Where to find and change your iPhone's autocorrect settings
Autocorrect on iPhone lives in Settings > General > Keyboard. Once you open that menu, you'll see a toggle for "Auto-Correction" — turn it off entirely if you want no autocorrect at all, or leave it on and manage which words get corrected instead. The same screen also holds "Predictive" (the word suggestions that appear above your keyboard) and "Check Spelling", which you can toggle separately.
If you want autocorrect to stay on but stop it from changing specific words, you need to add those words to your iPhone's custom dictionary. This is where most people get stuck, because the process isn't obvious: you have to type the word, let iPhone try to autocorrect it, then tap the suggestion that appears and reject it. After you reject the same "correction" a few times, iPhone learns that you want to keep that word as-is.
A faster route is to add words directly through Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement. This feature lets you create shortcuts (like typing "omw" to expand to "on my way"), but you can also use it to lock in words that autocorrect keeps mangling. Type the word exactly as you want it in the "Phrase" field, leave the "Shortcut" field blank or type the same word, and save it. iPhone will then treat that word as correct and stop trying to change it.
Key Takeaways
- Autocorrect settings are in Settings > General > Keyboard, where you can turn the whole feature off or toggle it alongside spell-check and predictive text.
- To stop autocorrect from changing a specific word, reject the suggestion when it appears — after a few rejections, iPhone learns to leave it alone.
- Text Replacement (also in the Keyboard settings) lets you lock in words by creating a phrase with no shortcut, forcing iPhone to treat it as correct.
- Different keyboards (third-party apps like Gboard or SwiftKey) have their own autocorrect settings and may not sync with Apple's system dictionary.
Why autocorrect keeps changing words you actually want to type
Autocorrect works by comparing what you type against a dictionary stored on your phone. If a word doesn't match anything in that dictionary, iPhone assumes you made a typo and suggests a correction. The problem is that the built-in dictionary doesn't include slang, proper names, technical terms, or words from languages other than English (unless you've added a second language keyboard).
When you type a name like "Sasha" or a word like "gonna", autocorrect sees it as a misspelling of something in its dictionary — maybe "Sushi" or "going" — and changes it without asking. The more you reject these suggestions, the more your phone learns your actual vocabulary. But if you rarely type a word, or if you type it differently each time, autocorrect never gets the chance to learn.
How to add words to your iPhone's dictionary permanently
The most reliable way is Text Replacement. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement, tap the plus sign in the top right, and create a new entry. In the "Phrase" field, type the word or phrase exactly as you want it to appear. Leave the "Shortcut" field empty, or type the same word. Tap "Save".
Now when you type that word, autocorrect will recognize it as a legitimate phrase and won't try to change it. This works for names, slang, technical terms, and anything else. You can create as many entries as you need, and they sync across your devices if you use iCloud.
If you use a third-party keyboard like Gboard or SwiftKey, these apps have their own dictionary settings. Text Replacement entries you create in Apple's system won't always work inside third-party keyboards, so you may need to adjust settings within the app itself. Check the keyboard's settings menu (usually accessible by tapping the gear icon on the keyboard itself) for dictionary or autocorrect options.
Turning off autocorrect for specific languages or keyboards
If you type in multiple languages, you can control autocorrect for each one separately. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards, tap "Edit", and select each keyboard you use. Some keyboards have their own autocorrect toggle; others inherit the system setting from the main Keyboard menu.
If you've added a second language keyboard (like Spanish or French), autocorrect will try to correct against that language's dictionary when you're using that keyboard. If autocorrect is too aggressive in one language but you want it on for another, you can turn off "Auto-Correction" globally and rely on "Check Spelling" instead — this underlines misspelled words in red but doesn't change them without your permission.
What happens when you reject an autocorrect suggestion
When autocorrect suggests a change and you tap the X or tap elsewhere to reject it, iPhone records that you don't want that correction. After you reject the same suggestion three or four times, the phone stops offering it. This learning happens locally on your device — it doesn't sync to iCloud or other devices, so you may need to reject the same word on your iPad or Mac separately.
The rejection system works best for words you type regularly. If you type a word once every few months, you'll end up rejecting the same autocorrect suggestion over and over. That's where Text Replacement becomes more practical: you set it once and never think about it again.
Why you might want to turn autocorrect off entirely
Some people find autocorrect more frustrating than helpful, especially if they type in multiple languages, use a lot of slang, or work with technical terms. If you fall into that group, turning off "Auto-Correction" in Settings > General > Keyboard is a valid choice. You'll still have "Check Spelling" available (which underlines errors in red) and predictive text (the word suggestions above the keyboard), so you're not flying blind.
The trade-off is that you'll catch your own typos instead of having the phone catch them for you. For some people, that's worth it. For others, it means more mistakes slip through. You can always turn autocorrect back on if you find you miss it, or use Text Replacement to lock in just the words that matter most to you.
How to manage autocorrect across iPhone, iPad, and Mac
Text Replacement entries sync across your Apple devices through iCloud, so if you create a phrase on your iPhone, it will appear on your iPad and Mac automatically. The main autocorrect toggle (on or off) does not sync — each device has its own setting. This means you can have autocorrect on for your iPhone but off for your Mac if you prefer.
If you use iCloud Keychain and sync your settings, make sure you're signed into the same Apple ID on all devices. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud on iPhone and System Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud on Mac to confirm. Text Replacement will sync within a few minutes of creating a new entry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I undo an autocorrect change after I've sent a message?
No — once you send a message, autocorrect changes are permanent. The best you can do is send a follow-up message correcting the mistake. To catch autocorrect errors before sending, glance at your message one more time before you hit send, especially if you're typing a name or technical term that autocorrect might have changed.
Why does autocorrect keep changing the same word even after I reject it?
If you're using a third-party keyboard, that app may have its own autocorrect system that overrides Apple's. Check the keyboard app's settings (usually a gear icon on the keyboard itself) and turn off autocorrect there. If you're using Apple's keyboard and this is happening, try adding the word to Text Replacement instead — rejection alone sometimes isn't enough.
Does turning off autocorrect make typing slower?
It depends on your typing style. If you rely on autocorrect to fix typos, turning it off means you'll catch more mistakes yourself. Predictive text (the word suggestions above the keyboard) still works when autocorrect is off, so you can tap suggestions to speed up typing. Many people find they type just as fast without autocorrect once they adjust.
Can I have autocorrect on for some apps and off for others?
No — autocorrect is a system-wide setting that applies to all apps. You can't turn it on for email and off for text messages. Your only option is to turn it on or off globally, or use Text Replacement to control individual words.
What's the difference between autocorrect and predictive text?
Autocorrect changes what you type automatically. Predictive text shows suggestions above the keyboard that you can tap to insert. You can turn them on and off separately in Settings > General > Keyboard. Many people keep predictive text on (it speeds up typing) and turn autocorrect off (it's less intrusive).