TextExpander Snippets Not Expanding in Some Apps on macOS: The Accessibility Permission Cascade That Solved It

For many macOS users, TextExpander is more than just a productivity tool—it’s an essential workflow enhancer. From developers to data entry professionals, countless people rely on its ability to trigger predefined snippets of text with a few keystrokes. But what happens when TextExpander suddenly stops working in some of your apps? If your snippets aren’t expanding as expected, particularly in apps like Messages, Mail, or Chrome, you’re not alone. The issue is often subtler than a malfunctioning app or outdated software—it’s rooted in how macOS handles accessibility permissions.

TL;DR

If TextExpander snippets stop working in certain macOS apps, the issue may stem from a nested accessibility permission problem. While TextExpander itself might have the correct permissions, some helper apps or automation tools might not. Granting accessibility access to all related applications and utilities, including keyboard automation and launch agents, usually resolves the issue. Apple’s increasingly strict security layers can obscure root causes unless each app involved in the interaction is properly granted permissions.

Understanding the Problem: When TextExpander Snippets Fail to Expand

At first glance, it’s puzzling. You see TextExpander icon up and running in the menu bar, snippets fire perfectly in apps like Notes or Safari, and yet, when typing in other apps like Messages, Slack, or third-party editors, nothing happens. No snippet expands. Keyboard shortcuts are ignored. And perhaps most frustratingly, there is no warning or alert from the system to indicate what’s wrong.

This isn’t just a minor inconvenience—it can disrupt your entire productivity cycle. Many users initially think it’s a bug in TextExpander or perhaps a conflict with recently updated Mac apps. But in reality, the culprit is usually permissions, especially the Accessibility permissions required to enable keyboard entry automation on macOS.

Apple’s Security Framework and Accessibility Access

Starting from macOS Mojave, Apple implemented major security improvements by asking users to explicitly grant access to apps designed to control or observe other apps. One such category is “Accessibility”—these permissions allow apps like TextExpander to simulate keystrokes, monitor typing fields, and interact with system-level elements.

Even if TextExpander has the proper permission, it still might not work if:

• You have an automation script or third-party utility acting as a bridge between TextExpander and your target app.
• A helper application or service that TextExpander depends on is not properly authorized.
• macOS updates reset some permissions or fail to migrate them correctly.

The Accessibility Permission Cascade: What It Is and Why It Matters

The heart of the issue is what we call the Accessibility Permission Cascade. Think of it as a chain of trust. If the main app has permission but a linked utility does not, macOS treats the whole operation as unauthorized. This is especially relevant when using tools like:

• TextExpander Helper apps
• Clipboard managers
• Automator scripts or shell wrappers
• Virtual Keyboard remappers (e.g., Karabiner-Elements)
• App launchers like Alfred or Raycast

In these cases, you’ll often find that TextExpander snippets work within system-native apps but not in Electron-based or sandboxed applications (like Slack or Chrome) that require a more complex permissions handshake.

The Fix: Granting Full Accessibility and Input Monitoring Access

To address this, perform a thorough check and grant all associated components the needed permissions. Here’s a step-by-step guide to implementing the Accessibility Permission Cascade fix:

1. Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions).
2. Navigate to Privacy & Security > Accessibility.
3. Ensure TextExpander is listed and enabled. If not, add it manually:
   • Click the “+” button
   • Select /Applications/TextExpander.app
4. Repeat the process for any helper tools involved in snippet execution:
   • TextExpander Helper
   • /usr/bin/osascript (often used in AppleScript automation)
   • Any automation or launcher apps (e.g., Alfred, Raycast)
5. Navigate to Privacy & Security > Input Monitoring and ensure the same applications are present.
6. After making changes, reboot your Mac or log out and log back in to ensure the new permissions are fully applied.

This approach addresses the cascade effect by ensuring all relevant apps have individual permissions to control or interact with each other.

Additional Troubleshooting Steps

If the above method doesn’t resolve the issue, consider these follow-up actions:

• Reinstall TextExpander: Sometimes, the macOS permissions database gets corrupted. Reinstalling the app can reset permission prompts.
• Reset Accessibility Permissions: Use Terminal to reset permissions if things remain broken:

  sudo tccutil reset Accessibility

  This command clears all Accessibility permissions, allowing apps to re-request them.

• Check Keyboard Shortcuts: Conflicts with system-assigned shortcuts in certain apps may interfere with snippet activation.

Differences Between macOS Versions

One particularly challenging element in diagnosing this problem stems from inconsistencies in how macOS handles these permissions across versions. For example:

• macOS Monterey allowed more liberal background control for apps that had legacy permissions.
• macOS Ventura and Sonoma tighten these restrictions and offer less transparency to the user when permissions are missing.

Because of these changes, an app that worked flawlessly before may subtly stop working after a macOS upgrade—despite appearing to be properly configured.

Real-World Example: Diagnosing a Broken Workflow

Consider the case of a user who reported that TextExpander snippets worked in TextEdit and Safari but failed in Slack and Microsoft Teams. After verifying that TextExpander had full Accessibility permission, the issue remained. The breakthrough came when the user realized that snippets launched via an Alfred workflow. Alfred, it turned out, lacked Accessibility permission.

Once Alfred was added to System Settings > Accessibility and granted Input Monitoring access, snippets flowed freely across all apps. The cascade was incomplete until Alfred received its share of trust.

Conclusion

TextExpander remains a valuable tool—one that depends heavily on system-level trust to operate smoothly. In today’s macOS environment, permissions are layered, conditional, and increasingly automated behind the scenes. When TextExpander stops working as expected, the likelihood is not corruption or bugs, but an incomplete permission cascade.

By checking and enabling Accessibility and Input Monitoring access across all associated apps—not just TextExpander—you resolve most snippet expansion issues. It’s not merely about the primary app but about ensuring that every process in the execution chain has the necessary permissions to do its job.

Empowered with this understanding, you’ll not only reclaim your productivity—but also gain a deeper appreciation of macOS’s evolving security model.