How to Turn Off iPhone Autocorrect

Autocorrect on iPhone is great until it isn't. When it keeps changing "well" to "we'll" or replacing proper nouns with random words, here's how to turn it off, fix it, or train it to work for you.

Turn it off completely

1. Open Settings
2. Tap General
3. Tap Keyboard
4. Toggle Auto-Correction off

Done. iPhone now leaves your typing alone.

Other keyboard settings worth changing

While you're there:

• Predictive: Suggestions above the keyboard. Some love it, some hate it. Toggle off if you want a cleaner keyboard.
• Auto-Capitalization: Capitalizes the first letter of sentences. Usually helpful, but turn off if you type lowercase intentionally.
• Smart Punctuation: Converts straight quotes to curly quotes and double-hyphens to em dashes. Annoying for coders.
• Period Shortcut: Double-tap space to add a period. Most people like this.
• Check Spelling: Red-underlines misspelled words. Stays on even with autocorrect off. Helpful.

Reset the autocorrect dictionary

If your autocorrect is wildly wrong because it learned bad habits:

1. Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone
2. Tap Reset
3. Tap Reset Keyboard Dictionary
4. Enter your passcode to confirm

iPhone starts learning your typing fresh. Great if it kept replacing your name with something else.

Train it for words you use

Better than turning off entirely: train it. When iPhone suggests a wrong replacement, tap the X on the suggestion bubble to dismiss instead of accepting. After a few times, it stops suggesting that change.

Add custom Text Replacement shortcuts

Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement > tap +. Examples:

• Phrase: "On my way!" Shortcut: "omw"
• Phrase: "isaac@itfbusiness.com" Shortcut: "@@"
• Phrase: "Thanks so much!" Shortcut: "tks"

Type the shortcut, iPhone expands it to the full phrase.

Stop iPhone from correcting names

Add the name to Contacts. Words in your Contacts are protected from autocorrect.

Or add it to Text Replacement with the name as both phrase and shortcut.