its own versions. The hotkeys in Preferences are extra commands you assign yourself.
| Action | Mac | Windows | Chrome extension |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open the Command Menu | Command + K | Control + K | Command + K (Mac) or Control + K (Windows) |
| Repeat last Snippet expansion | Command + 0 | Control + 0 | Control + 0 |
| Inline Search (find and insert a Snippet where you’re typing) | Command + / | Control + / | Control + . (period) |
| Insert a most-used Snippet from Quick Actions | Command + 1 through 9 | Control + 1 through 9 | Control + 1 through 9 |
Inline Search is the one to learn first. Click into any text field, press the shortcut, and type part of a Snippet’s abbreviation, content, or label. Pick the result with the arrow keys and press Return (Mac) or Enter (Windows). It won’t open while the main TextExpander window is active. In the Chrome extension, Control + . also shows your recently used Snippets and AI-powered Snippet Recommendations.
Hotkeys you assign yourself
In TextExpander > Preferences > Hotkeys, you can add shortcuts for Open TextExpander, Enable/Disable TextExpander, Create New Snippet, Create Snippet from Clipboard, Edit Last Expanded Snippet, and Quick Action. Select Set Hotkey next to a command, press your combination, and click Change Hotkey. To replace a hotkey, select its reset button first. Pick combinations that don’t clash with shortcuts in the apps you use most.
Your Snippets go wherever you type: TextExpander works in any app on Mac, Windows, Chrome (extension), iPhone, iPad, and Android, and when you update a shared Snippet, one update reaches your whole team. To add these shortcuts in the browser, install the TextExpander Chrome extension, or see how TextExpander compares with other hotkey software.
Try TextExpander yourself with a free account and discover what TextExpander can do for you and your team. When you’re ready, contact our sales team to supercharge your support team. Team-based pricing starts as low as $5 per user per month, billed annually.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I search my TextExpander Snippets from any app?
Use Inline Search. Click into a text field in any app and press Command + / on a Mac, Control + / on Windows, or Control + . in the Chrome extension. A search box opens near your cursor. Type part of the Snippet's abbreviation, content, or label, then click the result or use the arrow keys and press Return (Mac) or Enter (Windows) to insert it. Inline Search won't open while the main TextExpander window is active.
How do I change a TextExpander hotkey?
Open TextExpander > Preferences > Hotkeys. To change an existing hotkey, select its reset button, then select Set Hotkey next to the command. Press a key combination that includes at least one modifier key, such as Command (Mac), Alt (Windows), Control, Option, or Shift, plus a letter or number, then click Change Hotkey. Choose a combination that other apps don't already use so the two shortcuts don't conflict.
How do I edit the Snippet I just expanded?
Use Edit Last Expanded Snippet. On a Mac, click the TextExpander icon in the menu bar and choose Edit Last Expanded Snippet. On Windows, right-click the TextExpander icon in the system tray and choose the same command. The Snippet editor opens so you can review or change the Snippet's content, label, or abbreviation. To skip the menu, assign it a hotkey in TextExpander > Preferences > Hotkeys.
Does TextExpander work on Linux or Ubuntu?
TextExpander's desktop apps are for Mac and Windows, with mobile apps for iPhone, iPad, and Android. On Linux, including Ubuntu, and on Chromebooks, use the TextExpander Chrome extension, which expands your Snippets in the Chrome browser and syncs the same library you use everywhere else. The Chrome extension uses Control + . for Inline Search and Control + 1 through 9 for Quick Actions.
