Why TextExpander Requests Browser Automation Access on Mac

Overview

When using TextExpander on macOS, you may see a dialog asking to allow access for a better snippet expansion experience in supported web apps. This permission allows TextExpander to control your web browser (Safari, Chrome, Brave, Firefox, etc.) and provide a better experience when expanding snippets in web applications.

Why This Permission Is Needed

TextExpander requests browser automation access to detect which web application you’re using. This enables:

• Accurate rich text formatting — When you expand a rich text snippet in Google Docs or other web editors, TextExpander can match the formatting to your document
• App-specific behavior — Some web applications require special handling for snippet expansion to work correctly

Without this permission, TextExpander will still work, but rich text snippets may expand with incorrect formatting in certain web applications.

What This Permission Does (and Doesn’t Do)

This permission allows TextExpander to:

• Detect the URL of the current webpage to identify the web application
• Adjust expansion settings based on the detected application

This permission does NOT:

• Read your browsing history
• Access passwords or form data
• Monitor your browsing activity
• Send any data to TextExpander servers

Your Options

Option 1: Allow the Permission

Click Allow when prompted. This provides the best snippet expansion experience in web applications like Google Docs.

Option 2: Use the TextExpander Chrome Extension (Alternative)

If you prefer not to grant browser automation access, you can install the TextExpander browser extension instead:

• TextExpander for Chrome

Note: The Chrome extension is officially supported only in Google Chrome. It may work in other Chromium-based browsers (Edge, Brave, Arc), but this is not officially supported.

Option 3: Don’t Allow

Click Don’t Allow if you don’t need rich text formatting in web apps. TextExpander will continue to work, but formatting may not match your document in some web applications.

How to Change This Permission Later

If you clicked “Don’t Allow” but later want to enable this permission:

On macOS Ventura (13) and later:

1. Open System Settings
2. Click Privacy & Security in the sidebar
3. Scroll down and click Automation
4. Find TextExpander in the list
5. Toggle on the checkbox for your browser (Safari, Chrome, Brave, etc.)

On macOS Monterey (12) and earlier:

1. Open System Preferences
2. Click Security & Privacy
3. Click the Privacy tab
4. Select Automation from the left sidebar
5. Find TextExpander in the list
6. Check the box next to your browser

If TextExpander doesn’t appear in the Automation list, you may need to trigger the permission prompt again by restarting TextExpander.

Additional Resources

• Apple Support: Change Privacy & Security settings on Mac
• Apple Support: Allow accessibility apps to access your Mac

Questions?

If you have questions about this permission or need assistance, contact TextExpander Support.