Where to find autocorrect settings on iPhone
Autocorrect on iPhone lives in Settings under Keyboard, not in a separate app. Open Settings, tap General, then Keyboard. You'll see a toggle for "Auto-Correction" — turn it off and autocorrect stops changing your words as you type.
The setting applies to all apps on your phone that use the built-in keyboard. If you use a third-party keyboard like Gboard or SwiftKey, each one has its own autocorrect toggle in that app's settings, separate from the iPhone's main keyboard settings. This means you can disable autocorrect system-wide while keeping it active in a specific app, or vice versa.
Key Takeaways
- Autocorrect is controlled in Settings > General > Keyboard, where a single toggle turns it off for all built-in keyboard use.
- Turning off autocorrect also disables predictive text suggestions that appear above the keyboard.
- Third-party keyboards like Gboard have their own autocorrect settings that work independently of the iPhone setting.
- You can turn autocorrect back on the same way, or disable it only for specific languages if you use multiple keyboard languages.
- Rejecting autocorrect suggestions repeatedly teaches your iPhone not to change certain words, offering a middle ground between full autocorrect and complete disabling.
What happens when you disable autocorrect
When you turn off Auto-Correction, your iPhone stops changing words you type. It also removes the predictive text bar that appears above the keyboard — the suggestions that pop up as you type. You'll type exactly what you press, and you won't see word suggestions unless you tap the space bar or punctuation.
This affects texting, email, Notes, and any app that uses the standard iPhone keyboard. Apps with their own custom keyboards (like some messaging apps) may still show suggestions depending on how they're built, but the iPhone's system-wide autocorrect won't interfere. The change takes effect immediately — you don't need to restart your phone or close and reopen apps.
Turning off autocorrect for one language only
If you use multiple languages on your iPhone, you can disable autocorrect for just one of them. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards, then tap Edit. Select the language you want to change, and you'll see options including "Auto-Correction" for that specific keyboard.
This is useful if autocorrect works well for English but keeps mangling words in another language you type in regularly. You keep autocorrect on for the languages where it helps and turn it off where it causes problems. This approach is more precise than disabling autocorrect entirely, since you only lose it where you actually need to.
Why you might want to disable autocorrect
Autocorrect changes words you actually meant to type — technical terms, names, slang, or words from other languages. If you text in multiple languages, use a lot of technical vocabulary, or have a name that autocorrect doesn't recognize, turning it off stops the constant corrections. People who code, write in specialized fields, or communicate with international contacts often find autocorrect more frustrating than helpful.
Some people find the predictive text suggestions distracting even when autocorrect itself isn't making mistakes. Disabling autocorrect removes both the automatic changes and the suggestion bar, giving you a cleaner keyboard experience. Others simply prefer the control of typing exactly what they intend without the system second-guessing them.
Using autocorrect selectively instead of turning it off completely
If you want autocorrect for most typing but not all, you have a middle option: keep autocorrect on but add words to your personal dictionary so autocorrect stops changing them. When autocorrect suggests a change you don't want, tap the suggestion to reject it — after a few rejections, your iPhone learns not to change that word.
You can also add words directly to your dictionary in Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement. Create shortcuts (like "omw" for "on my way") or add words you use often that autocorrect keeps changing. This keeps autocorrect working for typos while protecting the words you actually want to type. Over time, your personal dictionary becomes customized to how you actually communicate.
Autocorrect settings on iPad and Mac
iPad has the same autocorrect toggle in Settings > General > Keyboard. Mac users find autocorrect in System Settings > Keyboard > Text, where it's called "Correct spelling automatically." The setting works the same way on all Apple devices — toggle it off and autocorrect stops.
If you use the same Apple ID across devices, these settings don't sync automatically. You'll need to turn off autocorrect separately on each device where you want it disabled. However, your personal dictionary does sync across devices, so words you've added to reject autocorrect on one device will be recognized on others.
Troubleshooting autocorrect that won't turn off
If autocorrect continues even after you've toggled it off in Settings, check whether you're using a third-party keyboard. Open the app that's showing autocorrect behavior, look for its settings or preferences, and search for autocorrect or text correction options there. Some apps bundle their own text correction that runs independently of the iPhone's system setting.
Another common cause is that you've toggled off Auto-Correction but left on "Predictive" text, which shows suggestions without automatically changing words. If you want no suggestions at all, turn off both toggles. Restart your phone if changes don't take effect immediately — this clears the keyboard cache and forces the new settings to load.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does turning off autocorrect affect Siri or voice typing?
No. Autocorrect only affects text you type with the keyboard. Voice typing and Siri use different systems for converting speech to text, and they have their own separate settings if you want to adjust them.
Can I turn autocorrect back on after I disable it?
Yes. Go back to Settings > General > Keyboard and toggle Auto-Correction back on. You can turn it on and off as many times as you want, and the change takes effect immediately.
Why does autocorrect still happen after I turned it off?
If you use a third-party keyboard app, that app has its own autocorrect setting. Check the settings inside the keyboard app itself, not just the iPhone's main keyboard settings. Some messaging apps also have their own text correction built in.
Will disabling autocorrect make typing slower?
No. Typing speed depends on how fast you press keys, not on whether autocorrect is on. Some people find typing faster without autocorrect because they're not waiting for corrections or dismissing suggestions.
Does my personal dictionary stay if I turn autocorrect back on?
Yes. Words you've added to your dictionary or trained autocorrect to recognize remain stored even if you toggle autocorrect off. If you turn it back on later, it will still know not to change those words.