How to Migrate from TextExpander to TypeFire

TextExpander has been a staple in the text expansion world for years. But with its shift to a subscription model and rising prices, many users are looking for alternatives. TypeFire offers the same core functionality - and quite a bit more - completely free. This guide walks you through migrating your entire TextExpander library to TypeFire without losing a single snippet.

Why Users Are Switching

The most common reasons people leave TextExpander include:

• Cost - TextExpander charges $3.33 to $8.33 per month depending on the plan, and prices have increased over time
• Subscription fatigue - Many users prefer to own their tools outright rather than rent them
• Feature overlap - TypeFire covers the same use cases without a price tag
• Privacy - TypeFire stores everything locally and syncs through iCloud rather than third-party servers

If any of these resonate, read on. The migration process is straightforward.

Step 1: Export Your Snippets from TextExpander

TextExpander lets you export your snippet groups as files. Here is how:

1. Open TextExpander
2. In the sidebar, select a snippet group you want to export
3. Go to File > Export (or right-click the group and choose Export)
4. Choose the export format - CSV works best for migration
5. Save the file somewhere accessible like your Desktop
6. Repeat for each snippet group

If you have many groups, you can select multiple groups before exporting. The CSV file will contain your snippet content, abbreviations, and labels.

Important: Export your snippets before canceling your TextExpander subscription. Once your subscription lapses, you may lose access to your cloud-synced snippets.

Step 2: Review Your Export

Open the CSV file in a spreadsheet app or text editor. You will see columns for:

• Snippet name or label
• Abbreviation (trigger)
• Content (the expanded text)
• Notes or tags (if applicable)

Take a moment to review. This is a good opportunity to clean house:

• Delete snippets you no longer use
• Identify duplicates
• Note any snippets that use TextExpander-specific features like fill-in fields or nested snippets

Step 3: Install TypeFire

If you have not already, download TypeFire from typefire.dev. Follow our getting started guide for installation and initial setup.

Step 4: Plan Your Collection Structure

Before importing, think about how you want to organize your snippets in TypeFire. TextExpander uses "Groups" while TypeFire uses "Collections." The concept is the same.

Map your TextExpander groups to TypeFire collections:

You might also want to consolidate or reorganize. Migration is a natural time to rethink your snippet structure.

Step 5: Create Collections in TypeFire

In TypeFire, create the collections you mapped out:

1. Open TypeFire
2. Navigate to the collections panel
3. Create each collection you need
4. Add sub-collections if you want deeper organization

TypeFire supports nested collections, so you can be as granular as you like.

Step 6: Recreate Your Snippets

Currently, the most reliable way to migrate is to recreate your snippets in TypeFire. With your CSV export open as reference:

1. Create a new snippet in the appropriate collection
2. Copy the name from your export
3. Copy the content
4. Set the same abbreviation (or improve it - see our abbreviation naming guide)
5. Optionally assign a keyboard shortcut

For most users, this takes 30 to 60 minutes depending on library size. Users with 50 or fewer snippets typically finish in under 20 minutes.

Pro tip: Start with your most-used snippets. You probably use 20% of your snippets 80% of the time. Get those migrated first and you will immediately feel at home.

Step 7: Handle TextExpander-Specific Features

Some TextExpander features translate directly to TypeFire. Others work differently.

Abbreviations

These transfer one-to-one. Whatever trigger you used in TextExpander - ;sig, xdate, //addr - works the same way in TypeFire.

Date and Time Tokens

TextExpander uses tokens like %Y-%m-%d for dates. TypeFire has its own dynamic token system. Replace TextExpander date macros with TypeFire equivalents like {date} and {time}.

Clipboard Token

TextExpander's %clipboard becomes {clipboard} in TypeFire. Same functionality, slightly different syntax.

Fill-In Fields

TextExpander's fill-in fields (pop-up forms that ask for input when a snippet triggers) are a TextExpander-specific feature. TypeFire uses a different approach - check the TypeFire documentation for the current dynamic token options.

Nested Snippets

TextExpander lets snippets reference other snippets. In TypeFire, you would recreate the full content in a single snippet. This is simpler and avoids confusing chains of dependencies.

Rich Text and Formatting

TypeFire supports rich text and Markdown, so formatted snippets like email templates with bold text, links, and lists will work well. You may need to reformat some content if TextExpander stored it differently.

Step 8: Test Everything

After migrating, spend a day using TypeFire as your primary expander. Test your most critical snippets in the apps where you use them most:

• Email client
• Slack or Teams
• Code editor
• Browser
• Notes app

If something does not expand correctly, check the abbreviation for conflicts and verify the content copied correctly.

Step 9: Uninstall TextExpander

Once you are confident everything is working:

1. Open TextExpander and sign out
2. Quit TextExpander
3. Remove it from your login items (System Settings > General > Login Items)
4. Move TextExpander to the Trash
5. Cancel your TextExpander subscription through your account settings

Keep your exported CSV files as a backup for a few weeks, just in case.

Common Migration Issues

Abbreviation conflicts: If you used abbreviations in TextExpander that conflict with macOS text replacements, remove the macOS ones in System Settings > Keyboard > Text Replacements.

Formatting differences: Some rich text snippets may look slightly different. Adjust formatting in TypeFire's editor as needed.

Missing snippets: Double-check your CSV export against your TextExpander library before uninstalling. Cloud-synced snippets sometimes do not appear in exports if the sync state was stale.

What You Gain by Switching

After migration, you get everything TextExpander offered plus:

• No monthly subscription - TypeFire is completely free
• iCloud Sync built in - no third-party cloud dependency
• A Spotlight-style launcher for searching snippets
• Native macOS performance
• Local-first storage with full privacy

For a detailed feature comparison, read our post on why a free text expander beats paying for TextExpander.

The migration takes a small time investment, but you will save that back in subscription costs within the first month - and every month after that.