Text ExpanderText Expander
Type a short trigger like ;mail in any app and it turns into your full text.
What it does
Small and quiet, it lives in the tray. Click the icon and it opens next to the clock; click away and it hides.
Works where you type
Email, browser, chat, documents: a trigger works the same in any app where you type text.
Fill in the details
Snippets can include today's date, the current time or the text you copied last, filled in each time.
Quick to set up
Add a trigger and its text, then try it in the built-in test field before using it for real.
Watches only for triggers
It keeps just the last few characters you typed, in memory, to spot a trigger. Nothing you type is saved or sent anywhere.
Pause any time
Turn expanding off from the window or the tray, and triggers stay exactly as you type them.
Privacy in short
- On your PC
- Your snippets and settings. Stored in your Windows user profile and never uploaded by Text Expander.
- Bandwidth sharing
- EarnFM processes your IP address, a device ID and your consent record to run the sharing, based on your consent.
- Usage statistics
- Text Expander sends usage statistics to PostHog (EU): a random install ID, app and Windows version, sharing and settings status, feature use counts, crash summaries and, once you've agreed, recordings of how its window is used with your content hidden. Never your clipboard, snippets, what you type or window titles. No account, no ads.
- This website
- PostHog analytics and page recordings without cookies, to see which pages and campaigns lead to downloads and how the pages are used. It's served by Cloudflare, which handles your IP address to deliver the pages.
Questions
What do I need to run it?
Windows 10 or Windows 11, 64-bit. It installs for your Windows account only, so you don't need administrator rights. Text Expander uses Microsoft Edge WebView2, which is part of Windows 11 and most Windows 10 PCs; if it's missing, the installer fetches it.
Windows says it protected my PC. Is the download safe?
New downloads build trust with Microsoft's SmartScreen over time, so Windows may show "Windows protected your PC" for a while. The installer is signed by TeraShift GmbH. Check that the publisher shown is TeraShift GmbH, then choose More info and Run anyway.
Is it really free?
Yes. Every feature is included, with no ads, trials or purchases. Text Expander is paid for by sharing a little unused bandwidth, which you agree to when you first open it. How that works.
Can I use it without sharing bandwidth?
No. Sharing is what keeps Text Expander free, so the app asks first and only runs if you agree. If you choose "No thanks, quit", nothing is shared and the app closes.
Will it slow down my internet?
It's built to use only bandwidth you aren't using, and it stops while Text Expander isn't running. If you notice a difference you're unhappy with, uninstalling stops it completely.
How do I stop sharing or uninstall?
Uninstall Text Expander: open Windows Settings, then Apps, then Installed apps, find Text Expander and choose Uninstall. Sharing stops as soon as it's uninstalled. In the app, Settings, then Stop sharing, takes you to the same place. Step-by-step instructions.
What data does it collect?
The app's own data (your snippets and settings) stays on your PC. For bandwidth sharing, EarnFM processes your IP address, a device ID and a record of your consent. Text Expander also sends usage statistics to PostHog, our analytics service in the EU: a random install ID, the app and Windows version, whether sharing and Start with Windows are on, which settings are switched on and how often features are used. Once you've agreed, it also records how its window is used, with your own content (clipboard items, snippets, app names, places) and input fields hidden. It never sends what you copy, type or store, or window titles. Details are in the privacy policy.
Does it start with Windows?
Yes, quietly in the tray, so it's there when you need it. You can turn that off in Text Expander's Settings. Anything that would interrupt you, like notifications or shortcuts, is off until you turn it on.
Does it work everywhere?
In almost every app. Windows doesn't let it expand triggers inside apps that run as administrator.
Get Text Expander
Free for Windows 10 and 11. By installing and agreeing in the app, you accept the terms of use.