A text expander for Mac lets you save replies, signatures, and other reusable text for insertion across apps. macOS Text Replacements are useful for short substitutions, but not every app supports them; PhraseVault® uses normal pasting instead. Press Cmd+., search for a phrase, and press Enter to insert it — without memorizing abbreviations that expand as you type.
What can macOS Text Replacements do?
Open the Apple menu, then System Settings, Keyboard, and Text Replacements. Add a short string and the text that should replace it, such as (c) for ©. In a supported app, enable the feature under Edit, Substitutions, and Text Replacement.
These replacements are handy for short plain-text phrases, but don't provide formatting, images, or fill-in fields. With iCloud Drive and the same Apple Account, your replacements can sync to your iPhone and iPad; you can also export the list to share it.
If a replacement isn't working in Outlook, Chrome, Word, or another app, check whether that app supports and enables macOS substitutions. Apple's guide notes that the feature isn't available in every app. Some apps also have their own replacement settings.
When is a phrase library more useful?
A phrase library suits longer replies and paragraphs you want to find by searching, especially when you use several apps. PhraseVault stores your library locally on the Mac, with no account required. Phrases can be plain text, Markdown, or HTML; apps that accept formatted paste can receive bold text, links, and lists.
Out of office:
I'm away until Monday and will reply when I'm back. For anything urgent, please contact the team at the address in my signature.
Placeholders can insert today's date, ask for a name, or offer a dropdown choice. The placeholder guide explains how to set them up.
PhraseVault works in Mail, Outlook, Chrome, Safari, Word, Pages, Slack, Teams, code editors, and other apps that accept a normal paste. A field that blocks pasting won't accept a phrase either.
How do you set up PhraseVault on a Mac?
You'll need macOS 13 or later on an Apple Silicon Mac; Intel Macs aren't supported. Download the signed and notarized .dmg, drag PhraseVault to Applications, and open it from there. The installation guide covers the steps. If you're moving from version 2, see the Mac upgrade guide.
To paste automatically, PhraseVault needs Accessibility permission. Open System Settings, Privacy & Security, and Accessibility, then enable PhraseVault in the list. Without permission, the shortcut can still open the app, but inserting a phrase copies it to the clipboard and shows a reminder to enable Accessibility. You can paste the copied text manually.
How do you use it during the day?
PhraseVault stays in the menu bar. Place the cursor where you want the text, press Cmd+., and search for the phrase. Use the arrow keys to select a result and Enter to insert it. Fuzzy search finds partial words in names and unprotected contents, in any word order.
Use descriptive names, such as client follow-up and client invoice, or a label such as Client, so related phrases are easy to find. The most-used phrases appear first when the search is empty. You can change the summon shortcut in Settings if it conflicts with another app.
The same database format works on Windows. One license covers one person on any number of their own supported Macs, Windows PCs, and Linux computers. On Linux, PhraseVault is an x86_64 build for Omarchy and Arch with Hyprland. Automatic paste and the summon shortcut need Hyprland, and the AppImage is best-effort. See Install PhraseVault on Linux. For Windows, see the Windows guide.
Try PhraseVault free for 14 days — no credit card or account required.