Text Expander - Texpand - Text shortcuts & expansion

About the app

Enhance your typing efficiency with Texpand, a text-expansion application designed to simplify your writing tasks.

By creating text shortcuts, you can quickly fill in commonly used expressions just after inputting a brief abbreviation.

Looking for choices? Our user-friendly interface presents a dynamic list of phrases for each shortcut.

In addition to text, you can also link images or gifs directly to your shortcuts.

If you make an error, there's no need to worry. A quick tap on backspace allows you to reverse any text expansions.

Your data is securely backed up for added assurance and can easily be transferred via CSV file import/export.

Customize your experience with settings tailored to individual shortcuts or global text expansion options—such as instant expansions, adding space post-expansion, and more. For further details, consult our extensive guide.

Texpand features variable integration, enabling you to insert date/time, cursor placements, or clipboard content into your phrases. To achieve even greater functionality, you can link multiple actions, allowing you to accomplish several tasks by typing a single shortcut.

Transition to a smarter writing assistant. Discover the benefits of Texpand.

Texpand utilizes the Accessibility API

Texpand employs the Accessibility API to recognize when a saved shortcut is typed and substitute it with the relevant phrase.

FAQs

Texpand stops working after a while?

The is because some device manufacturers put built in mechanisms that kill background services to improve battery life.

This is will likely happen if your device is manufactured by Huawei, Samsung, Xiaomi or OnePlus.

I paid for Texpand Plus why am I being asked to pay again?

Texpand 2.0 Premium is a paid upgrade, and it's available as an in-app purchase within the free version of Texpand.

Unfortunately charging once and providing updates indefinitely is not sustainable for continued development of Texpand.

How can I edit phrases in a backup file?

Texpand backup files are not editable outside of Texpand. There may be more ways to edit backup files in the future.

How do I sync my phrases between my devices?

Texpand Premium allows you to sync your phrases between all your devices.

Can I import data from other text expansion applications?

No you can't. Data exported by most text expander applications is unreadable by other applications.

Can I upgrade to Texpand Premium if I don't have Google services or if I live in China?

At this moment you can only upgrade to Texpand Premium if you have Google Play services installed.

Is Texpand available in other platforms?

Texpand is available only for Android at the moment.

Features

Speed

Respond instantly and save hours.

Accuracy

Type with perfect spelling and punctuation every time.

Phrase lists

Type one shortcut and choose from a list of phrases. Learn more.

Sync

Keep your data safe and in sync with all your devices. Learn more.

Customize

Make Texpand yours with wide ranges of preferences. Learn more.

Variables

Insert date in any format, set your cursor position and more.

How to use

Enabling accessibility service

To start using Texpand you need to enable it in accessibility settings.

When you first open Texpand you will see a warning that says "Accessibility service is disbaled" at the bottom of your screen, tap "Enable", this will bring up a dialog, tap the "Enable" button in the dialog.

Alternatively you can tap the three dots ( ⠇) on the top right corner and tap "Start service".

You will then be directed to Android's accessibility settings, depending on your device you may find Texpand on this screen or you may find it under "Downloaded services" or "Installed services".

Once you find Texpand tap it, then tap the "Use service" switch, which will bring up a dialog that explains what permissions will Texpand get access to, tap "Allow".

You have now enabled Texpand's accessibility service.

Creating your first shortcut

To use Texpand you need to create shortcuts that will be replaced by a longer phrase such as an address, telephone number, email etc...

To create a shortcut open Texpand and tap the plus button at the bottom right corner, then tap "phrase" to begin creating your shortcut.

The phrase editor has two fields, the top text field is where you write your shortcut. The text field below is where you put your phrase.

When you're done editing tap the back arrow at the top left corner to save your shortcut.

Creating a phrase list

You can create a shortcut that displays a list of phrases when typed, for example you can create a list of replies to respond quickly when you're busy, then you can just type the shortcut and choose from the list of replies.

 Phrase list is part of Texpand Premium.

To create a phrase list open Texpand and tap the plus button at the bottom right corner, then tap "Phrase list".

On the top text field of the phrase list editor type your shortcut, then tap "+ List item" to add a phrase, once you have added a phrase tap "+ List item" again to add another phrase, repeat to add more phrases.

