More than three years have passed since this initial review and a lot has changed in that time. Phrase Express 8 is still available as a (limited) free version that offers the following functionality:

• Organize frequently used text snippets.
• Expand abbreviations as you type.
• Launch programs with text shortcuts.
• Auto-complete repetitive phrases.
• Quick access to the Windows Clipboard History.
• Correct spelling mistakes in any applications

Phrase Express users will notice the changes right away. Especially the new system-wide spelling correction and new TypoLearn feature need some explanation.

Phrase Express 8 can correct spelling mistakes in all applications on the computer system. The spelling correction in previous versions was limited to select programs.

Even better is the new TypoLearn feature which will automatically detect common typos of the user. The module learns from the corrections and will add the typo and correction to its database to offer the use the corrected item right away when a typo is made.

Another interesting feature is the ability to launch applications from within any text field. Applications are added to the list of supported programs with a right-click and the selection of Open With Phrase Express. They are from that moment on available for text launching

Phrase Express can import existing Microsoft Word AutoCorrect entries so that they can be used in any program, not just in Microsoft Office applications.

Users can add custom spelling corrections and auto-text entries to expand abbreviations automatically.

Phrase Express can remember all Windows Clipboard items and optionally remove text formatting from entries stored in the clipboard.

While it has been primarily been designed for use with text phrases and words, it can also be used for web development purposes and coding to auto complete and fill often used coding snippets.

Phrase Express is available for download at the official developer website. (via)

You may then use those phrases by either right-clicking the system tray icon and selecting the phrase from the menu or by assigning hotkeys to folders or single phrases. The second method is of course a lot faster than the first. Phrase Express offers several other features that make it a great software. It can automatically expand abbreviations in some programs and append a signature with a random quote as well. The spell checker is another feature which unfortunately does not work in Firefox or Thunderbird.

You may disable the Capslock key to avoid pressing it unknowingly as well. I think that Phrase Express is very helpful if you write a lot regularly. I reply to about 20 emails per day plus numerous private messages on various forums and I was always looking for a program that would let me paste phrases that I always used. Guess what, Phrase Express saves me a lot of time everyday.