Microsoft Word Auto-Complete & Spelling Correction in All Windows Apps
Extending Microsoft Word Features to All Windows Applications with PhraseExpress
Do you ever find yourself desiring the convenience of Microsoft Word’s features – such as automatic spelling correction, Autotext, and auto-completion – within other applications on your Windows system? PhraseExpress is a complimentary program designed to provide precisely that functionality.
How PhraseExpress Works
PhraseExpress enables users to organize text snippets into easily accessible, customizable categories. It also allows the use of shortened phrases to quickly insert complete text blocks. This feature significantly reduces typing time and minimizes the potential for typographical errors when repeatedly entering the same phrases.
Furthermore, PhraseExpress proactively learns from your typing habits and begins to suggest auto-completions for frequently used phrases, streamlining your workflow.
Spelling Correction Capabilities
The program offers access to over 8,200 common spelling corrections across six different languages, available for free download. These corrections automatically rectify misspellings as you type. Additionally, PhraseExpress can adapt and learn from your individual spelling mistakes over time.
Installation Process
To install PhraseExpress, simply double-click the downloaded .exe file. If you obtained the file via the CNet link, this is all that is required. However, if you used the alternative download link, you must first extract the contents of the .zip file before running the .exe file.
Follow the on-screen instructions provided by the Setup Wizard. During the Select Additional Tasks screen, ensure that the “Do you want to use PhraseExpress in a network” checkbox remains unchecked. Selecting this option will install the trial version instead of the free, personal-use version.
Launching PhraseExpress
After installation and initial execution, an icon will appear in the system tray, accompanied by a helpful balloon hint. Clicking this balloon will open the main PhraseExpress window.
Alternatively, you can right-click the PhraseExpress icon in the system tray and select “Edit phrases” from the context menu to directly access the main window.
Enabling PhraseExpress
Important: Before utilizing PhraseExpress, it must be enabled. To do this, left-click the system tray icon and select “Direct access to settings”, then choose “Enable PhraseExpress”.
Adding Custom Phrases
To add a personalized phrase, click the “New Phrase” button. On the right side of the window, provide a descriptive label for the phrase in the “Description” field. For instance, if adding the phrase “How-To Geek”, you might use “HTG” as the description.
Enter the complete text you wish to insert when typing the shortened phrase in the “Phrase content” box. You can also assign hotkeys for quick insertion in the “Hotkey” section.
To trigger insertion using an abbreviation, enter the desired text in the “Autotext” field and select the appropriate execution option. For example, typing “htg” followed by a space, Enter, or punctuation will replace it with “How-To Geek” (using the default delimiters).
You can also restrict PhraseExpress’s functionality to a specific program by checking “Execute only in specific program” and selecting the desired application from the displayed dialog box.
Viewing Custom Phrases
Once you’ve entered your custom phrase, it will appear in the list on the left side of the window, along with any assigned hotkey.
Using Defined Phrases
To quickly insert a phrase you’ve defined, simply type the Autotext abbreviation or press the assigned hotkey.
A balloon hint will appear in the system tray, indicating how to finalize the phrase replacement.
As demonstrated, typing a space after “htg” resulted in the insertion of “How-To Geek” into the program.
Organizing Phrases with Folders
You can organize your custom phrases into folders for better management. To create a new folder, click the “New Folder” button.
Enter a name for the folder in the “Description” field on the right side of the screen.
To move a phrase into the new folder, simply drag and drop it from the list on the left onto the folder.
The phrase will then be relocated to the designated folder.
AutoCorrect Functionality
PhraseExpress includes a pre-populated list of AutoCorrect entries that automatically correct common misspellings. For example, typing “abondon” will automatically be corrected to “abandon”.
You can add your own custom AutoCorrect entries by clicking “New Phrase” while the “AutoCorrect_English” list is selected. Enter a description for the word or phrase, the correct spelling in the “Phrase content” box, and any potential misspellings in the “Autotext” field, separated by vertical bars.
Portable Mode
PhraseExpress can also be run as a portable application. To do this, download the portable version from the website. Extract the files and create a shortcut to the “phraseexpress.exe” file. For use with a USB flash drive, save the shortcut in the same directory as the program, allowing it to run without installation on any drive.
Right-click the shortcut and select “Properties” from the context menu.
Add a space and “-portable” to the end of the “Target” command (after “phraseexpress.exe”), then click “OK”.
Running PhraseExpress with the modified shortcut will display a warning reminding you to exit the program before removing the USB drive.
Compatibility Note
The PhraseExpress website notes a potential conflict with Microsoft Word’s AutoCorrect function:
“The PhraseExpress Autotext feature will interfere with the MS Office AutoCorrect function as both programs are triggered by your text input. You will recognize that abbreviations are expanded twice. We strongly recommend that you import the MS Word AutoCorrect entries into PhraseExpress and disable the function in MS Word (see Microsoft help).”
Download PhraseExpress from http://www.phraseexpress.com/download.php.