Where to find auto-correct settings on your iPhone
Auto-correct lives in the Keyboard settings, not in a separate app. Open Settings, then tap General, then Keyboard. You will see a list of toggles and options — auto-correct is the second one from the top, labeled Auto-Correction. It is either on (green toggle) or off (gray toggle).
The same screen holds related features you may want to adjust at the same time: Predictive (which suggests words as you type), Check Spelling (which flags misspelled words with a red underline), and Caps Lock (which auto-capitalizes the first letter of sentences). You can turn any of these on or off independently.
Key Takeaways
- Auto-Correction is toggled on or off in Settings > General > Keyboard, and you can turn it off completely without affecting spell-check or predictive text.
- Turning off auto-correct stops the iPhone from changing words you type, but you will still see red underlines under misspelled words if Check Spelling is on.
- You can add words to your personal dictionary so auto-correct learns not to change them, even when auto-correct is on.
- Disabling auto-correct on one keyboard (like the standard English keyboard) does not affect other keyboards you have installed.
Turning auto-correct completely off
If you want the iPhone to stop changing your words altogether, tap the Auto-Correction toggle to turn it gray. The change takes effect when ready — the next time you type, auto-correct will not alter your words. You do not need to restart the phone or close any apps.
Turning it off does not delete your personal dictionary or change any other keyboard behavior. Spell-check (the red underlines) will still work if you have that turned on. Predictive text will still suggest words as you type if that is on. You are only disabling the feature that actively changes what you type.
Adding words to your personal dictionary so auto-correct stops changing them
If you want to keep auto-correct on but prevent it from changing specific words — like a name, a technical term, or slang you use often — you can add those words to your personal dictionary. The next time you type that word and auto-correct tries to change it, tap the word in the suggestion bar (the gray bar above the keyboard) and select Add to Dictionary. The iPhone will remember it and stop changing it.
You can also add words by typing them, letting auto-correct change them, then when ready undoing the change by tapping the suggestion bar and choosing Add to Dictionary. Once a word is in your dictionary, it syncs to other Apple devices signed into the same iCloud account, so your iPad and Mac will recognize it too.
Turning auto-correct off for specific keyboards only
If you have multiple keyboards installed (for example, English and Spanish), you can turn auto-correct off for one language while keeping it on for another. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards, then tap Edit in the top left. Tap the keyboard you want to adjust, and you will see options specific to that keyboard, including auto-correction.
This is useful if you switch between languages and one language's auto-correct is more disruptive than the other. You can also delete keyboards you do not use from this same screen by tapping the red minus icon.
The difference between auto-correct, spell-check, and predictive text
Auto-Correction actively changes words as you type — if you type "teh," it becomes "the" without you asking. Check Spelling underlines words in red if they do not match the dictionary, but does not change them automatically. Predictive suggests complete words in the gray bar above the keyboard, and you tap one to insert it.
You can turn any of these on or off independently. Many people turn off auto-correct but leave spell-check on so they see which words are misspelled without the phone changing them. Others turn off predictive text because they find the suggestions distracting. Experiment with different combinations to find what works for your typing style.
What to do if auto-correct is not working or keeps changing the same word
If auto-correct is on but not changing words you expect it to, the word may already be in your personal dictionary. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement and search for the word to see if it is listed there. If it is, tap Edit in the top left, then tap the minus icon next to the word and select Delete.
If auto-correct keeps changing a word you do not want changed, add it to your dictionary as described above. If the problem persists across multiple words, restart the iPhone by powering it off and back on. If auto-correct still does not work after a restart, check that you are running the latest version of iOS by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn off auto-correct but keep spell-check?
Yes. Turn off Auto-Correction in Settings > General > Keyboard, but leave Check Spelling turned on. You will see red underlines under misspelled words, but the iPhone will not change them automatically. This gives you the benefit of knowing which words are wrong without the frustration of unwanted corrections.
Does turning off auto-correct on my iPhone affect my iPad or Mac?
No. Auto-correct settings are specific to each device. If you turn it off on your iPhone, it stays on on your iPad unless you turn it off there too. However, words you add to your personal dictionary do sync across devices on the same iCloud account, so the iPhone will recognize them on your iPad and vice versa.
What is Text Replacement and how is it different from auto-correct?
Text Replacement lets you create custom shortcuts — for example, typing "omw" automatically expands to "on my way." You set these up in Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement. Auto-correct is automatic and based on the dictionary; Text Replacement is manual and based on shortcuts you create.
If I add a word to my dictionary, can I remove it later?
Yes. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement, find the word, tap Edit in the top left, then tap the red minus icon next to it and select Delete. The word will be removed from your dictionary and auto-correct will treat it normally again.