Auto Correct Basics
Auto Correct is a feature that automatically changes words you type based on what the software thinks you meant. When you type "teh," your phone or computer changes it to "the" without asking. When you type "recieve," it changes to "receive." The software compares what you typed against a dictionary and makes the swap in real time as you type or after you finish a word.
Auto Correct exists because most people type faster than they type accurately. The feature catches common misspellings and typos before they become part of what you send. But it also changes words you typed on purpose — slang, names, technical terms, or words that aren't in the dictionary it uses. When that happens, you either have to stop and fix it, or you send something you didn't mean to send.
Turning it off means every word you type stays exactly as you typed it. Nothing gets changed without your say-so. The trade-off is that your actual typos stay in your messages too, unless you catch and fix them yourself.
Key Takeaways
- On iPhone, turn off Auto Correct in Settings > General > Keyboard by toggling off "Auto-Correction."
- On Android, the steps vary by phone maker, but usually live in Settings > Language and Input > Keyboard Settings or Gboard Settings.
- On Windows, go to Settings > Devices > Typing and turn off "Autocorrect misspelled words."
- On Mac, open System Settings > Keyboard > Text and uncheck "Correct spelling automatically."
- You can also turn off Auto Correct for a single app instead of your whole device if you only want to disable it sometimes.
Turning Off Auto Correct on iPhone
Open the Settings app on your home screen. Tap General, then scroll down and tap Keyboard. You will see a toggle next to "Auto-Correction" — it is usually on (the toggle is green or blue). Tap the toggle to turn it off. The toggle will turn gray, and Auto Correct is now off.
If you want to turn it back on later, follow the same steps and toggle it back on. This change affects every app on your iPhone that uses the built-in keyboard — Mail, Messages, Notes, Safari search, and others. If you only want to turn off Auto Correct in one app, that app usually has its own keyboard settings inside the app itself, but most apps use the system-wide setting you just changed.
Turning Off Auto Correct on Android
The exact steps depend on which phone maker you have and which keyboard app you use. Most Android phones come with either Samsung Keyboard, Google Keyboard (called Gboard), or another manufacturer's keyboard. Open Settings and look for "Language and Input," "Keyboard," or "Text Input" — the name varies.
If you use Gboard (Google's keyboard), tap Gboard Settings, then Corrections. You will see toggles for "Auto Correction," "Block Offensive Words," and others. Turn off "Auto Correction." If you use Samsung Keyboard, go to Settings > General Management > Language and Input > On-screen Keyboard > Samsung Keyboard > Smart Typing, then turn off "Auto Correction." If you are not sure which keyboard you have, open any text field and long-press the space bar — it will show you which keyboard is active.
Turning Off Auto Correct on Windows
Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings," then press Enter. Click Devices in the left menu, then Typing. Under "Typing," you will see "Autocorrect misspelled words" — it is usually on. Click the toggle to turn it off.
Windows also has a separate setting called "Use PredictiveText" that suggests words as you type. You can turn that off in the same menu if you want. These settings affect most apps on your computer, including Microsoft Word, Edge browser, and others. Some apps like Word have their own Auto Correct settings that work separately — if you turn off the system setting but Word's Auto Correct is still on, you will still see corrections in Word.
Turning Off Auto Correct on Mac
Click the Apple menu in the top left corner and select System Settings (or System Preferences on older Macs). Click Keyboard in the left menu. Click the Text tab. You will see a checkbox next to "Correct spelling automatically" — uncheck it. You will also see checkboxes for "Capitalize words" and "Add period with double space" — you can turn those off too if you want.
This change affects most apps on your Mac. Some apps like Microsoft Word have their own Auto Correct settings that override the system setting, so you may need to turn off Auto Correct inside Word separately if Word keeps correcting you after you turn off the Mac setting.
Turning Off Auto Correct in Specific Apps
If you want to keep Auto Correct on for most of your typing but turn it off in one app — like a messaging app where you use slang, or a coding app where you type technical terms — you can often do that inside the app itself. Open the app, look for Settings or Preferences (usually a gear icon or three horizontal lines), and search for "Keyboard," "Typing," or "Auto Correct."
Not every app has its own keyboard settings. If the app does not have one, it uses whatever setting you chose at the system level. Some apps like Slack let you turn off Auto Correct just for that app, while others like Gmail use your phone or computer's system setting and do not offer their own toggle.
What Happens When You Turn Off Auto Correct
Once Auto Correct is off, your device will no longer change words as you type. If you type "teh," it stays "teh." If you type a name that is not in the dictionary, it stays exactly as you typed it. You keep full control over what you type, which is useful if you regularly type words, names, or slang that Auto Correct would change.
The downside is that your actual typos now stay in your messages unless you catch and fix them yourself. You lose the safety net. Many people find a middle ground: they turn off Auto Correct but keep Spell Check on. Spell Check underlines words it thinks are wrong with a red squiggle, but does not change them automatically — you decide whether to fix it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn off Auto Correct just for one word?
Not directly. You can turn off Auto Correct for your whole device or for one app, but not for a single word. However, most devices let you add words to your personal dictionary so Auto Correct will not change them. On iPhone, when Auto Correct suggests a change, tap the suggestion to reject it — after a few rejections, the device learns not to change that word.
Will turning off Auto Correct affect spell check?
No. Auto Correct and Spell Check are separate features. Auto Correct changes words automatically. Spell Check underlines words it thinks are misspelled but does not change them — you decide. You can have Spell Check on and Auto Correct off, or both on, or both off. They work independently.
What if I turn off Auto Correct and then change my mind?
Follow the same steps you used to turn it off and toggle it back on. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Keyboard and toggle "Auto-Correction" back on. On Android, Windows, and Mac, the process is the same — find the setting and toggle it back to on. Your device will start correcting again when ready.
Does turning off Auto Correct on my phone affect my computer?
No. Each device has its own Auto Correct setting. Turning it off on your iPhone does not affect your Mac or Windows computer, and vice versa. You have to change the setting on each device separately if you want Auto Correct off on all of them.
Why does Auto Correct still happen after I turned it off?
You may have turned off Auto Correct at the system level, but the app you are using has its own Auto Correct setting that is still on. Open the app's settings and look for keyboard or typing options. Some apps also use cloud-based correction that is separate from your device's setting — if the app syncs with a server, that server might be doing the correcting instead of your phone or computer.