How to Add a Keyboard Shortcut on iPhone and iPad (Text Replacement)
Add keyboard shortcuts on iPhone and iPad with Text Replacement: type a few letters and get a full phrase, address or email. Step-by-step, plus ideas for families.
If you find yourself typing the same things over and over on your iPhone, such as your email address, home address, a pickup reminder or a stock reply, a keyboard shortcut can save a lot of thumb work. Apple calls this feature Text Replacement. You type a short code, and the keyboard swaps in the full phrase.
It has been part of iOS for years, it costs nothing, and it works in nearly every app that uses Apple's keyboard: Messages, Mail, Notes, Safari forms and more.
How text replacement works
Each text replacement has two parts:
- Phrase: the full text you want to appear, such as "On my way, see you in 10 minutes!"
- Shortcut: the few characters you will type to trigger it, such as "omw10"
When you type the shortcut and then a space or punctuation mark, the keyboard either replaces it automatically or offers the phrase as a suggestion above the keys. Tap the suggestion or keep typing to accept it.
Apple includes one example out of the box: typing "omw" expands to "On my way!"
How to add a keyboard shortcut on iPhone or iPad
- Open Settings.
- Tap General.
- Tap Keyboard.
- Tap Text Replacement.
- Tap the plus (+) button in the top-right corner.
- In Phrase, type the full text you want.
- In Shortcut, type the short code that will trigger it.
- Tap Save.
That is it. Open any app, type your shortcut followed by a space, and the phrase appears.
A faster route while typing
If you are already typing, you can jump to these settings from the keyboard. Touch and hold the emoji or globe key, choose Keyboard Settings, then tap Text Replacement.
How to edit or delete a shortcut
- Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement.
- To edit, tap the shortcut and change the phrase or shortcut, then tap Save.
- To delete, swipe left on the shortcut and tap Delete, or tap Edit, select the ones to remove, and tap Delete.
Tips for shortcuts that actually work
- Pick codes that are not real words. If your shortcut is "home," it will fire every time you write "home." Adding a letter or symbol, such as "hhome" or "@@," avoids surprises.
- Keep them memorable. Use a pattern you will remember, like doubling the first letter.
- Phrases can be long. A full address with line breaks, a standard reply or a paragraph of directions all work.
- Use it to stop autocorrect. Add a word, such as a child's unusual name or a family nickname, as a phrase and leave the shortcut blank. The keyboard learns it and stops "fixing" it.
Shortcut ideas for busy families
Here are some that parents find genuinely useful:
| Shortcut | Phrase |
|---|---|
| @@ | Your email address |
| addr | Your full home address |
| pkup | "I'm here for pickup, out front in the car." |
| lt10 | "Running about 10 minutes late, sorry!" |
| cnf | "Thanks, that works for us. See you then." |
| wifi | Your guest Wi-Fi network name (but not the password if you share your phone) |
| sch | Your child's school name and front office phone number |
A quick note on privacy: shortcuts are stored on your device and synced to your other Apple devices through iCloud. Avoid saving passwords, full card numbers or other sensitive details as text replacements, especially on a device your kids use. A password manager is the right place for those.
Text replacement for kids
Text replacement can be handy for children with their first phone or tablet, too.
- Emergency contacts. A shortcut that types a parent's phone number can help a child who has not memorized it yet. That said, it is still worth practicing so they know at least one number by heart.
- Hard-to-spell words. Kids with dyslexia or other learning differences often benefit from shortcuts for words they use a lot.
- Polite defaults. A quick "Thanks! See you tomorrow" can help a younger child reply without stress.
If your child's device is managed with Screen Time and Family Sharing, text replacement still works normally. It does not change any parental settings.
Does it work on Mac?
Yes. On a Mac, go to System Settings > Keyboard, then click Text Replacements. Shortcuts you create on your iPhone show up there automatically if both devices use the same Apple Account with iCloud turned on.
Troubleshooting
If a shortcut does not work:
- Check the keyboard. Text replacement only works with Apple's keyboard, not third-party keyboards. Tap the globe key to switch.
- Type a space or punctuation after the shortcut. It only triggers once the word is finished.
- Check Predictive Text and Auto-Correction. In Settings > General > Keyboard, make sure these are on.
- Wait for sync. New shortcuts can take a little while to appear on your other devices.
- Restart the device if shortcuts stop appearing after an update.
For more ways to save time while typing, see our collection of iPhone typing tips. If you also want to personalize what appears at the end of your emails, our guide on changing your iPhone email signature walks through it.
Quick recap
- Text Replacement lives in Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement.
- Tap +, add a phrase and a shortcut, and save.
- Choose shortcuts that are not real words.
- Shortcuts sync to your iPad and Mac through iCloud.
- Keep sensitive information out of shortcuts, especially on shared devices.
Frequently asked questions
Where are keyboard shortcuts on iPhone?
Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement. Tap the plus button to add a new phrase and the shortcut that triggers it.
Do iPhone text shortcuts sync to my iPad and Mac?
Yes. Text replacements sync through iCloud across devices signed in to the same Apple Account.
Why is my text replacement not working?
Text replacement only works with Apple's built-in keyboard, not third-party keyboards. Also check that the shortcut is not a real word, and that you typed a space or punctuation after it.