Text replacement, autocomplete, or rewrite? A practical Mac writing workflow

If you write support replies, bug reports or client emails on a Mac, some sentences repeat exactly. Others need different wording every time. Choosing the right kind of writing help starts with that distinction.

Disclosure: I’m behind DraftKey, a Mac writing assistant. This article was drafted by an AI assistant using public documentation. The examples are illustrative.

1. Use text replacement when the wording should stay fixed

Think about a sentence you repeatedly type, such as:

Please include the app version and macOS version in your reply.

You already know the wording. A saved shortcut is enough.

macOS has built-in Text Replacement. Open System Settings, choose Keyboard, then Text Replacements. Add a short trigger and the text it should expand into.

For example, you could save ;appdetails as the trigger for that sentence.

Apple notes that text replacement works in many apps, with exceptions. Check it in the editor where you actually write. Apple’s setup guide explains the settings and app-level controls.

Good candidates include:

• A standard request for reproduction steps
• A frequently used sign-off
• A product name you keep mistyping
• A short sentence that has already been reviewed

Keep saved wording current. An outdated template can reproduce an outdated instruction perfectly.

2. Use autocomplete while the sentence is still taking shape

Now consider a reply that begins:

Thanks for the recording. The part I need to understand is…

The next words depend on this particular conversation. There may be no useful fixed phrase to save.

Autocomplete proposes a continuation while you write. DraftKey provides that kind of help in compatible Mac text fields, with inference running locally.

You can keep typing to ignore a suggestion. Its current autocomplete documentation also describes accepting one word at a time, which is useful when the beginning fits but the rest takes the sentence somewhere you didn’t intend. The shortcut depends on your autocomplete settings.

You still need to supply the substance. A plausible continuation doesn’t establish what caused a bug or what a customer needs.

3. Use a rewrite when the draft exists and the wording needs work

Suppose you have this rough request:

Can you record what happens? Start before clicking export and include the error message because that’s the bit we need.

Here, the task is to change an existing draft. A specific instruction might be:

Make this a polite, concise support reply. Keep the request to start recording before clicking Export and include the error message.

In DraftKey’s Writing tools, you can work with the current paragraph or select a smaller passage. Review the proposed version, edit it if necessary, then choose Insert.

Selecting only the passage that needs work also makes the review smaller. You don’t need to ask for a new version of the entire email.

4. Combine them within one reply

A support message can contain both fixed and changing parts.

Use a saved phrase for a standard request. Write the case-specific explanation yourself, with autocomplete if it helps. Then select that explanation for a rewrite if its wording needs another pass.

For example:

• Saved phrase: ask for app and macOS versions
• Case-specific text: explain which part of the recording is needed
• Optional rewrite: make that explanation easier to follow

Keep any wording that must remain exact outside the selected passage. Review the assembled reply before sending it.

Before choosing another writing tool

Look at three ordinary messages you write regularly. For each one, ask:

• Am I repeating the same words?
• Am I still composing the sentence?
• Have I written the message but need to improve its wording?

If most of the work is repeated text, start with Text Replacement. If the wording changes with each conversation, autocomplete or rewriting may be more relevant.

DraftKey covers those latter tasks in compatible Mac text fields. It requires Apple Silicon and macOS 14 or later. AI requires at least 8 GB of memory, an approximately 1.12 GB model download, and at least 2.2 GB of free space plus room for the app. A license is required.

Its writing inference runs on your Mac; model downloads, licensing and updates still involve network services. Compatibility depends on the editor’s Accessibility support, and some custom editors and secure fields are excluded.

You can review DraftKey’s requirements and installation guide before deciding whether it fits your writing workflow.