What is Text Replacement?

Text Replacement lets you create shortcuts (called “replacements”) for frequently used phrases. Instead of typing out the long, tedious phrase, you simply type the shortcut, and macOS automatically expands it for you. Think of it like a super-charged auto-correct for your most common expressions.

How Does It Work?

It’s incredibly easy to set up. Here’s a breakdown:

  1. Accessing Text Replacement:
    • Go to System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions).
    • Click on Keyboard.
    • Select the Text Replacements tab.
  2. Creating a Replacement:
    • Click the + button to add a new replacement.
    • Shortcut: Choose the shortcut you want to use (e.g., “sig” for your email signature). Be mindful of existing shortcuts you might be using.
    • Text: Type the long phrase you want to replace. For example, “My email is john.doe@example.com”.
    • Done: Click “Done”.
  3. Using Your Replacement:
    • Just type your shortcut (e.g., “sig”) in a text field (email, document, code editor, etc.).
    • macOS will automatically replace it with the full phrase.

Examples of What You Can Use Text Replacement For:

  • Email Signatures: Create a shortcut for your standard signature.
  • Code Snippets: If you use the same code blocks frequently.
  • Address & Phone Numbers: For quick entry.
  • Common Phrases: “Thanks!”, “Please Confirm”, “Let me know”.
  • Legal Jargon: Terms you frequently need to write out.

Using Text Replacement with AI Prompts

This is where it gets really useful! If you’re consistently using the same prompt structure for your AI tools (like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini), Text Replacement can dramatically speed up your workflow.

Example:

Let’s say you regularly ask ChatGPT to generate creative story ideas. Your prompt might look like this:

"Generate a short story idea about a [genre] detective solving a [crime type] in [location]."

Instead of typing the whole thing out every time, you can create a Text Replacement with the shortcut “storygen” and the full prompt as the text.

Now, when you type “storygen” in your document or chat window, macOS will instantly replace it with the complete prompt, saving you valuable time and reducing typos. You can easily adapt this to create prompts for different AI models or tasks.

Tips & Tricks:

  • Choose Unique Shortcuts: Avoid using shortcuts already assigned to system functions.
  • Test it Out: Try it in different applications to see how it works.
  • Delete Replacements: You can easily delete replacements by selecting them and clicking the trash icon.