Mac text replacement not working in WhatsApp desktop
WhatsApp for Mac is unreliable with macOS Text Replacements, and the fix depends on which app you run. What to check first, and tools that expand text there.
The short answer
WhatsApp has shipped more than one Mac app over the years, and they don't handle macOS Text Replacements the same way. Check which app you're running, then look for Edit > Substitutions > Text Replacement in its menu bar. If that item is missing, or WhatsApp ignores it, there's no setting you can change. The dependable workaround is a system-wide text expander such as Espanso or Raycast.
Which WhatsApp app do you have?
For years the WhatsApp desktop app for Mac was built on Electron. In September 2024 WABetaInfo reported that WhatsApp was retiring the Electron app and moving everyone to a Catalyst app, which brings the iPad version to the Mac. You download it from the official WhatsApp site.
Why it matters for text replacements:
- A 2019 AppleToolbox guide, written in the Electron era, put it plainly: "Since Substitutions is missing from the Edit menu, you know WhatsApp doesn't work with Text Replacements."
- In January 2026 a user on the Apple Community posted the opposite complaint about the current app. WhatsApp kept applying curly quotes after they switched them off in Edit > Substitutions, and switching text replacement off in System Settings had no effect on WhatsApp.
So newer versions do run some macOS substitutions, but they don't seem to respect the usual controls. I couldn't find any statement from WhatsApp about how its Mac app is meant to handle text replacements. Treat everything below as testing, not a guaranteed fix.
Step 1: check the Edit menu
- Click into a WhatsApp chat so the message box has focus.
- Open Edit in the menu bar and look for Substitutions.
- If it's there, make sure Text Replacement has a checkmark. If it's already checked, click it twice to switch it off and on.
- Type a shortcut you know works elsewhere, like Apple's built-in
omw, followed by a space.
Apple's guide says the per-app toggle lives under Edit > Substitutions, with a checkmark when it's on. It also says text replacements "aren't available in all apps." If WhatsApp has no Substitutions item, it's one of those apps.
Step 2: rule out macOS
Open TextEdit or Notes and type the same shortcut. If it doesn't expand there either, the problem is macOS, not WhatsApp. Common fixes include adding a new text replacement in System Settings > Keyboard > Text Replacements and then deleting it. Guiding Tech describes that fix, and so does an Apple Community poster who said it worked. The full checklist is in text replacements stopped working after a macOS update.
Step 3: reinstall or update WhatsApp
If you still have the old Electron app, replace it with the current one from WhatsApp's download page. On the Apple Community thread above, the first suggestion was to delete WhatsApp and reinstall it, and to contact WhatsApp if that fails. Another reply pointed out that only WhatsApp can fix how its own app handles text input. That's a fair point, so report the problem to WhatsApp as well as trying the steps here.
Step 4: try WhatsApp Web in a browser
WhatsApp Web runs in Safari, Chrome or Firefox, and those browsers handle text replacements in their own way. Chrome and Safari expand them in standard text fields, as a Firefox bug report notes. Whether that includes the WhatsApp Web message box depends on how WhatsApp built its editor, and I haven't found a reliable report either way. It takes a minute to test, so it's worth a try. Our Chrome guide covers the browser side.
The workaround that doesn't depend on WhatsApp
The macOS feature only works when the app chooses to support it. A system-wide text expander works differently. It watches what you type and inserts the text itself, so it doesn't depend on WhatsApp supporting the macOS feature. I haven't found a WhatsApp-specific report for each tool, so try the free ones first and test them in a chat before you pay for anything.
| Tool | Price | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Espanso | Free, open source | Snippets are YAML files. The default config already includes a :date shortcut. |
| Raycast | Free for personal use | Snippets with keywords expand "in any text field", per Raycast's manual. |
| Alfred Powerpack | £34 one-time | Snippets and auto-expansion are Powerpack features. |
| TextExpander | Free for 5 active snippets, Pro $60 a year | Subscription. |
Each of these has its own snippet list, separate from the one in System Settings. To move your shortcuts across, start by exporting your Mac text replacements.
One warning for any expander. Espanso's documentation explains that macOS Secure Input can block expansion, and a password manager left running in the background is the usual cause. If snippets stop working everywhere, that's the first thing to check.
Summary
- Make sure you're on the current WhatsApp app from WhatsApp's site, not the old Electron one.
- Check Edit > Substitutions > Text Replacement in WhatsApp's menu bar.
- Test the shortcut in TextEdit to rule out macOS.
- If WhatsApp still ignores it, use a system-wide expander. That's the only option here that doesn't rely on WhatsApp.