Apple’s autocorrect feature is designed to fix typos and speed up typing. However, for many users—especially those who frequently type in multiple languages, use technical jargon, or simply prefer to have complete control over their spelling—autocorrect can be incredibly frustrating. It often replaces intended words with incorrect ones, leading to confusing or embarrassing text messages.
Fortunately, you can completely disable the autocorrect feature on your iPhone or iPad, allowing you to type exactly what you want without interference.
How to Disable Autocorrect
Disabling autocorrect is a simple process that applies system-wide across all applications.
- Open the Settings app on your device.
- Scroll down and tap on General.
- Tap on Keyboard.
- Look for the switch labelled Auto-Correction.
- Toggle the switch to the Off position (the switch will turn grey).
Once disabled, your iPhone will no longer automatically change words as you type. However, it will still highlight misspelt words with a red squiggly line, allowing you to manually tap and correct them if desired.
Other Keyboard Settings to Consider
If you are turning off autocorrect because you find it intrusive, you may also want to adjust these other related keyboard settings located in the same menu:
- Auto-Capitalisation: Disabling this prevents the iPhone from automatically capitalizing the first word of every new sentence.
- Check Spelling: Disabling this removes the red squiggly lines entirely, giving you a completely raw typing experience.
- Predictive Text: Disabling this removes the bar above the keyboard that suggests the next word you might want to type.
- Smart Punctuation: Disabling this stops the iPhone from automatically converting straight quotes into curly quotes, or two hyphens into an em-dash.
A Temporary Alternative: Text Replacement
If you generally like autocorrect but it constantly changes a specific word (such as a unique name or a technical term), you do not necessarily need to turn the entire feature off. Instead, you can create a Text Replacement rule.
- In the Keyboard settings menu, tap on Text Replacement.
- Tap the + (Plus) icon in the top right corner.
- In the Phrase field, type the word exactly how you want it spelled.
- Leave the Shortcut field blank.
- Tap Save.
This tells the autocorrect dictionary that your specific word is valid, and it will stop attempting to “fix” it.