PhraseExpress for iOS - Documentation

Introduction

PhraseExpress organizes frequently used phrases and inserts them in every app.

Demo video

Features:

Special features:

  • Phrases cannot just be grouped but organized in a multi-level folder structure.
  • Autotext abbreviations can be re-used for multiple phrases.
  • Autotext can be assigned to a phrase folder containing multiple phrases.
  • Custom keyboard with cool extra features and a popup menu allows you to access phrases without the need to memorize abbreviations.
  • Advanced autotext trigger options: Phrases can expand immediately, after manual confirmation or after typing a delimiter, such as space or a punctuation mark.

Installation

Video tutorial

PhraseExpress for iPhone/iPad consists of an App and an optional custom PhraseExpress keyboard.

App Installation

Download the PhraseExpress iOS App from the Apple AppStore. The App installs on your device like any other regular iPhone/iPad App.

Keyboard installation

The PhraseExpress App can otionally be used with its custom keyboard that offers some extra features:

  • Presse the special PhraseExpress key provides instant access to your phrases in a handy popup menu.
  • Enter an autotext abbreviation to expand it into longer phrases. The autotext feature requires the PhraseExpress keyboard.
  • Swipe-up keys for uppercase letters. No need to tap SHIFT anymore!
  • Swipe-down keys for numbers and special symbols without switching to the number keyboard
  • Long-press keys to access diacritic characters.

The PhraseExpress keyboard is required for the autotext feature. Autotext does not work with the Apple keyboard or hardware keyboards.

The PhraseExpress keyboard does not aim to replace the original Apple keyboard. It is designed to be used as an auxiliary option. You can quickly switch between keyboards with the globe key.

External hardware keyboards are not support at this time. We would also wish to include Siri dictation, iOS autotext and other features in the PhraseExpress keyboard, but as far as we know, this is restricted to iOS. We will continue to monitor the situation for changes.

To install the PhraseExpress keyboard:

Video instructions

  1. Open the iOS Settings
  2. Select General » Keyboard » Keyboards » Add New Keyboard
  3. Under Third party keyboards, tap "Add new keyboards…".
  4. Select PhraseExpress and choose the desired keyboard language layout.
  5. Tap the PhraseExpress keyboard entry you have just added.
  6. Enable "Allow Full Access" and confirm the security reminder. PhraseExpress requires this option to be allowed to insert your text snippets into the target application (privacy statement).