Finally tap the back arrow at the top left corner to save your phrase list.

Shortcut name restrictions

Shortcuts have the following restrictions:

Shortcuts must be alphanumeric including unicode characters

The follwoing symobols are allowed: *~^=+/\%'`&[](){}"<>?!-_,.@#$;:

Shortcuts can't contain emojis ☹️

Shortcuts can't have spaces

Using your shortcuts

Once you have created your shortcuts you can use them in many apps.

To use a shortcut start typing it, when the shortcut is typed Texpand will display a small window that displays small part of the phrase associated with the shortcut.

To insert the phrase you can tap space or you can tap the preview window.

You can also trigger text expansion by adding punctuation characters such as ,.:;? after the shortcut, the punctuation character used to trigger the expansion will be appended to the end of the phrase.

To undo the expansion you can tap the backspace key in your keyboard.

Unfortunately Texpand is not compatible with every app, Text Input Assistant can help you use your phrases in apps that are incompatible with Texpand.

Using phrase lists

In case of phrase lists when you type your shortcut you will see a small list indicator() tap it to bring up the phrase list window, alternatively you can tap space.

Once the phrase list window is displayed tap the phrase you want to insert.

You can move around the phrase list window using the handle at the bottom or you can close it using the chevron icon() in the bottom right.

💡 Swipe right on a phrase list item to open or share it with other applications

Deleting phrases

To delete a single phrase open it and tap the trashcan icon () at the top right corner tap 'YES' in the confirmation dialog that comes up to delete it.

To delete multiple phrases at once long press a phrase to start multiple selection mode, then tap the phrases that you want to delete to select them, finally tap the trashcan icon () at the top right corner to delete the selected phrases, if you change your mind you can tap "UNDO" at the bottom of your screen.

Shortcut suggestions

When you have a lot of shortcuts, remembering all of them can be difficult, Texpand can help you find them without having to remember their exact spelling by displaying a shortcut suggestions window.

If what you're typing matches part of one or more shortcuts Texpand will display a small search icon, tapping the icon will display a list of shortcuts similar to the word you typed.

Tap the desired shortcut to insert it's phrase.

You can move around the suggestion window using the handle at the bottom or you can close it using the chevron icon() in the bottom right.

💡 Swipe right on a shortcut suggestion to edit the phrase, open or share it with other applications

Adding notes to your phrases

You can add notes to your phrases, which can help describe the contents of a phrase.

To add notes open a phrase and tap the three horizontal dots at the top right corner of the phrase editor, tap the "Add notes" text field to start adding your notes, once you are done close the phrase editor to save your note.

You can search for phrases using the contents of your notes.

Phrase Preview

Phrase preview shows a small part of the phrase that's about to be inserted when you type a shortcut, you can tap it to insert a phrase you can also open a phrase with other applications by tapping the the icon that appears at the end.

💡 You can open the phrase editor by long pressing the phrase window to quickly make changes to your phrase

If you have disabled "expand with space/punctuation" or if "don't require space for expansion" is disabled for a phrase, phrase preview will not be displayed.

Insert phrases by replacing text selection

In cases where Texpand doesn't work normally you can use Text Input Assistant, in addition you can insert phrases by selecting an editable text, to do so select a text and in the selection menu tap ( ⠇) and select "Search Texpand", this will bring up results that contain the selected text, select one of the results, this will close the search screen and replace the text selection with the selected phrase.

If you select a phrase-list a dialog with a list of items will appear, tap the item you want to insert it.

Text selection replacement may not work with some apps, you may also not get the "Search Texpand" menu item in certain apps.

Opening your phrases with other applications

If your phrase can be opened by another application e.g. a link or a phone number, you can open it from any other app that you're working on by tapping the app icon that appears at the end of phrase preview.

For example: If you have a shortcut for a phone number, you can call directly from any app that you're working on by typing the shortcut and tapping the dialer icon that appears in the phrase preview window, this can help save some time.

This feature is only available on Android 8 Oreo or later.

What's new

✍️ Improved phrase editing experience with lengthy texts

✨ Bugfixes and minor improvements