Retrieving forgettable info, like the hexadecimal code for the color scheme of my newsletter.For example, I’ve set up “pcw:” to type “site: ‘Jared Newman,’” which helps me look up my previous articles here. My personal favorite: Rejecting PR pitches by typing “!Gopa,” which turns into “Gonna pass on this one. Typing “-” in Windows, whose emdash keyboard shortcut otherwise requires a number pad.For instance, I type to write my email address, and to enter my home address. Some examples of how I’m using Beeftext now: Beeftext works inside any Windows app, and unlike the predictive text tools built into apps like Gmail, you can make it write anything you want. Once you’ve installed the app, you set up “combos” that include the text you want to write and a short keyword you use to make that text appear.

That led me to a brilliant app-with an even more brilliant name-called Beeftext.īeeftext is an open-source Windows program that’s free to use, simple to set up, and has none of the annoyances I experienced with PhaseExpress. I also experienced issues getting shortcuts to work reliably, and instead of trying to troubleshoot them, I instead just started seeking out alternatives. While it's been around for nearly two decades, the free version wasn't a great fit for me as I don't need any of its more advanced features and got tired of occasional pop-ups reminding me about the paid version. With a bit of practice, text shortcuts-also known as text expansion-can cut down on vast amounts of repetitive typing.įor a while, I used a program called PhaseExpress for text shortcuts. Create a few shortcuts for your most frequently typed phrases or sentences, and you can enter them instantly with just a few keystrokes. When it works, a text shortcut tool can feel like magic.

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