Variables and reusable snippets Pro

Two ways to write something once and use it everywhere.

Variables

A variable is a value you type often, like your name, email, phone number or company, saved once in Settings ▸ Variables. Use it in any snippet as {{var:Name}}.

Add a variable

1. Open Settings ▸ Variables.
2. Click Add Variable and choose a suggestion (Name, Email, Phone, Company, Address, Website) or Custom Variable.
3. Type its value.

The editor's Insert Placeholder menu lists all your variables under Your Variables.

Snippet

{{var:Name}}
{{var:Company}} · {{var:Phone}}
{{var:Website}}

Pastes

Alex Morgan
Northwind Studio · +44 20 7946 0958
northwind.studio

Why not just type the values into each snippet? Because when your phone number changes, you change it in one place and every snippet that uses it is up to date.

Good to know:

• Names ignore case: {{var:name}} and {{var:Name}} are the same variable.
• A missing variable stays visible. If there's no variable with that name, the placeholder pastes as typed, so a typo gets noticed instead of silently disappearing. The editor's preview warns about it too.
• Variables sync through iCloud with your snippets, and they're included in exports.

Reuse a snippet inside another

{{snippet:Title}} pastes another snippet's text in its place. Keep your signature, a legal disclaimer or a standard intro in one snippet and include it wherever you need it.

Snippet “Signature”

Best regards,
{{var:Name}}
{{var:Company}}

Snippet “Refund Approved”

Hi {{input:Name}},

Your refund is on its way.

{{snippet:Signature}}

Pasting Refund Approved asks for the name and pastes the whole reply, signature included. Change the signature once and every snippet that includes it changes too.

Good to know:

• Snippets are found by title, ignoring case. If two snippets have the same title, the oldest one is used.
• Included snippets can include others, up to eight levels deep.
• An unknown title, or a snippet that would end up including itself, stays visible as typed.
• In the editor, Insert Placeholder ▸ Another Snippet lists your snippets, so you don't have to type titles.
• Questions from every included snippet are asked together, once each.

Without Pro

Variables and snippet includes are part of HandyPaste Pro. Without it, variables you already have (from an import or another Mac) stay editable in Settings, but you can't add new ones, and both placeholders paste as typed.