Where to find and change autocorrect settings

Autocorrect on iPhone lives in Settings under Keyboard, not in Mail or Messages where you might expect it. Open Settings, tap General, then Keyboard. You will see a toggle for Autocorrect at the top of the list — turn it off entirely here, or keep reading if you want to customize it instead of disabling it.

The same Keyboard menu holds related settings that often cause confusion: Auto-Capitalization (which capitalizes the first letter after a period), Check Spelling, and Predictive Text (which suggests words as you type). Each one is separate, so you can turn off autocorrect but keep spell-checking, or vice versa. Many people disable autocorrect but leave predictive text on because suggestions are less intrusive than automatic replacements.

If you turn off Autocorrect entirely, your iPhone will still show you spelling suggestions in red underlines, but it will not change your words without asking. This is the simplest way to regain control if autocorrect has been changing words you actually meant to type.

Key Takeaways

  • Autocorrect is a toggle in Settings > General > Keyboard, separate from spell-checking and predictive text.
  • Turning off Autocorrect stops automatic word replacement but still shows spelling suggestions as red underlines.
  • Predictive text (word suggestions while you type) is a different setting and can be turned off independently if it bothers you.
  • Your iPhone learns from corrections you reject, so if you keep typing the same word and autocorrect keeps changing it, the phone should eventually stop.
  • Autocorrect settings explore across all apps on your iPhone — there is no per-app control, only the device-wide toggle.

Why autocorrect keeps changing words you actually want

Autocorrect works by comparing what you type against a dictionary and common word patterns. When you type a word that is close to a dictionary word but not exact, iOS assumes you made a typo and replaces it. The problem is that autocorrect cannot tell the difference between a real typo and a word you actually meant — slang, names, technical terms, or words that are straightforward not in Apple's dictionary all look like mistakes.

If you type the same non-standard word repeatedly and keep rejecting the autocorrect suggestion (by tapping the X that appears), your iPhone should eventually learn it and stop changing it. This learning happens per-device and per-language, so the same word might still autocorrect on your iPad. The learning is not when ready — it usually takes several rejections before the phone stops suggesting the replacement.

Adding words to your iPhone dictionary

You cannot directly edit the autocorrect dictionary on iPhone the way you can on a Mac, but you can add words by using them and rejecting autocorrect suggestions. A faster method is to add a text replacement: go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement, tap the plus sign, and create a shortcut. For example, you could set "omw" to expand to "on my way" — but you can also use this to protect a word by setting "teh" to replace with "teh" (itself), which prevents autocorrect from changing it to "the".

Text replacements are useful for words autocorrect keeps mangling. If your name is Siobhan and autocorrect keeps changing it to "Siobhan" (or something else), create a replacement where "siobhan" expands to "Siobhan". From then on, when you type it, the replacement fires instead of autocorrect.

Turning off autocorrect for specific languages

If you use multiple languages on your iPhone, you can turn off autocorrect for one language while keeping it on for another. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards, then tap Edit. Select the language you want to change, and you will see options including Autocorrect. This is useful if you switch between English and another language and autocorrect keeps interfering with the non-English text.

If you have added a keyboard for a language you rarely use, you can also straightforward delete it from this menu. Removing the keyboard removes its autocorrect rules from your typing experience entirely, which is simpler than toggling settings if you only use that language occasionally.

Predictive text versus autocorrect — what is the difference

Autocorrect changes words automatically without asking. Predictive text shows you suggestions above the keyboard as you type, and you choose whether to accept them by tapping. Predictive text is less aggressive — it does not alter what you have already typed, only offers options for what comes next.

Many people find predictive text less annoying than autocorrect because you stay in control. You can turn off Autocorrect but leave Predictive Text on, or disable both. The setting for Predictive Text is in the same Keyboard menu, labeled "Predictive" with a toggle switch. Turning it off removes the suggestion bar above the keyboard entirely.

What to do if autocorrect is not working at all

If autocorrect is on but your iPhone is not catching obvious typos, the most common cause is that you have accidentally added the misspelled word to your dictionary through repeated rejections. Check Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement to see if the word appears there, and delete it if it does.

Another possibility is that you are using a third-party keyboard (like Gboard or SwiftKey) instead of Apple's default keyboard. Third-party keyboards have their own autocorrect settings, separate from iOS settings. If you are using one, look in that app's own settings, not in iOS Settings. You can also switch back to the Apple keyboard by going to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards and tapping Edit to remove the third-party option.

If you have recently updated iOS, restart your iPhone — sometimes keyboard settings do not load correctly until you do. Hold the power button and slide to power off, wait a few seconds, then power back on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn off autocorrect for just one app?

No. Autocorrect is a device-wide setting that applies to all apps on your iPhone. You cannot disable it in Messages but keep it on in Mail, for example. Your only option is to turn it off entirely or use text replacements to protect specific words.

Will turning off autocorrect affect spell-checking?

No. Spell-checking (the red underlines under misspelled words) is separate from autocorrect. You can turn off autocorrect and still see spelling suggestions. You control spell-checking with the "Check Spelling" toggle in the same Keyboard menu.

Does my iPhone learn autocorrect preferences if I keep rejecting suggestions?

Yes, but it takes several rejections. If you type a word and reject the autocorrect suggestion multiple times, your iPhone should eventually stop trying to change it. This learning is per-device, so the same word might still autocorrect on your iPad or Mac.

What is the difference between turning off autocorrect and using text replacement?

Turning off autocorrect disables automatic word replacement entirely. Text replacement lets you keep autocorrect on but protects specific words by creating shortcuts. For example, you could turn off autocorrect globally but use text replacement to protect your name or a technical term you use often.

If I use multiple keyboards, do I have to turn off autocorrect for each one?

You can. Each keyboard language has its own autocorrect setting in Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards. You can turn off autocorrect for one language while keeping it on for another, or straightforward delete a keyboard you rarely use to remove its autocorrect rules entirely.