Ever opened TextExpander’s Expansion Settings and wondered what all those checkboxes actually do? Let’s walk through them together, including one setting that might explain why your image snippets have been acting up.
TextExpander Preferences: Expansion Settings
1. Play Sound
- How it works: When enabled, your computer will emit a brief “pop” sound the moment a snippet successfully expands.
- Note: If your computer is muted or this setting is disabled, snippets will still expand normally. You just won’t hear the audio cue.
There’s something satisfying about hearing that little pop and seeing your Snippet expand right in front of you. The expansion sound has saved me from sending a half-expanded email more than once.
2. Run Script Snippets
- How it works: This allows TextExpander to execute snippets that contain code, such as AppleScript or other scripting languages.
- Recommendation: This is turned on by default and should be left enabled if you utilize any advanced, script-based shortcuts.
3. Use Cross-Platform Compatible Images (PNG)
- How it works: This setting optimizes how rich-text snippets containing images are handled.
- Troubleshooting Tip: If you have snippets with embedded images and they are not expanding properly, toggle or explore this setting to resolve compatibility issues.
Understanding the “Restore Clipboard” Feature
Because TextExpander relies on your computer’s native copy and paste functions to insert text, it temporarily takes over your clipboard to expand a snippet.
When Enabled (Default)
TextExpander remembers what you had copied before you typed your snippet shortcut. Once the snippet expands, it instantly puts your original copied data back onto your clipboard.
- Example: If you copy the phrase “Example text”, type a snippet, and then hit paste, your computer will correctly paste “Example text”.
When Disabled
TextExpander will not restore your previous clipboard history. The expanded snippet itself remains the active item waiting to be pasted again.
- Use Case: This is highly useful if you need to manually paste the exact same expanded snippet content multiple times in quick succession.
Target Settings: “Expand snippet groups when typing in…”
This powerful tool controls exactly where TextExpander is allowed to monitor your typing and expand shortcuts. This is the setting I get asked about most, and it’s a lifesaver once you set it up for your workflow.
- All Applications (Default): The app works universally across your entire computer.
- All Applications, Except: TextExpander works everywhere except for the specific apps you check on the list.
- Demonstrated in video linked below: Checking TextEdit causes snippet shortcuts to be completely ignored when typing in that specific text editor.
- Only These Applications: Restricts TextExpander so that it remains completely dormant across your computer, activating only when you are working inside the specific apps you select.
If you’d like to see a quick video walkthrough of these features in action, please click here.
Now it’s your turn:
- Quick poll: pop sound, on or off?
- Which apps have you excluded from expansion? (Devs, I’m guessing your code editor is on that list.)
Drop your answers below. I’d love to see how everyone has these set up.