iPhone Text Replacement Shortcuts

If you're typing the same links, addresses, or phrases over and over — stop. Your iPhone has a built-in feature that turns short codes into full text instantly.

Click on the image above to watch the full video.

Type "UE" and it expands into a full Facebook group URL. Type "addy" and it fills in your business address. Any abbreviation can become any text you want.

How to Set It Up

Open Settings on your iPhone
Search for Text Replacement
Tap Text Replacement
Tap the + button in the top right
Phrase — The full text you want (the long version: a URL, address, email signature, etc.)
Shortcut — The short code that triggers it (2-4 characters works best)
Tap Save

That's it. Now whenever you type that shortcut in any app — Messages, Facebook, email, notes — the full phrase appears as a suggestion below your keyboard. Tap it and the text expands.

Real Example: Sharing a Facebook Group Link

Someone in a Facebook comment asks for a link to the Utah Entrepreneurs group. Instead of hunting for the URL, copying it, switching back to the conversation, and pasting:

Tap their name → tap Message
Type UE
The full Facebook group URL appears as a suggestion
Tap it — done

Two keystrokes instead of a 30-second hunt-copy-paste routine. Multiply that by every time someone asks for a link, and it adds up fast.

Ideas for Shortcuts

Links you share often — Facebook groups, booking pages, your website
Your email address — "@@" expands to your full email
Business address — "addy" expands to your street address
Canned responses — "ty1" expands to "Thanks for reaching out! I'll get back to you shortly."
Phone numbers — "myph" expands to your business line

Bonus: Clipboard Manager

For things that change too often for text replacement, a clipboard manager keeps your recent copies accessible. Paste App is a paid Mac/iOS app that stores your clipboard history — every link, snippet, and image you've copied recently, all searchable and organized.

Text replacement handles the permanent shortcuts. A clipboard manager handles everything else.