If you’re new to TextExpander, you may be overwhelmed by all of the options you see when you create your first Snippet. In this thread, I’ll explain how to create your first Snippet and how to understand the more advanced features as you go. First, let’s talk about Snippet Groups.
Snippet Groups
Every Snippet must belong to a Snippet Group, which helps keep your Snippets organized. Think of it like a folder. Creating a new Snippet Group is easy:
- Click the New Snippet Group icon in the top left corner.
- Enter a name for your Group in the Name field.
You can ignore the rest of the options for now. Click the Snippet Group name in the sidebar to open that Snippet Group.
Make a Snippet
While viewing the Snippet Group you just created, click the big orange New Snippet button. Your cursor should be in the Snippet Editor by default. Here, you should type whatever you want your Snippet to expand to. In future posts, we’ll explore all the many options available here.
Next, click on the Abbreviation field. The Snippet’s abbreviation is what you type to expand it into whatever you have entered into the Snippet Editor.
The two things to keep in mind when creating Abbreviations is:
- Keep them short enough to easily type.
- Structure them so you won’t expand them accidentally.
One way to accomplish these goals is to place a special character at the start of an abbreviation, like so:
- ;txp
- .txp
- /txp
Another way is to add a small mnemonic to the start of a Snippet, like:
- mail.hello
- Mail.sig
- Mail.thanks
See: Tips for Organizing Your Snippet Library
Every individual and organization tends to settle on their own conventions. Experiment to figure out what works best for you and then be consistent in applying it.
Finally, you can set a Label for a Snippet. This is merely a name, and though it’s optional, it’s a helpful field to help you find the Snippet in search, especially Inline Search. Make it something descriptive and memorable!
That’s it, you’ve created your first Snippet! In future posts, we’ll teach you more of the finer points of creating Snippets.
