The old (now withdrawn) Mac App Store version (2023.2) versus TypeIt4Me 6.x.x versus TypeIt4Me 7.x.x.
What are the differences? Good question! Want the shorter answer first? Here’s a summary of the situation:
How are TypeIt4Me versions 7.x.x, 6.x.x and (2023.2) different?
- The old Mac App Store TypeIt4Me (2023.2) was “frozen” in 2012 when Apple introduced its policy that all new entries into the Mac App Store must be sandboxed. We were permitted to fix bugs but Apple wouldn’t accept major updates to it because it was not sandboxed. It’s now been withdrawn from sale.
- TypeIt4Me 6.x.x – which was only available directly from us – went on to receive newer features than (2023.2) and was actively developed for longer. It, too, is not available to purchase any more.
- TypeIt4Me 7 was released in April 2025. It’s been completely rebuilt in Swift, optimised for Apple Silicon and has a ton of new features. It’s now the only TypeIt4Me version available to purchase – exclusively on the Mac App Store – and it’s not a free upgrade. This version of TypeIt4Me is sandboxed and can continue to receive major updates as well as bug fixes.
The comparison chart below gives an overview of the key differences between the three versions. It would be an understatement to say the lengthy period of bifurcation was at times a source of confusion and irritation for many – including ourselves. Happily, things ought to be much more straightforward now that TypeIt4Me 7 is the only version we’ll be working on.
| 7.x.x | 6.x.x | 2023.x | |
| Distribution channel: | Mac App Store | Direct sale | Mac App Store |
| Status: | Actively developed | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Code audited by Apple engineers | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Buy with Apple Account | ✓ | ✓ | |
| iCloud sync | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Other sync options | ✓ | ||
| Snippet search window | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Point-and-click snippet insertion | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multiple active snippet sets | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Non-clipboard expansion | ✓ (up to 2,000 characters) | ✓ (up to 30 characters) | |
| Dynamic dates & date math | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| AppleScript execution | ✓ | ✓ | |
| AutoCue placeholder prompts | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fill-in-the-blanks templates
incl. pulldown menu options |
✓ | ||
| Global exception rules
(Only expand in / Don’t expand in) |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Set-level exception rules
(Only expand in / Don’t expand in) |
✓ | ||
| Snippet-level settings | ✓ | ||
| Predefined sets | ✓ | ||
| Undo snippet deletion | ✓ | ||
| Automated backups | ✓ | ||
| Import CSV files | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Dark mode support | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Maintenance / bug fix releases | ✓ | ||
| Feature updates | ✓ | ||
| Email tech support | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Now here’s the longer answer:
It’s a little tricky to explain and this may make your eyes glaze over, but here goes. The old TypeIt4Me previously available on the Mac App Store (last bug fix update 2023.2) was a legacy version. TypeIt4Me was originally made available on the App Store in 2011, prior to the introduction of Apple’s strict sandboxing policy that mandates apps sold through that channel must now be entirely self-contained. Apple graciously permitted non-sandboxed apps like ours to remain on sale on the Mac App Store, but TypeIt4Me had to remain “frozen” there. While we were allowed to fix bugs, for a long time we were unable to submit major new versions to the Mac App Store.
From 2012 until April 2025 we maintained two different versions of TypeIt4Me for two different distribution channels: the legacy version (last update 2023.2) you could buy through Apple and a newer version (5.x.x – 6.x.x) available directly from us, that remained under continued development and would go on receiving new features over time.
The last direct sale version of TypeIt4Me was 6.3.x and it had a more advanced feature set than the old Mac App Store version. Among other things, it offered a floating snippet search-and-insert window, a non-clipboard expansion method and the ability to activate multiple snippet sets simultaneously. It also offered a choice of syncing snippets with other Macs via Dropbox, iCloud Drive, Google Drive or a shared network folder.
TypeIt4Me 7.0 was released exclusively on the Mac App Store in April 2025. We were finally able to sandbox it without breaking the core functionality. This means from now on we’re free to continue submitting feature updates to this new version on the Mac App Store. There is only one version of TypeIt4Me available to purchase now and this will be actively developed going forward.
Sandboxing does come with some trade-offs, however: execution of AppleScripts and syncing via 3rd party services like Dropbox and Google Drive are no longer supported. It may also be necessary to manually move your existing snippet set file(s) from older versions into the new version if you’re not using iCloud. You can drag files into the TypeIt4Me 7 sidebar to import them.