Where to find auto correct settings on Android

Auto correct on Android lives in your keyboard settings, not in a general phone menu. The exact path depends on which keyboard app you use — most phones come with Google Keyboard (also called Gboard), but some have Samsung Keyboard, Microsoft SwiftKey, or another third-party option. Open your phone's Settings app, then look for Language and Input, Keyboard, or Input Method. The name varies by phone maker.

Once you find the keyboard section, tap on whichever keyboard you actually type with. You'll see a list of options including spell check, auto correct, and text prediction. These are separate toggles, so you can turn off auto correct while keeping spell check on, or disable both entirely.

Key Takeaways

  • Auto correct settings are in your phone's Settings app under Language and Input or Keyboard, then inside your active keyboard app's options.
  • You can turn off auto correct alone while keeping spell check on, or disable both — they are separate toggles.
  • If you use multiple keyboards, you need to change the setting in each one separately.
  • Turning off auto correct does not affect predictive text suggestions that appear above your keyboard — those are a different feature.

Disabling auto correct in Gboard (Google Keyboard)

Gboard is the default keyboard on most Android phones. Open Settings, then tap System > Languages and Input > On-screen Keyboard > Gboard. Scroll down to Text Correction. You'll see toggles for "Auto-correction" and "Show correction suggestions." Turn off the Auto-correction toggle. The Show Correction Suggestions toggle controls whether Gboard shows you a list of alternatives when it thinks you've made a typo — you can leave that on or off depending on whether you find it helpful.

If you want to keep auto correct but make it less aggressive, look for the "Correction Level" option in the same menu. You can set it to Off, Basic, or Standard. Basic catches only obvious errors, while Standard is more aggressive. This gives you a middle ground if you want some help but not constant changes.

Turning off auto correct in Samsung Keyboard

Samsung phones use Samsung Keyboard by default. Go to Settings > General Management > Language and Input > On-screen Keyboard > Samsung Keyboard. Tap Typing information, then Smart Typing. You'll see Auto Replace and Predictive Text as separate options. Turn off Auto Replace to stop auto correct. Predictive Text shows word suggestions as you type — that's different from auto correct and you can control it separately.

Samsung also has a Typing information menu that includes options for spacing correction and capitalization. If you want to disable auto correct but keep the phone from changing your capitalization, you can turn off Auto Replace while leaving other options on.

Disabling auto correct in SwiftKey and other third-party keyboards

If you use Microsoft SwiftKey, go to Settings > System > Languages and Input > On-screen Keyboard > SwiftKey. Tap Typing, then find Auto-Correction and turn it off. The exact menu names vary slightly depending on which version you have installed.

For any other keyboard app, the process is the same: Settings > Languages and Input > your keyboard name > look for Text Correction, Typing information, or Auto-Correction. Most keyboard apps follow this pattern. If you can't find the setting, open the keyboard app itself from your home screen — many keyboard apps have their own settings menu separate from the system Settings app.

The difference between auto correct, spell check, and predictive text

Auto correct changes what you typed without asking. You type "teh" and it becomes "the" automatically. Spell check underlines words it thinks are wrong but doesn't change them — you decide whether to accept the suggestion. Predictive text shows you word suggestions above the keyboard as you type, letting you tap a word instead of typing the whole thing.

These are three separate features. You can turn off auto correct and keep spell check on so you see red underlines but the phone doesn't change your words. You can keep predictive text on even with auto correct off — the suggestions will still appear, you just won't have unwanted changes happening behind the scenes. Understanding which one is bothering you makes it easier to find the right toggle to switch.

What happens after you turn off auto correct

Once you disable auto correct, your phone stops changing words automatically. You'll still see spell check underlines if you have that turned on, and you'll still get word suggestions above the keyboard. The difference is that nothing changes without your permission. If you type a word your phone doesn't recognize, it stays as you typed it instead of being replaced.

If you change your mind later, the setting is in the same place you found it. You can turn auto correct back on anytime, or adjust the correction level to something less aggressive. Some people turn it off completely, others set it to Basic so the phone only fixes obvious mistakes like doubled letters.

If you use multiple keyboards on the same phone

Android lets you install and switch between multiple keyboard apps. If you have Gboard and SwiftKey both installed, you need to change the auto correct setting in each one separately — turning it off in Gboard doesn't affect SwiftKey. When you switch keyboards, the settings you chose for that keyboard take effect.

To see which keyboards you have installed, go to Settings > System > Languages and Input > On-screen Keyboard. You'll see a list of all available keyboards. If you only use one, you only need to change one. If you switch keyboards depending on what you're doing, remember that each one has its own settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will turning off auto correct affect my phone's spell check?

No. Auto correct and spell check are separate features. You can turn off auto correct and keep spell check on so the phone underlines words it doesn't recognize but doesn't change them. Or you can turn both off if you want no corrections at all.

Can I make auto correct less aggressive instead of turning it off completely?

Yes. Most keyboards have a Correction Level option with settings like Off, Basic, and Standard. Basic only fixes obvious errors like doubled letters, while Standard is more aggressive. Try Basic if you want some help but fewer unwanted changes.

Why does my phone still show word suggestions after I turned off auto correct?

Those are predictive text suggestions, not auto correct. Predictive text shows you words to tap instead of typing them out. It's a separate feature from auto correct. If you want to turn that off too, look for Predictive Text or Word Suggestions in the same keyboard settings menu.

Do I need to restart my phone after changing auto correct settings?

No. The change takes effect when ready. If it doesn't seem to work, close and reopen the app you're typing in, or restart your keyboard by switching to a different one and back.

What if I can't find the auto correct setting in my keyboard?

Try opening the keyboard app itself from your home screen or app drawer — many keyboard apps have their own settings menu separate from the system Settings app. If you still can't find it, check the keyboard app's help section or look for a settings icon within the keyboard itself when you're typing.