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how-to image snippets

Image Snippets: Expand Pictures by Typing

Attach images to snippets and insert them anywhere by typing an abbreviation. Logos, signatures, diagrams --- all one keystroke away.

By Aaron Hampton 2 min read

Text expansion isn’t just for text. TypeSnap can insert images — logos, signatures, diagrams, screenshots — anywhere you type an abbreviation.

Creating an Image Snippet

  1. Create a new snippet (Cmd+N)
  2. Change the Type picker from Plain Text to Image
  3. Add your image by:
    • Dragging and dropping an image file onto the drop zone
    • Clicking Choose File… to pick from your filesystem
    • Clicking Paste from Clipboard if you’ve copied an image

The editor shows a preview of the image along with its dimensions and file size.

Using Image Snippets

Once created, image snippets work like any other snippet. Type the abbreviation (or use a hotkey or Quick Search), and the image is pasted into the active application.

Abbreviation: ;logo Image: Your company logo PNG

Type ;logo in an email, document, or chat app, and the logo appears.

Example: Handwritten Signature

Abbreviation: ;hsig Image: A scan or photo of your handwritten signature

Useful for signing PDFs, letters, or contracts without leaving your keyboard.

Example: Common Diagram

Abbreviation: ;arch Image: Your standard architecture diagram

Drop it into Slack, Notion, or a Google Doc whenever someone asks about system design.

Supported Formats

TypeSnap accepts:

  • PNG — Best for logos, screenshots, diagrams
  • JPEG — Good for photos
  • GIF — Animated GIFs work too
  • TIFF — For high-quality images
  • BMP — Legacy format support

Images are stored as PNG internally for consistent quality.

Tips

Keep images small. Large images work but take longer to paste. For logos and signatures, resize to the dimensions you actually need.

Use clear abbreviations. Since you can’t preview the image before it expands, make abbreviations descriptive: ;logo, ;sig-handwritten, ;diagram-auth.

Combine with app filters. If your handwritten signature should only work in document editors, set Active In to only those apps.

Assign hotkeys for frequent images. A logo you insert ten times a day deserves Ctrl+Option+L.

Replacing an Image

To change the image, click the Remove button below the preview, then add the new image. The abbreviation and other settings stay the same.

Image snippets sync with iCloud just like text snippets, so your images are available on all your Macs.

Stop typing the same things over and over

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