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Documents๐Ÿ Getting Started

Getting Started

Type less, produce more: expand snippets by abbreviation, use screenshot + annotation for images, use clipboard history to recover what you just copied. One app for input and output.


Where to Start

  • What the product does โ€” Snippets, screenshot, clipboard at a glance.
  • Free vs Pro โ€” Features and pricing in one table.
  • Start now โ€” Download โ†’ create a snippet โ†’ trigger in any input field; first expand in 30 seconds.

Common Questions

QuestionAnswer
Supported platforms?macOS (Intel / Apple Silicon), Windows; Linux planned. See Introduction footer for contact.
Does it access my data?Snippets stay on this computer. Turning on CE Cloud sync shows a warning that we can read snippet text. You can also use your own Gist. See Cloud & sync.
Lifetime purchase?Yes. Personal yearly includes CE Cloud; lifetime does not. Team is per seat with shared groups. See Pricing.
Export data?Export as JSON in settings, open local data folder, or clear data. See Settings ยท Data import/export.
Offline?Yes. Runs fully locally, no dependency on our servers.
vs Alfred / TextExpander?Snippets, screenshot, and clipboard in one app. No browser extension. Abbreviations still work offline.
Usage statistics?Pro: Settings โ†’ Usage statistics (expand count, characters saved, trends, achievements).
Feedback?In-app Settings โ†’ Support.

Start Now

Step 1: Download and Install

  1. Download the installer for your platform from the official site.
  2. macOS: drag to Applications; Windows: run the installer.
  3. Complete initial setup on first launch (language, theme, startup option).

Step 2: Create a Snippet

  1. Open the CodeExpander main window (click tray icon or press global shortcut).
  2. Click โ€œNew snippetโ€ or press Cmd/Ctrl+N.
  3. Fill in:
    • Abbreviation: e.g. sig (3โ€“8 chars recommended, easy to remember)
    • Content: your email signature, e.g.:
      John Doe | Frontend Engineer Email: john@example.com
    • Group: select or create a group (e.g. โ€œPersonalโ€)
  4. Click Save.

Step 3: Trigger Expand

  1. Open any text input field (browser, editor, chat app, document tool).
  2. Type sig.
  3. Press the trigger key (default Tab) and watch it expand.

First โ€œtype less, produce moreโ€ in 30 seconds.


Next: Explore More

Try FillIn Popup

Change the signature snippet to:

%filltext&name=Name% | %filltext&name=Title% Email: %filltext&name=Email% Phone: %filltext&name=Phone%

Save, type sig + Tab โ†’ form pops up โ†’ fill and auto-insert. Thatโ€™s FillIn power.

Try Screenshot

Press screenshot shortcut (default Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+5):

  1. Select screen region
  2. Annotate with arrows
  3. Click copy or save

Try Clipboard History

Copy some text, then copy something else. Open clipboard history with its shortcut; see both entries, click to paste.


Quick Learning Path

  1. Full feature overview โ€” Three pillars, who uses it, data and privacy.
  2. Expand โ€” Trigger keys, match modes, inline search.
  3. FillIn variables โ€” Popup forms, dropdowns, checkboxes, dates, nested snippets.
  4. AI Programming Guide โ€” Manage prompt templates with snippets, double your efficiency.
  5. Settings โ€” Shortcuts, sync, data management.

Pick Your Path

Your RoleNext Step
DeveloperTry ExpandIn to keep code snippets in your IDE only
DesignerTry screenshot + annotation + color picker for design handoff
PM / WriterTry FillIn templates for weekly reports and meeting notes
Remote workerTry clipboard history to never lose a copied link or code block

macOS: If configured, you can open the main window or search snippets via Spotlight (shortcut in Settings).

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