Switching from Espanso to TypeSnap

Espanso is a capable open-source text expander, and the fact that it’s free and cross-platform makes it a reasonable starting point. But if you want a native macOS GUI instead of editing YAML files, fill-in fields with dropdowns and text inputs, and optional iCloud sync, TypeSnap is the upgrade. Here’s how to bring your snippets with you.

What TypeSnap Adds Over Espanso

Moving from Espanso means gaining a few things that aren’t available in a config-file-based tool:

• Native Mac GUI — browse, search, and edit snippets visually without touching a text editor
• Fill-in fields — prompts with text inputs, dropdowns, and optional sections that appear when a snippet expands
• iCloud sync — optionally sync your snippet library across your Macs automatically
• Date and time macros — insert formatted dates and times using simple macro syntax
• Clipboard macros — insert the current clipboard contents anywhere in a snippet

Static text snippets work the same way in both tools. The migration is mostly a format conversion.

Step 1: Locate Your Espanso Snippets

Espanso stores its match files in the ~/.config/espanso/match/ directory. Open that folder in Finder (use Go → Go to Folder… in the menu bar and enter the path). You’ll find one or more .yml files, each containing entries that look like this:

matches:
  - trigger: ":br"
    replace: "Best regards,"
  - trigger: ":addr"
    replace: "123 Main Street\nSpringfield, IL 62701"

Each entry has a trigger and a replace field. These map directly to TypeSnap’s Abbreviation and Content fields.

Step 2: Convert to CSV

Create a new plain text file and save it with a .csv extension. Add the following header row, then add one row per Espanso snippet:

Abbreviation,Label,Content
:br,"Best regards","Best regards,"
:addr,"Office address","123 Main Street\nSpringfield, IL 62701"

The columns are:

• Abbreviation — the trigger from your Espanso file (:br, :addr, etc.)
• Label — a short human-readable name you choose (used for search in TypeSnap)
• Content — the replacement text from your Espanso file

If you have a large snippet library, a quick script can automate the conversion — but for most users, copy-pasting the entries manually takes only a few minutes.

Step 3: Import into TypeSnap

1. Open TypeSnap
2. Click File → Import Snippets…
3. Select your CSV file
4. Review the column mapping
5. Click Import

Your snippets will appear in a new Imported group in TypeSnap’s sidebar.

After Import

Test a few of your most-used snippets to confirm they expand correctly. For static text snippets, the transition should be seamless.

If any of your Espanso snippets used {{cursor}} to position the cursor after expansion, that syntax works the same way in TypeSnap — those snippets will just work.

If you had snippets using Espanso’s $|$ cursor marker or other variables, check those first, as the syntax differs and they may need a manual update in TypeSnap’s snippet editor.

FAQ

What about Espanso regex matches?

TypeSnap supports regex triggers too — but the syntax differs from Espanso’s. Regex-based matches from Espanso won’t convert automatically and will need to be recreated manually in TypeSnap’s snippet editor after import. For most users, regex snippets represent a small fraction of their library, so this is usually a quick cleanup task.

Do I need to keep Espanso running after migration?

No. Once you’ve imported your snippets into TypeSnap and confirmed they’re working, you can quit Espanso and remove it from your Login Items. Go to System Settings → General → Login Items and remove Espanso from the list. TypeSnap handles expansion on its own — the two tools don’t need to run side by side.

TypeSnap is $17.99, one time. No subscription, no cloud account required. Download TypeSnap. Or see the full import guide for all supported formats.