Import your TextExpander snippets into WordBoard on iPhone and iPad
If you have years of snippets in TextExpander and want them on your iPhone or iPad, you do not have to retype them. WordBoard can import a TextExpander snippet group directly, turning each snippet into a key you tap from the keyboard in any app.
Quick answer
Export the snippet group from TextExpander as a CSV file (from TextExpander.com) or a .textexpander file (from the desktop app), and save it to the Files app on your iPhone or iPad. In WordBoard, tap +, scroll to the Data section, tap Import, choose From TextExpander, and pick the file. Every snippet becomes a WordBoard key in the folder you have open. Importing requires WordBoard Pro.
Why move TextExpander snippets to WordBoard
TextExpander is a strong desktop tool, and it now has its own iPhone and iPad keyboard that expands your synced abbreviations. If that suits you, you may not need to move anything. But abbreviations were designed for a physical keyboard. On a touchscreen, you have to remember each trigger, type it accurately, and hope autocorrect leaves it alone.
WordBoard takes a different approach. It is a custom iPhone and iPad keyboard built around saved text, where you tap a labelled key and the full snippet is inserted at the cursor. Importing lets you bring the snippet library you have already built across in one step, instead of recreating it key by key. For a full side-by-side of the options, see Best Text Expander Apps for iPhone and iPad.
Step 1: Export your snippets from TextExpander
WordBoard accepts both of the formats TextExpander produces. Use whichever is easier for you.
From TextExpander.com (CSV)
- Sign in at textexpander.com.
- Choose Import/Export from the sidebar, then open the Export tab.
- Click the export icon next to the snippet group you want. It downloads as a CSV file.
TextExpander only lets you export groups you have edit or manage permission on. See TextExpander's importing and exporting guide for the current steps.
From the TextExpander desktop app (.textexpander)
Select a snippet group in the desktop app and use the export option in the File menu to save a .textexpander file of that group.
Either way, get the file onto your iPhone or iPad: AirDrop it, save it to iCloud Drive, or email it to yourself and save the attachment to Files.
Step 2: Import the file into WordBoard
- Open the WordBoard app. If you want the snippets grouped together, create a folder first and open it, because imported keys land in whichever folder you are viewing.
- Tap + to open Add New Key.
- Scroll down to the Data section and tap Import.
- Choose From TextExpander.
- Pick your CSV or
.textexpanderfile from the Files picker.
When it finishes, WordBoard tells you how many keys it imported. If it cannot find any snippets in the file, it says so instead of creating empty keys. Import one group at a time, and repeat for each group you want to bring across.
The Import menu is a WordBoard Pro feature. Without Pro, the Import item is locked. For how Pro works across devices, see Use WordBoard on both iPhone and iPad.
What carries over, and what changes
| In TextExpander | In WordBoard after import |
|---|---|
| Snippet content | The text the key inserts when you tap it |
| Label | The key's name, shown on the keyboard |
| Abbreviation (no label) | Used as the key's name instead |
| No label or abbreviation | Short snippets show their own text on the key; long ones are named after their first 40 characters |
| Empty snippets | Skipped |
The biggest change is that WordBoard does not expand abbreviations as you type. An abbreviation like ;addr becomes the name on a key rather than a trigger. On a touchscreen that is usually an upgrade: you see the snippet you want and tap it, rather than recalling a code and hoping autocorrect leaves it alone.
WordBoard imports the plain text of each snippet. TextExpander fill-ins, scripts, and date macros do not convert automatically, so check any snippet that relied on them. WordBoard has its own template variables for dates, times, the clipboard, cursor position, and selected text, which cover many of the same jobs.
After the import: tidy up your keyboard
- Rename keys with cryptic names. If a snippet came across named after its abbreviation, give it a label you will recognise at a glance.
- Reorder and group. Put the snippets you use most on the first page and move the rest into folders. See Customize your WordBoard keyboard.
- Add template variables. Swap hard-coded dates for a date variable, or use the clipboard variable to drop a copied name or link into a template.
- Back it up. Once your library is set up, back it up to iCloud so moving to a new phone is painless.
FAQ
- Can I import TextExpander snippets to my iPhone? Yes. Export a snippet group from TextExpander as a CSV or
.textexpanderfile, save it to Files, then in WordBoard tap +, Import, From TextExpander, and select the file. - Which file formats does WordBoard's TextExpander import accept? The CSV export from TextExpander.com and the
.textexpandergroup file from the desktop app. A CSV needs a header row with a snippet column. Label and abbreviation columns are optional. - Do my TextExpander abbreviations still work in WordBoard? Not as typed triggers. WordBoard uses tappable keys instead of abbreviation expansion, so an abbreviation becomes the key's name if the snippet has no label.
- Can I import all my snippet groups at once? Import one group file at a time. Open a different folder in WordBoard before each import if you want each group kept separate.
- Do I need WordBoard Pro to import from TextExpander? Yes. Import is a Pro feature. WordBoard is free to download with 6 keys, and Pro unlocks unlimited keys and importing.