Snippets: reusable text that types itself
Type ;addr, get your address. Tokens and fill-in fields resolved on the way in.
FreeType the keyword, or ⌘⇧V then keyword
To: sam@example.com
Subject: Thanks for today
ClipBuddyWhat it does
A snippet is text you keep on purpose, reachable by a keyword rather than by scrolling. Because snippets fill in their tokens when they run, one snippet covers a whole family of near identical messages.
There are two ways to run one:
- Keyword expansion. Type the keyword in any app and ClipBuddy swaps it for the finished text. Switch it on in Settings, Snippets; it stays off until you do.
- The picker. Press ⌘⇧V, type the keyword and press Enter. The finished text lands on your clipboard, ready for ⌘V.
Free keeps up to 10 snippets, with expansion included. Pro has no limit.
Tokens worth learning
{{date}}and{{time}}for anything dated, such as a standup note or a log entry.{{date:+7d}}is a week from today.{{clipboard}}to fold whatever you just copied into the text.{{cursor}}to decide where your text cursor lands afterwards.{{fill:Name}}for a value you fill in each time. Menus and optional sections work too.{{snippet:name}}and{{note:Title}}to pull in another snippet or a note.
The token bar above the editor inserts any of them, so there is nothing to memorize. Snippets written for older versions with single braces, such as {date}, keep working.
Three kinds of snippet
- Text Expansion fills in its tokens and pastes. This is most snippets.
- Selection Prompt (Pro, macOS 26) sends the text you copied to Apple’s on-device model with your instruction, such as “make this friendlier”, and pastes the answer.
- Chain (Pro) runs several snippets in a row: fix the grammar, then shorten, then warm up the tone.
Organizing them
Group snippets into collections by the job they do rather than by app. A Support collection, a Code collection and a Personal collection stay findable at fifty snippets in a way that one flat list does not. Any snippet can also have its own keyboard shortcut.
Coming from another app
With Pro, ClipBuddy imports your snippets from TextExpander, aText and Raycast. Nearly 5,000 templates are there to start from too.
Tips
- Start keywords with a character you rarely type, like
;, so a keyword never fires in the middle of a word. - Keep keywords short and typeable with one hand.
- If a snippet needs three fill-in fields every time, consider splitting it. Two smaller snippets are usually faster than one interrogation.
Create a snippet and expand it as you type
- 1 Open Snippets
Press ⌥⌘T from any app to open the Snippets workspace, and create a snippet from text you send often: a reply, a code block or an address. Collections keep them organized.
- 2 Give it a keyword
Pick a short trigger you will remember and would never type by accident, such as ;sig or ;addr.
- 3 Add tokens
Use the token bar to drop in {{date}}, {{time}}, {{clipboard}}, {{cursor}} or a fill-in field such as {{fill:Name}} that asks for a value each time.
- 4 Switch on expansion
In Settings, Snippets, turn on Expand keywords as you type. macOS asks for Input Monitoring and Accessibility the first time.
- 5 Use it
Type the keyword in any app and ClipBuddy replaces it with the finished text. Or press ⌘⇧V, type the keyword and press Enter, then paste with ⌘V.
Frequently asked questions
Does ClipBuddy expand snippets as I type in other apps?
Yes, since ClipBuddy 3.4. Turn on Expand keywords as you type in Settings, Snippets. It is off until you switch it on, and what you type is only checked against your keywords, never saved or sent anywhere.
How many snippets can I have for free?
Ten, with keyword expansion included. Pro removes the limit and adds AI snippets, imports and snippet folders.
Can I bring my snippets from TextExpander?
Yes, with Pro. ClipBuddy imports snippets from TextExpander, aText and Raycast in one go.
What can a token hold?
The date and time (with formats and offsets such as {{date:+7d}}), the current clipboard, the cursor position, a generated UUID, another snippet, a note, and fill-in fields you complete each time. Older snippets written with single braces, such as {date}, keep working.
What are Selection Prompts and Chains?
Two more kinds of snippet, with Pro on macOS 26 with Apple Intelligence. A Selection Prompt sends the text you copied to Apple's on-device model with your instruction, such as fix the grammar. A Chain runs several snippets in a row. Nothing leaves your Mac.
