Where to find autocorrect settings on iPhone

Autocorrect lives in Settings under Keyboard, not in a separate app. Open Settings, tap General, then Keyboard. You will see a toggle for Autocorrect at the top of the list — turn it off entirely, or keep reading to learn which parts you can adjust instead of killing the whole feature.

The same Keyboard menu holds related settings that often cause confusion: predictive text (which suggests words as you type), spell check, and capitalization. Each one is separate, so you can turn off autocorrect but keep spell check, or vice versa.

Key Takeaways

  • Autocorrect is in Settings > General > Keyboard, and you can turn it completely off with a single toggle.
  • You can keep autocorrect on but disable predictive text, spell check, or auto-capitalization separately if only one feature bothers you.
  • If you turn autocorrect off and later change your mind, the same toggle turns it back on.
  • Words you add to your personal dictionary will not be autocorrected, even if autocorrect is on.
  • Autocorrect settings explore to all apps on your iPhone unless you use a third-party keyboard with its own rules.

Turning autocorrect completely off

Tap the Autocorrect toggle to switch it from green (on) to white (off). The change takes effect when ready — you do not need to restart your phone or close any apps. The next time you type, autocorrect will not change your words.

If you turn it off and later decide you want it back, open the same menu and tap the toggle again. Your other keyboard settings (capitalization, spell check, predictive text) remain unchanged unless you adjust them separately.

Keeping autocorrect but disabling related features

Autocorrect often gets blamed for changes it did not make. Predictive text — the row of word suggestions above the keyboard — is separate. If you find those suggestions annoying, toggle off "Predictive" without touching Autocorrect.

Auto-Capitalization automatically capitalizes the first letter of sentences. If you type in all lowercase on purpose, toggle off "Auto-Capitalization." Spell Check puts a red underline under words it does not recognize; toggle it off if you use technical terms or slang that the dictionary does not include.

Many people turn off Predictive and keep Autocorrect, or turn off Auto-Capitalization and keep everything else. Test each one separately to find what works for you.

Adding words to your personal dictionary

When you type a word that autocorrect does not recognize — a name, a slang term, a technical word — your iPhone offers a suggestion. If you tap the word you typed instead of the suggestion, iOS asks if you want to add it to your dictionary. Tap "Add to Dictionary" and that word will never be autocorrected again.

This is useful if you have a name that autocorrect keeps changing, or if you use industry jargon. Once a word is in your dictionary, it stays there across all your devices that use the same iCloud account.

Autocorrect behavior in different apps

Autocorrect works the same way in Messages, Mail, Notes, and most other Apple apps. If you use a third-party keyboard from the App Store — like Gboard or SwiftKey — that keyboard has its own autocorrect settings, separate from your iPhone's system settings. Check the keyboard app's own menu for its autocorrect options.

Some apps, like password managers or coding editors, may disable autocorrect automatically because it would interfere with what you are typing. You cannot override this — the app controls it.

Why autocorrect changes words you did not expect

Autocorrect only changes words when you hit space or punctuation. If you type "teh" and when ready hit space, it becomes "the." If you type "teh" and then pause without hitting space, nothing changes until you do. This is why it sometimes feels random — you may have hit space without noticing.

Autocorrect also learns from your typing over time. If you frequently type a word a certain way, it may stop correcting it. If you type "iPhone" as "iphone" many times, autocorrect eventually stops changing it to "iPhone."

Resetting keyboard settings to default

If you have adjusted multiple keyboard settings and want to start over, go to Settings > General > Reset and tap "Reset Keyboard Dictionary." This clears all words you added to your personal dictionary and resets autocorrect behavior to factory defaults, but does not change your on/off toggles.

If you want to reset the toggles themselves (Autocorrect, Predictive, Spell Check, Capitalization) to their original state, you can toggle each one manually. There is no single "reset all keyboard toggles" button — you adjust them one at a time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn off autocorrect for just one app?

No. Autocorrect is a system-wide setting that applies to all apps unless the app itself disables it. If a specific app has its own keyboard settings, check that app's preferences menu, but most apps use your iPhone's system autocorrect.

Why does autocorrect keep changing a word I use all the time?

If you type the word correctly and autocorrect still changes it, the word may be in your personal dictionary with a different spelling. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement and look for entries that might be interfering. You can also delete the word from your dictionary and re-add it the way you actually type it.

Does turning off autocorrect affect spell check?

No. Autocorrect and Spell Check are separate toggles. You can turn off autocorrect and keep spell check on, or vice versa. Spell Check only underlines words in red — it does not change them automatically.

Will my autocorrect settings sync to my iPad or Mac?

Autocorrect toggles (on or off) do not sync across devices. Your personal dictionary does sync if you use the same iCloud account, but the on/off setting for autocorrect itself must be changed on each device separately.

What is Text Replacement and how does it differ from autocorrect?

Text Replacement lets you create shortcuts — type "omw" and it becomes "on my way." You set these up manually in Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement. Autocorrect fixes typos automatically; Text Replacement expands abbreviations you define. Both can be used together.