Switching from Alfred Snippets to TypeSnap
Moving your Alfred snippets to TypeSnap? Import an .alfredsnippets collection or Alfred JSON directly, with keyword prefixes and common placeholders converted.
Alfred’s snippets are solid, and if you already pay for the Powerpack and they do what you need, keeping them is a reasonable choice. But if you want a dedicated text expander with fill-in forms, rich text and image snippets, regex triggers, per-app filters, and version history, TypeSnap is built for that. Since version 1.4, TypeSnap imports Alfred snippet collections directly.
What Transfers
- Snippet text and names (the name becomes the TypeSnap label)
- Keywords, which become TypeSnap abbreviations. If the collection has a keyword prefix or suffix (for example
;before every keyword), it’s added, sosigwith a;prefix imports as;sig. - Collections: an
.alfredsnippetsfile imports into a group named after the file. Snippets from a plain JSON file land in a group called Imported. - Placeholders, converted to TypeSnap macros (see the table below)
Snippets without a keyword are imported disabled, with a placeholder abbreviation that starts with ;; (for example ;;thank-you). The import warnings list each one. Give it a real abbreviation and enable it when you want to use it. I did it this way so an ordinary word never starts expanding on its own after an import.
Snippets marked “don’t auto-expand” in Alfred are also imported disabled, so they stay out of the way until you decide how to use them.
Step 1: Export from Alfred
In Alfred’s Preferences, open the Snippets feature and export the collection you want to move. Alfred saves it as an .alfredsnippets file. Repeat for each collection. Alfred’s own help covers the export if the menu differs in your version.
Step 2: Import into TypeSnap
- Open TypeSnap
- Open File → Import Snippets and select Alfred as the source
- Click Choose File and select your
.alfredsnippetsfile (or a.jsonsnippet file) - Review the preview and its separate Warnings and Errors sections. Keywordless snippets and anything skipped are listed there.
- Click Import
The importer reads one collection at a time. If an imported abbreviation matches one you already have in TypeSnap, you’ll be asked whether to skip or replace it.
Placeholder Conversion Reference
| Alfred | TypeSnap | What it does |
|---|---|---|
{cursor} |
{{cursor}} |
Cursor position after expansion |
{clipboard} |
{{clipboard}} |
Clipboard contents |
{date} |
{{date:yyyy-MM-dd}} |
Current date |
{date:short} |
{{date:MM/dd/yyyy}} |
Short date |
{date:long} |
{{date:MMMM d, yyyy}} |
Long date |
{date:full} |
{{date:EEEE, MMMM d, yyyy}} |
Full date |
{time} |
{{time:HH:mm}} |
Current time |
{time:short} |
{{time:h:mm a}} |
Short time |
{datetime} |
{{date:yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm}} |
Date and time |
{uuid} |
{{uuid}} |
Unique ID |
{snippet:sig} |
{{snippet:sig}} |
Nested snippet |
{var:name} |
{{input:name}} |
Becomes a fill-in field |
{query} |
{{input:Query}} |
Becomes a fill-in field |
Good to know:
- Clipboard history placeholders such as
{clipboard:1}become{{clipboard}}, which inserts the current clipboard, not an older item. Check any snippet that relied on clipboard history. {var:name}and{query}become fill-in fields because TypeSnap has no workflow variables. You’ll be prompted for the value when the snippet expands.- Placeholders the importer doesn’t recognize stay as plain text, so you’ll see them when you test.
After Import
Test a few of your most-used snippets, then work through the disabled ones in the warnings list. Once everything works, turn off Alfred’s snippet auto-expansion (or the collection’s keywords) so both apps don’t expand the same text.
FAQ
Do I have to stop using Alfred?
No. Keep Alfred for launching, search, and workflows, and let TypeSnap handle text expansion. Just avoid having the same keywords active in both apps.
Why are some snippets disabled after import?
They either had no keyword or were set not to auto-expand in Alfred. Set an abbreviation if needed and enable them in the snippet editor.
TypeSnap is $17.99, one time. No subscription, no cloud account required. Download TypeSnap. Or see the full import guide for all supported formats.