Add a word to your iPhone dictionary through Settings

Your iPhone learns words you use often, but it won't remember a word unless you teach it. When you type something your phone doesn't recognize — a name, a technical term, a word in another language — it flags it as a misspelling and suggests corrections. You can stop this by adding the word to your iPhone's dictionary, which stores it permanently so autocorrect leaves it alone.

The fastest way is through Settings. Open Settings, tap General, then Keyboard. Scroll down and tap Text Replacement. Tap the + button in the top right corner. In the Phrase field, type the word you want to add exactly as you want it to appear. Leave the Shortcut field empty — this is for creating abbreviations, not for adding dictionary words. Tap Save.

The word now lives in your dictionary across all your Apple devices that use the same iCloud account. If you add "Nguyen" on your iPhone, it will also be available on your iPad and Mac.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Settings, tap General, then Keyboard, then Text Replacement, and use the + button to add a new word to your dictionary.
  • Type the word in the Phrase field exactly as you want it spelled, and leave the Shortcut field blank when adding dictionary words.
  • Words added to your iPhone dictionary sync across all your Apple devices through iCloud, so you only have to add them once.
  • You can also add words by long-pressing a flagged word in any app and selecting "Add to Dictionary" from the menu that appears.

Add a word while typing by tapping the suggestion

The quickest method is to add a word the moment you type it. When you type a word your iPhone doesn't recognize, it appears underlined in red. Tap and hold on that word until a menu pops up. Look for the option that says Add to Dictionary and tap it.

This works in Mail, Messages, Notes, and most other apps where you type. The word gets added immediately and won't be flagged again. This method is faster than going through Settings if you only need to add one or two words.

Remove a word from your dictionary if you added it by mistake

If you added a word and now want to remove it, go back to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement. Find the word in the list and swipe left on it. Tap the red Delete button that appears on the right side.

The word will no longer be in your dictionary, and your iPhone will resume suggesting corrections for it. If you use the same iCloud account on multiple devices, removing it from one device removes it from all of them.

Understand what happens when you add a word

When you add a word to your iPhone dictionary, you are telling your phone that this is a real word you use. Autocorrect will stop changing it, and predictive text will start suggesting it when you type the first few letters. Your iPhone learns the context too — if you always type a name in a certain way, it remembers that pattern.

The dictionary is separate from your contacts. Adding "Nguyen" to your dictionary is different from saving it as a contact name. The dictionary entry works everywhere you type, while a contact name only appears when you are composing a message or email to that person.

Add words in other languages to your keyboard

If you type in multiple languages, you can add words to the dictionary for each language separately. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards and make sure you have added the language keyboard you need. Then add words using the Text Replacement method above — the word will be stored for that language.

If you are typing in Spanish and add "mañana" to your dictionary, it will be available when you have the Spanish keyboard active. Switching back to English won't erase it, but it won't interfere with English typing either.

Fix words that autocorrect keeps changing despite being in your dictionary

Occasionally a word stays underlined even after you add it. This usually means the word was added to Text Replacement but not to the actual dictionary. Delete it from Text Replacement and try adding it again using the long-press method while typing. Tap and hold the underlined word, select Add to Dictionary, and confirm.

If the problem persists, restart your iPhone. Go to Settings > General > Shut Down, wait for the power-off screen, then turn it back on. This clears temporary glitches that sometimes prevent the dictionary from updating properly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will words I add to my iPhone dictionary appear on my Mac?

Yes, if you use the same iCloud account on both devices. Words sync automatically between your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. If you add a word on your iPhone, it will be available when you type on your Mac within a few minutes.

Can I add slang or informal words to my dictionary?

Yes. Your dictionary accepts any word you type, including slang, abbreviations, and informal language. If you always type "gonna" or "y'all" and want autocorrect to stop changing them, add them to your dictionary the same way you would add any other word.

What is the difference between Text Replacement and adding to dictionary?

Text Replacement creates a shortcut — you type a few letters and your phone expands it into a full phrase. Adding to dictionary just tells your phone a word is real and stops autocorrect from flagging it. Use Text Replacement for shortcuts like "omw" becoming "on my way", and use dictionary for words you want to type normally without autocorrect interference.

If I reset my iPhone, will my dictionary words disappear?

If you back up to iCloud before resetting, your dictionary words will restore when you set up your iPhone again. If you reset without backing up, the words are lost. Always back up through Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup before a reset.