Text Expansion

How to write abbreviations

Add an abbreviation

1. Open Layouto Settings and click Text Expansion.
2. In the Replace field, type the abbreviation, for example brb.
3. In the With field, type the text, for example be right back.
4. Click the Add button.

To use the abbreviation, type it in an app. Then type a space or a punctuation mark. Layouto replaces the abbreviation with the text.

Note: Return and Tab do not start the replacement. These keys can send a message or move to a different field.

The text can have more than one line. To start a new line in the With field, push Return. To save, push Command-Return.

To undo a replacement, push Shift two times immediately after it. Layouto puts the abbreviation back.

Capital letters

Add an abbreviation in lowercase letters, for example brb. When Match Abbreviation Case is on, these abbreviations also operate:

• Brb gives Be right back.
• BRB gives BE RIGHT BACK.

An abbreviation that you add with capital letters, for example SDK, operates only as you wrote it. Match Abbreviation Case is in Settings, on the Main pane.

Date and time

Put these placeholders in the text. Layouto writes the value when the abbreviation expands.

• {{date}}: the date today, in the format of your Mac.
• {{time}}: the time now.
• {{date+7}}: the date 7 days after today. {{date-1}} is the date yesterday.
• {{date:dd.MM.yyyy}}: the date in your format, for example 17.10.2026.
• {{date:iso}}: the date as 2026-10-17.
• {{date+7:EEEE}}: the day of the week, 7 days after today.

Cursor and clipboard

Put {{cursor}} where the cursor must stop. For example, Dear {{cursor}}, stops the cursor before the comma. Then you can type the name.

{{clipboard}} writes the text that you copied last. Layouto writes it as plain text.

Fields

{{input:Name}} is a field. Each time that the abbreviation expands, a small window opens. Type the value in the Name field, then push Return.

Example: Dear {{input:Name}}, thank you for your order.

• If the same field is in the text two times, Layouto asks for it one time.
• To move to the next field, push Tab.
• To cancel, push Escape. The abbreviation stays as you typed it.

To give a list of values, write them after a second colon. {{input:Size:S|M|L}} shows a menu with S, M and L.

Variables and snippets

A variable keeps a value for all abbreviations in one set.

1. Select the set, then click the Variables tab.
2. Type the name, for example phone, and the value.
3. Click the Add button.
4. In the text of an abbreviation, write {{var:phone}}.

When the value changes, change it one time on the Variables tab.

{{snippet:sig}} writes the text of the abbreviation sig. Use it to keep a signature or an address in one place.

Note: you can type the abbreviation of a snippet, and it expands. A variable does not expand when you type its name.

Tab and Enter

{{tab}} and {{enter}} push these keys between parts of the text. Use them to complete a form or to send a message.

Example: anna@example.com{{tab}}Anna Smith{{enter}}

Note: Layouto types nothing after the last key. You cannot undo this type of text with Shift.

Expand without a space

Select an abbreviation, then turn on Expand Without a Space. The abbreviation expands when you type its last letter.

This is useful for an abbreviation that starts with a mark, for example ;addr.

Note: then you cannot type a longer abbreviation that starts with the same letters. For example, addr expands before you complete address.

Patterns

Write an abbreviation between two slashes to make a pattern. A pattern is a regular expression. The full word that you type must agree with it.

In the text, $1 to $9 are the parts of the word in parentheses.

Example: the abbreviation /(\d+)km/ and the text $1 kilometres. When you type 5km, you get 5 kilometres.

Note: Layouto does not compare words longer than 20 characters with patterns.

Find an abbreviation

1. In Settings, on the Main pane, turn on Abbreviation Search.
2. In an app, push ⌃⌥⌘V. A list of abbreviations opens.
3. Type a part of the abbreviation or its text.
4. Use the arrow keys to select it, then push Return.

Layouto writes the text at the cursor. It does not delete text before it.

Sets and apps

Abbreviations are in sets. On the Apps tab of a set, you can select the apps where the set operates. Thus the same abbreviation can have a different text in a different app.

Layouto does not operate in the apps on the Exception Apps pane.

Japanese, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese

Abbreviations also operate with these input methods: Japanese, Pinyin, Korean 2-Set and Vietnamese Telex.

• Type the abbreviation in Latin letters.
• Then push Space. With Pinyin, push Return.

Note: with Japanese, Pinyin and Telex, a text with fields, Tab or Enter does not expand.

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