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Documents🏁 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 — Snippets, screenshot, clipboard at a glance.
  • Free vs Pro — Features and pricing in one table.
  • Start now — Download → create a snippet → 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?No. Data stays on your machine; sync uses your own GitHub/Gitee/WebDAV; we have no backend storage.
Lifetime purchase?Yes. Pro is available as subscription or lifetime. See Pricing.
Export data?Export as JSON in settings, open local data folder, or clear data. See Settings · Data import/export.
Offline?Yes. Runs fully locally, no dependency on our servers.
vs Alfred / TextExpander?We combine snippets + screenshot + clipboard, FillIn popup, multi-file snippets, ExpandIn, script execution, and sync under your own accounts.
Usage statistics?Pro: Settings → Usage statistics (expand count, characters saved, trends, achievements).
Feedback?In-app Settings → 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 “New snippet” or press Cmd/Ctrl+N.
  3. Fill in:
    • Abbreviation: e.g. sig (3–8 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. “Personal”)
  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 “type less, produce more” 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 → form pops up → fill and auto-insert. That’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 — Three pillars, who uses it, data and privacy.
  2. Expand — Trigger keys, match modes, inline search.
  3. FillIn variables — Popup forms, dropdowns, checkboxes, dates, nested snippets.
  4. AI Programming Guide — Manage prompt templates with snippets, double your efficiency.
  5. Settings — 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).

🚀 Introduction📝 Snippets