Text replacement not working on Mac? Here's how to fix it
You type your shortcut, press space, and nothing happens. macOS text replacements usually fail for one of a few reasons. Work through these in order — most people are fixed by step 1 or 2.
By Jeyanth Kanagaraju · Updated
1. Check that the app supports text replacement
Text replacement isn't system-wide; each app has to support it. Open the app's Edit menu: if there's a Substitutions submenu, the app supports it. If there isn't, it doesn't, and no setting will change that. Microsoft Word for Mac is the most common example.
2. Turn Text Replacement on in that app
In the app, choose Edit → Substitutions and make sure Text Replacement has a checkmark. The setting belongs to each app, so it can be off in one app and on in another.
3. Finish the shortcut with a space or punctuation
Replacements happen after you type the shortcut and a space or punctuation mark. Typing the shortcut and then clicking elsewhere won't trigger it.
4. Refresh the list
Open System Settings → Keyboard → Text Replacements…, add a throwaway replacement with +, then select it and delete it. This often wakes replacements up again in apps that support them.
5. If they're missing on another device: iCloud sync
Text replacements sync through iCloud, and that sync isn't always quick or reliable. Make sure every device is signed in to the same Apple Account, give it some time, and try step 4 on the device where the entry was created.
6. Update and restart
Install any pending macOS update from System Settings → General → Software Update, then restart your Mac.
A quick workaround for apps that don't support it
Spotlight supports text replacement. Press ⌘Space, type your shortcut and a space so it expands, then ⌘A, ⌘C, Esc, and paste into your app with ⌘V. It works, but it gets old fast.
The lasting fix: a text expander that works everywhere
Apps like Textfold watch for abbreviations themselves, so they work in every app — Word, Chrome, Slack, VS Code, Terminal — whether or not it supports Substitutions. They also add dates, the clipboard, cursor placement and fill-in forms. You can import your existing Apple replacements in a minute: here's how.
If Textfold itself ever stops expanding, its menu bar menu tells you why on the first line — usually the Accessibility permission or a password field's secure input. The troubleshooting guide covers each case.