Using the Same Snippets on Two Computers Without Cloud Sync

To use the same SlashSnip snippets on two computers, export a JSON file on one and import it on the other. There is no automatic cloud sync, so repeat that transfer after a meaningful update. That follows from keeping the library in local browser storage rather than a hosted workspace.

Why is automatic sync not part of the model?

SlashSnip stores snippets, categories, and settings in Chrome's local extension storage on the device where you use it. It does not keep a hosted working copy that a second browser can fetch. In practice, local-first means the snippet library lives on the device until you move it with an export file.

The trade-off is real. A cloud-synced tool can update another device after you save a snippet; SlashSnip cannot, because that would require a service to keep a working copy of the library. If prompt updates on another device matter more than avoiding that hosted copy, a cloud-sync tool is a better fit for that need.

Cloud sync vs. local-first manual transfer

	Cloud sync (typical tool)	SlashSnip (local-first)
New device gets your snippets	Can happen through the service's sync	Only after you export and import
Edits on device A appear on device B	Can be automatic	Only after you export again and import
Where your snippet library is stored	A vendor-hosted library	Local browser storage on each device you have imported to
Setup for a second computer	Sign in and let the service sync	Export a file, then import it
Server-side copy of the snippet library	Yes	No hosted working copy
Ongoing effort to stay current across devices	Depends on the service	Re-export and import when the library changes meaningfully

Neither column is universally "better." If you edit snippets constantly across three devices in the same day, the manual side has real friction. If you'd rather not have a company hold a working copy of your internal templates, canned replies, or code snippets, that friction is the cost of keeping the library off a server you don't control.

How to move your snippets to a second computer

This is the actual export/import flow, not a hypothetical one — it is the same mechanism documented for import and export.

1. On your primary computer, open SlashSnip and export your snippet library to a JSON file.
2. Save that file somewhere you control and can reach from the second computer — a USB drive, an encrypted folder, or a private file-sync location you already trust.
3. Install SlashSnip on the second computer.
4. Import the JSON file you saved in step 2.
5. Test the import before you rely on it: try //hello, one of your own shortcuts, the /// browse menu, and one snippet that uses a variable like {{date}}.
6. Keep the exported file. It doubles as a backup if you ever need to reinstall or move to a third machine.

If you make significant changes later, repeat the export on the machine where you made them and import that file on the other one. Before importing, check the import mode. Smart Merge, the recommended default, updates an existing snippet when its shortcut or title matches and adds new ones. Merge adds every imported item and may create duplicates. Replace deletes existing data before importing the file, so use it only when you intend the file to become that device's full library.

If the same snippet has changed on both machines, compare the versions before Smart Merge updates one of them. Import is not a conflict-resolution system.

Keep one export as the reference copy

The easiest way to avoid confusion across two computers is to designate one export file as the reference copy and update it deliberately rather than exporting from whichever machine you happen to be using. A simple habit:

• Make your snippet edits on one "primary" computer when you can.
• Export from that computer after a meaningful batch of changes, not after every single edit.
• Import that file on your other computer or computers, then check the result.
• Name the file with a date (snippets-2026-07-19.json) so you can tell which export is current if you keep more than one around.

This resembles a backup routine more than sync. Export and back up text snippets before switching tools adds a migration and cleanup checklist for the file itself.

When manual transfer is the wrong fit

Manual export and import work well when the library changes in occasional batches, such as a quarterly review or a new group of support replies. They work poorly if you need the latest edits on another device right away or if several people edit the same library at once. That is a team-sync problem rather than a personal multi-device workflow. Local-first and cloud text expanders explains the storage trade-off, while how SlashSnip handles local storage describes what stays on each device.

Where this leaves you

Two computers without automatic sync require a manual step that you have to remember to repeat. The right choice depends on how often the library changes and whether a hosted copy is acceptable for your workflow.

If export/import fits how you work, check current pricing for what's included at each tier before you build out a larger library across devices.