So, just trying to crowdsource this. I am using an M1 MacBook Pro with MacOS Big Sur 11.3 installed. I can’t determine if the crashing began when I updated MacOS or TextExpander, but the application crashes within 1 minute of launching every single time now. Is this just me, or is this widespread. If others are experiencing this, would selecting beta builds fix this issue? Very frustrating for a subscription app. . . .
That fix worked for me for a while but recurrent crashing after that. I found that logging out of the TextExpander account in the app and logging back in helped.
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Same here:
Mine’s also been crashing with every bootup. I think it’s time to finally show text expander the door.
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Same here, unfortunately I just renewed my subscription, but have now stopped auto-renewal, moving everything into KM
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Yup, I stopped using TE because of that crashing. Honestly asking the user to continuously delete files is not a solution. They should fix the bug causing the files to get corrupted. Smile software no longer makes me Smile.
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TextExpander is worth a bit of a struggle, don’t you think? SUCH a useful tool. I think the recent MacOS updates were to blame. Mine is sorted now. Smile still makes me smile.
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Not at all. Long time user/subscriber that cancelled and went to the $5 aText and couldn’t be happier.
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I had the same thing. I deleted the app and Hazel told me what else needed to be removed. I did that and reinstalled, I had the same problem a couple of times but then it started working.
I had sent a support request to Smile and they said sometimes Hazel or CleanMyMac don’t get all the kruff. They suggested:
I think it is necessary to clear out some files TextExpander uses. Here is how to do that:
- Open a Finder window
- Hit Shift-Command-G
- Paste in the following:
~/Library/WebKit/*
- Delete the folder with name com.smileonmymac.textexpander
- Launch TextExpander
I’m keeping this in solution in reserve in case it happens again.
This reminds me: On Intel on 11.3 a lot of the time TextExpander is popping up it’s prompt box BEHIND all the other windows. Might be related.
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When you pay a subscription for an app that never gets meaningful updates, crashes and is slow, where the competition is a one-time purchase, just works and is snappier, I just don’t see the benefits. (And I used to be a Smile affiliate.)
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Three weeks later. I had to delete com.smileonmymac.textexpander five times so far to resolve Text Expander’s crashes.
Updates from Smile to resolve the issue: 0.
So, I pulled the plug yesterday. I migrated my snippets to Alfred, deleted Text Expander and I might be done with TE when it comes up for renewal in April 2022. Time will tell if I will miss TE’s functionality on my iDevices, but I doubt it.
Disclaimer: I am no TE power user. After cleaning up my snippets yesterday, I ended up with 39 snippets that I am using on a regular basis.
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I use text expander every day. I see some have, recommendations for alternates. I need one that works on both Apple and PC. Are there any others that work on both?
The most affordable alternative is aText which already was mentioned by @Rob_Polding. I am amazed how this single developer is able to maintain his app on both platforms. And he seems to do that on an ongoing basis.
There is an alternative that is being marketed as “professional” solution (and priced accordingly): https://www.phraseexpress.com
PhraseExpress is being used by a lot of corporations and authorities worldwide. Apparently it has been around since 1998. They compare their product with TextExpander for Mac over here: Our Best TextExpander Alternative without subscription Apparently they also have an app for iDevices.
I have not tested aText or PhraseExpress.
I am fine with a Mac-only version, so Alfred works for me. I am still using Breevy at work. I am not sure, if it still should be bought these days because there have not been updates after 2016 when TextExpander launched their Windows version.
http://www.16software.com/breevy/
Before TextExpander launched their subscription model/their cloud, Breevy was able to sync with TextExpander and Smile did even point to Breevy as the TextExpander solution for Windows. Breevy still is rock-solid on Windows.
I have no issues with having two different apps on Windows and on MacOS because Windows means work and MacOS means “fun” - and the snippets for “work” and “fun” differ anyway. 
Same here. This solved my problem so far. I can not nail it down, but I think that the combination with HOOK triggered the issue on my side. For some reason this combination works on my M1 MacBook Pro and causes a lot of issues on my M1 machine. I have to contact Hook support to solve this.
I was having some crashing issues with TextExpander. Deleting the “com.smileonmymac.textexpander” folder has seemed to fix those.
However, now I’m having some (but not all) of my snippets fail to expand. I’ve resorted to recreating a few of my more commonly used ones in Keyboard Maestro. Not sure I’m going to be renewing TE when my current subscription runs out.
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same here, I’m now certain I won’t renew.
I use the OS expansion option on iOS anyway, and KM can do the rest on macOS.
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I was having the same crashing issues and although Smile did give me a fix, it was the final straw that made me cancel my subscription, I have now switched over to Typinator
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