Settings
Open from the main window or tray. The top bar searches settings. This page follows the shipped sidebar.
Basics
| Pane | Contents |
|---|---|
| Interface | Themes, 9 languages, launch at login, hide to tray, custom CSS, FillIn position, inline-search prefix |
| Trigger | Expansion master switch, require trigger key, key list, left-to-right / right-to-left, word boundary, adaptive case, sound |
| Code editor | Font, size, tab, wrap, line numbers |
| Image host | Upload target for rich text / capture |
| Custom runtimes | Interpreter paths, Pro |
Clear data / reset app: Data โ Advanced (reset keeps machine ID and license fields).
Capture / clipboard / keyboard
See Capture, Clipboard, Hotkeys.
Free: 3 scrolling captures/day, 10 OCR/day, GIF 15s + watermark.
Data
| Pane | Contents |
|---|---|
| Backup | Local auto backup |
| Transfer | Export JSON, import JSON / TextExpander export, share packs |
| Advanced | Data folder, clear, reset |
| Local API | This computer only |
Extensions
Plugin backend, npm publish, AI providers (key, base URL, default model, streaming), Skills, MCP (see MCP).
Account / License
- Account: GitHub / Gitee / GitLab / WebDAV. BYO sync. If CE Cloud personal sync is on, a banner points at License.
- License: activation key on this computer; CE Cloud sign-in and Sync my snippets. See Sign-in & web library ยท Activate.
Help
Updates (hidden in some store builds), FAQ, support email. Stats: Stats & search.
No Chrome-extension settings page (the product has no extension).
Hotkeys
Settings โ Keyboard has three groups: windows, snippets, capture. Buttons and the tray use the same actions.
- Windows: toggle the main window, open search, enable/disable expansion. Search defaults differ by platform; trust the Settings page.
- Snippets: create from clipboard, new snippet, edit last expanded, expand last again. A file can also have its own global hotkey (Pro).
- Capture: region / fullscreen / window / scroll / start or stop GIF. macOS region is often
โโงA. See Capture.
FillIn: Cmd/Ctrl+Enter confirms. Search: Enter inserts, Esc closes. Master switch: Pause expansion.
Themes
Settings โ General uses named themes, not light / dark / follow-system. Options include gilded, inkwash, cinnabar, celadon, indigo, serene, illustration, dark, and custom. Custom can tweak the main color (some options are Pro). The web library uses the same colors. See Web library.
Tray
The app stays in the tray. Closing the main window can hide to tray (Settings โ General); that is not quit. The menu usually includes: main window, capture and GIF, clipboard, enable/disable expansion, check for updates (hidden in some store builds), export logs. During a capture the tray can start or stop recording. The expansion switch is the same as pause expansion.
Deep links
If the desktop app is installed, someone can send you a codeexpander:// link. The app handles it.
| The link | What you see |
|---|---|
| Open search with a query | The search window opens with the words already filled |
| Import a share pack | A confirm dialog first; nothing is written until you agree |
| Finish web sign-in | After you approve in the browser, the desktop accepts this login |
There is no browser extension. How web sign-in works: Sign-in.
Local REST API
You wrote a small script and want a list of snippets on this computer. Open Settings โ Data โ Local API, turn it on, note the port. The page shows a local address and an API description. It is only on this computer. Use it to read snippets. Change the library in the app, or via MCP. MCP is a separate service with its own port.
MCP server
You want Cursorโs AI to create a snippet from the spec. Open Settings โ Extensions โ MCP, enable it, copy the snippet, and paste it into Cursor or Claude Desktop. The service runs only on this computer. Typical uses: look up snippets, capture, recognize text, insert. The search window AI Assistant can also use MCP tools (Settings โ AI). Plugins created this way show up in the plugin list. Chat usage: AI.
Highlighter languages: Languages.