Abbreviations are not detected or expanded

PhraseExpander detects what you type in any application and shows matching templates in the suggestions window. If nothing happens when you type an abbreviation, go through the steps below in order.

You may see

• Nothing happens when you type an abbreviation: no suggestions, no expansion
• Abbreviations work in some applications (for example, Word) but not in others (for example, Chrome or Edge)
• Abbreviations worked, then stopped after a while
• A notification says PhraseExpander cannot detect typed keystrokes in the current application

Where does it fail?

1. Test the abbreviation in the Test pad

Type the abbreviation in the Test pad, in the PhraseExpander main window.

• It expands in the Test pad: the abbreviation, the template, its glossary and keystroke detection are fine. The problem is in how PhraseExpander works with your other applications. Continue with step 2. (Glossary application restrictions don't apply in the Test pad, so also check The glossary is not restricted to other applications.)
• It doesn't expand: check that you're typing the abbreviation exactly as it's defined in the template, that keystroke detection is on, and that the glossary is active.

2. Update to the latest version

Recent versions fix several detection problems (for example, 5.11.0 fixed detection in Chrome 150). Click Help → Check for Updates, or download the latest version. Your templates are kept.

3. Check PhraseExpander's settings

Keystroke detection is on

Affects: all applications, including the Test pad.

Keystroke detection can be turned off with the detect typing button in the bottom-right corner of the  PhraseExpander window or with CTRL+SHIFT+F10, which is easy to press by accident. Turn it back on with the button or the same keys, and try your abbreviation again.

Also make sure PhraseExpander is running: its icon is in the notification area of the taskbar.

The application is not excluded

Affects: specific applications.

PhraseExpander ignores the applications in its exclusion list. An application is added to the list when you right-click the gear icon in the suggestions window and choose Ignore this application.

1. Click File → Options and choose the Advanced tab.
2. In Detect typed keystrokes in, check the list of excluded applications.
3. Remove the application you want PhraseExpander to work in, and click OK.

The glossary is active

Affects: all templates in that glossary.

A glossary can be turned off by clicking its green checkmark in the Glossaries pane. When a glossary is off, none of its abbreviations are detected. Click the icon again to turn it back on.

The glossary is not restricted to other applications

Affects: specific applications.

A glossary can be configured to work only in specific applications.

1. In the Glossaries pane, right-click the glossary and choose Application restrictions…
2. Check the setting:
   • All applications (default): the glossary works everywhere
   • All applications except: the glossary doesn't work in the applications listed
   • Only in: the glossary works only in the applications listed. A restriction can also match the window title.
3. If the application you're typing in isn't covered, change the setting or add the application.

4. Check your antivirus and security software

Some security software protects you from keyloggers by hiding what you type from other programs. PhraseExpander reads your keystrokes only to detect your abbreviations, but the antivirus can block it. This often happens only in browsers such as Chrome and Edge, or only after PhraseExpander has been running for a while. It can also make typing lag (see There is a lag when typing) or raise PhraseExpander's CPU usage (see High CPU usage in the Task Manager).

1. Open your antivirus or security software.
2. Add PhraseExpander to its allowed (trusted) applications.
3. Restart PhraseExpander and the application you're typing in. If that's not enough, restart your computer.

This has been verified with Windows Defender and several other antiviruses. If it doesn't help, turn off the keystroke protection feature for PhraseExpander or for the affected application:

• Webroot: Identity Protection → Application Protection → set PhraseExpander to Allow (guide)
• ESET: turn off Keyboard protection in Safe Banking & Browsing (guide)
• G DATA: turn off Keylogger protection for the affected application (guide)
• Sophos: turn off keylogger protection
• Zemana AntiLogger: Settings → Security Settings → uncheck Enable keystroke encryption
• PC Matic: SuperShield can stop PhraseExpander from starting; allow PhraseExpander in SuperShield

5. Check other software and setups

Another text expander is running

Other text expansion tools can intercept your keystrokes before PhraseExpander sees them. Close or disable them completely and try again.

The application runs as administrator

If the application you're typing in runs as administrator, PhraseExpander must run as administrator too, or it can't detect your keystrokes there. PhraseExpander shows a message when this happens. See Running PhraseExpander in applications that require admin privileges.

Remote Desktop or Citrix

With Remote Desktop, make sure the session window is not full screen; with Citrix, PhraseExpander must run in the same session as the application. See Working with Remote Desktop applications or Citrix.

Applications that can't be detected

A few applications read the keyboard in a non-standard way (some Java and X11 applications), and PhraseExpander can't detect keystrokes there. Let us know which application, and we'll check.

The computer is under heavy load

When the computer is busy (browsers, security software, other background processes), Windows may give PhraseExpander too little CPU time, so it detects some abbreviations late or misses them. As a workaround, give PhraseExpander a higher priority: see Setting PhraseExpander to high priority.