The Best iOS Apps With TextExpander Integration

In the last month, I have expanded a little over 1,000 snippets in TextExpander. And given the complexity of those snippets, it has saved me over two hours worth of typing in that same period. And although that sounds impressive, I'm guessing the real number is closer to double that number. The snippets I'm using often save me from switching back and forth between applications or hunting down information.

So it's no secret that I look for ways to use TextExpander as much as I can. The more tools I can integrate with it, the better. And that's why I was thrilled to discover a bunch of apps that have an integration with TextExpander. It means I don't have to use the third-party keyboard to use my snippets on iOS.

Drafts

Drafts is my home base. So it has to be at the top of the list. You can use this in the settings for Drafts. Scroll down and under Extensions you'll find TextExpander. From there you can enable TextExpander and refresh the snippets regularly (more on that later).

OmniFocus

I can't make this list without mentioning OmniFocus. I have a snippet group in TextExpander dedicated to OmniFocus to make it quicker to enter task titles and dates. To set this up, go to the settings within OmniFocus and scroll down to TextExpander. Again, you can enable the integration and refresh the snippets from the same place.

Fantastical

In recent weeks I find myself using BusyCal on both my Mac and iPhone. But I have used Fantastical regularly over the years. And one of the features I have sorely missed on my phone is this TextExpander integration. To set it up in Fantastical, go to the settings, scroll down near the bottom under Advanced and you'll see the setting for updating TextExpander snippets.

Ulysses

I thought I had something great in Ulysses. But I recently switched my writing flow due to SearchLink. And in this case, it has been a huge ordeal since I rarely do any writing on my iPhone. Regardless, to use native TextExpander snippets in Ulysses, open a note and tap the "aA" icon at the top. Then go to Editing and at the bottom you'll see an option to Enable TextExpander and updating the snippets.

Bear

I haven't used Bear in a long time, but I know it's popular for folks leaving Apple Notes or Evernote. So, good news! You can use TextExpander with it! Go to Bear's settings and then tap on General. Right near the bottom you'll see the settings for enabling TextExpander snippets.

Day One

I tried Day One for 3.1 seconds a few years ago. It didn't make sense to me. But I know people love it. I'm more of a pen and paper fan when it comes to journaling. But if you want to use TextExpander with it, open up Day One's settings, scroll down to Advanced, and about half-way down you'll see the settings for turning on and updating TextExpander.

OmniOutliner

The OmniGroup is great about building in integrations in their apps. And OmniOutliner is no exception. I haven't used it a ton in the past, but I am looking at it more and more. To set up TextExpander in it, go to the settings and scroll down to TextExpander. It's similar to OmniFocus that way. Go figure.

Editorial

In the last month or so, Editorial has seen some update love from the developer. It used to be a go-to app for many writers and developers writing scripts. So I'm interested to see what comes of it in future months. To use TextExpander with it, go to Editorial's settings, scroll down to Snippets and Abbreviations, and then Enable TE Snippets.

One thing to keep in mind, these will quickly become outdated if you are actively updating and adding TextExpander snippets. This is something I do regularly. So I have to make sure I keep these refreshed. For that, I add each of these apps to my Weekly Review as a task to refresh snippets. This way, I know these are always almost-up-to-date.