Move your macOS Text Replacements to Retext
Text Replacements are built into macOS, but they don't work in every app and can't insert a date, your clipboard or a fill-in. Drag them out of System Settings and import the file into Retext.
- Reads
- The .plist file macOS creates when you drag replacements out
- Where it runs
- On your Mac. Nothing is uploaded.
- Shortcut
- File → Import Snippets… (⇧⌘I)
Step 1: Export from macOS Text Replacements
- 1
Open Text Replacements
Open System Settings, click Keyboard in the sidebar, then click Text Replacements.
- 2
Select them all
Click any replacement, then choose Edit → Select All (or press ⌘A).
- 3
Drag them to the desktop
Drag the selection out of the window onto your desktop. macOS creates a file named property list.plist (older versions name it Text Substitutions.plist). Retext reads either one.
Step 2: Import into Retext
- 4
Open the importer
In Retext, choose File → Import Snippets… (⇧⌘I), or go to Settings → Snippets → Import….
- 5
Pick the file
Retext works out the format from the file itself. Everything is read on your Mac. Nothing is uploaded.
- 6
Review the preview
Every snippet gets a row with its new trigger. Rows show placeholders that were kept as text, items that can't be imported and why, and any trigger you already use. Untick anything you don't want.
- 7
Import
Click Import. Your snippets work right away in every app. Type ;trigger to expand.
What carries over
Text Replacements are plain text, so each phrase imports exactly as it is. After importing you can add Retext fields to any of them.
| In macOS Text Replacements | In Retext | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Shortcut | Trigger | |
Phrase | Snippet content, unchanged | |
(nothing) | {date}, {time}, {clipboard}, {cursor}, {fill:Name}…Add these after importing | Add these after importing |
Not imported
These show in the preview as "can't import", with the reason.
- • Nothing is skipped by format. Shortcuts shorter than 2 characters after cleanup are flagged as invalid, because Retext triggers need at least 2.
Groups and tags
Text Replacements have no groups, so they import without tags.
Triggers and conflicts
Text Replacements fire on the bare shortcut. In Retext you type a semicolon first, so ;omw expands and "omw" inside a word never does by accident.
| macOS Text Replacements trigger | Retext trigger |
|---|---|
omw | ;omw |
@@ | (invalid: empty after cleanup) |
addr | ;addr |
If you already have a snippet with the same trigger, the preview says so and you choose for each one:
- Keep Both (the default) imports it under a new trigger with a source prefix, so
;sigbecomes;mac-sig. A prefix is used instead of a suffix because;sig-2could never be typed:;sigwould fire first. - Skip leaves your existing snippet alone.
- Replace swaps in the imported content. Your snippet keeps its trigger, and tags are merged.
Two snippets with the same trigger inside one file can be kept (renamed) or skipped. Triggers are also checked against Retext's rules (2 to 40 characters, no line breaks, no snippet that contains its own trigger), and anything that fails shows why.
What you get after switching
Dictation
Hold a key and talk. Retext turns speech into text on your Mac, types it into the app you're in, and takes voice commands (beta) like "insert snippet sig", so your imported snippets work by voice too.
Autocomplete (beta)
Start typing a trigger and Retext shows the snippet as ghost text, with dynamic fields filled in. Press Tab to accept. You don't have to remember every abbreviation you imported.
Per-app snippets
Limit a snippet to the apps it belongs in, or keep it out of others, so the same trigger can say one thing in Mail and another in Slack.
Teams
Share a snippet library with your team, with owner, admin, editor and viewer roles, managed from the Mac app.
When to stay with macOS Text Replacements
Retext isn't the right move for everyone. Stay if:
- •You only have a handful of shortcuts and they already work where you type.
- •You want them on iPhone and iPad through iCloud with nothing to install.
- •You'd rather not type a semicolon before each shortcut.
FAQ
›Where does macOS store Text Replacements?
In System Settings → Keyboard → Text Replacements. Dragging them to the desktop gives you a .plist file, which is what Retext imports.
›Should I delete them from macOS after importing?
You can leave them. They don't clash because Retext triggers start with a semicolon. If you want one place to manage snippets, delete the ones you moved.
›Why do Text Replacements not work in some apps?
They rely on each app supporting macOS text substitution, and many apps don't. Retext expands at the keyboard level, so it works in browsers, Slack, editors and terminals too.
›Do my replacements need a semicolon now?
Yes. Every Retext trigger starts with ;, so omw becomes ;omw. That stops accidental expansions inside normal words.
›How many can I import for free?
The free plan holds 5 snippets. The preview shows how many fit and lets you pick. Pro has no limit.
Bring your macOS Text Replacements snippets with you
Download Retext, press ⇧⌘I, and pick your file. Your snippets work in every app on your Mac in a few minutes.