You type a name, a slang word, or a word in another language, and your phone quietly swaps it for something else before you hit send. Autocorrect means well — it fixes genuine typos — but when it keeps changing words you typed on purpose, it stops being helpful and starts being embarrassing. The fix is one switch, but it lives in a different place on every phone, and it is not the same switch as predictive text. Turn off the wrong one and your words still change; turn off the right one and your phone finally leaves your typing alone.
Autocorrect, predictive text, and spell check are three different things
Most people say "autocorrect" when they mean any of three separate features, and that is why a fix sometimes seems not to work. Each switch controls only its own behaviour.
| Feature | What it does | Turn it off if |
|---|---|---|
| Autocorrect / Auto replace | Changes a word automatically after you type it | Your words keep getting swapped without asking |
| Predictive text / suggestions | Shows suggested words above the keyboard without changing anything | You want a cleaner keyboard but do not mind suggestions |
| Spell check | Underlines words it thinks are misspelled, without changing them | Red underlines annoy you, but you still want a warning |
On iPhone: turn off Auto-Correction
Apple's keyboard settings put all of these switches on one screen, so you can fix the whole set in one visit.
- Open Settings, then tap General, then Keyboard.
- Under All Keyboards, turn off Auto-Correction.
- If you also want the suggestion bar gone, turn off Predictive Text on the same screen.
- If you still want a warning about misspellings without automatic changes, leave Check Spelling on — it underlines suspect words instead of replacing them.
The change takes effect straight away, with no restart and no save button. Open Notes, type a deliberate misspelling such as "teh" followed by a space, and it should stay exactly as you typed it. If Check Spelling is on, it gets a red underline instead, and you can tap it to see suggested spellings.
There is also a shortcut from inside any app. While the keyboard is open, touch and hold the globe or emoji key, then tap Keyboard Settings — this opens the same Keyboard screen without leaving what you were writing.
Apple's guide to changing typing assistance options on iPhone confirms the Auto-Correction switch and the separate hardware-keyboard options, which matter if you type with an external keyboard — a physical keyboard has its own Auto-Correction switch under Hardware Keyboard on the same screen.
On Gboard: turn off Auto-correction (Pixel and most Android phones)
Gboard is the default keyboard on Pixel phones and most non-Samsung Android phones. Its autocorrect switch lives inside Gboard's own settings, so the route starts in your phone's Settings but ends inside the keyboard app.
- Open Settings, then tap System, then Languages and input.
- Tap On-screen keyboard, then tap Gboard.
- Tap Text correction.
- Turn off Auto-correction.
A faster route reaches the same screen from the keyboard itself. Open any app where you can type, tap the gear icon on the keyboard toolbar (or the three dots, then Settings, if the gear is hidden), then tap Text correction and turn off Auto-correction.
On the same Text correction screen you can also turn off Show suggestion strip if you want the predictive suggestions gone as well, and turn off Auto-capitalization if the keyboard keeps capitalizing words you want in lowercase. Google's Gboard help page confirms the Text correction screen and its separate controls for suggestions and capitalization.
On Samsung Galaxy: turn off Auto replace
Samsung phones use Samsung Keyboard, not Gboard, so Gboard's switch does nothing on a Galaxy phone. Samsung splits the behaviour into two switches, and you need the right one: Predictive text shows suggestions, while Auto replace changes your words.
- Open Settings, then tap General management.
- Tap Samsung Keyboard settings.
- Under Smart typing, turn off Auto replace.
- If you also want the suggestion strip gone, turn off Predictive text on the same screen.
Turning off Predictive text alone does not stop automatic replacement, and turning off Auto replace alone does not hide suggestions — that distinction is the most common reason a Samsung fix seems to fail. The same screen also holds Auto spell check for the red underlines, and More typing options for automatic capitals, spacing, and double-space punctuation, so you can silence each behaviour separately instead of guessing which switch caused it.
A guide to turning autocorrect on or off on Android and Samsung devices gives the same Samsung route through General management and Samsung Keyboard settings, and notes the same Predictive text versus Auto replace distinction.
Keep the help, lose the forced changes
Turning autocorrect fully off is not the only good setup. Many people get the best result from a middle ground: no automatic replacements, but still a safety net for real typos.
First, keep spell check on. On iPhone that is Check Spelling; on Gboard and Samsung Keyboard it is the spell-check or auto spell check switch. You still see a warning under a suspect word, but nothing changes until you choose a replacement.
Second, teach the keyboard your words instead of fighting it. Add names, slang, and technical terms to the keyboard's dictionary — on iPhone through Text Replacement, on Gboard through Dictionary and then Personal dictionary, on Samsung through Smart typing's text shortcuts. Once a word is in your dictionary, the keyboard stops treating it as a mistake.
Third, if one keyboard keeps learning bad habits, clear what it learned and start fresh. Gboard offers Delete learned words and data under Advanced settings, and Samsung Keyboard offers an erase-personalized-predictions option in its reset tools. Give the keyboard a few days of normal typing afterwards before judging the new suggestions — it needs fresh input to rebuild a sensible list.
If words still change after you turned it off
A switch that is off but words still change usually means the change landed in the wrong keyboard.
First, check which keyboard is actually active. Many phones have more than one keyboard installed — Gboard, Samsung Keyboard, and a third-party keyboard each keep their own autocorrect switch. Changing Gboard's setting does nothing if Samsung Keyboard is the one on screen, and vice versa. Open Settings, then Languages and input, then On-screen keyboard, and confirm which keyboard is set as default before changing its switches again.
Second, check the app you are typing in. Some apps, such as word processors and email apps, have their own autocorrect or editor settings on top of the keyboard's. If words change in only one app but nowhere else, look in that app's own settings rather than the keyboard's.
Third, check for a second language keyboard. Autocorrect settings can behave per language, and a word typed under the wrong language keyboard can be "corrected" to that language's dictionary. Switch to the keyboard for the language you are typing in, or remove keyboards you never use.
Finally, remember that the setting is per device. Turning autocorrect off on your phone does not change your tablet, and changing it on one Android phone does not change another. Repeat the same switch on each device you type on.
FAQ
Does turning off autocorrect also turn off predictive text?
No. Autocorrect replaces words automatically, while predictive text only suggests words above the keyboard. On iPhone, turn off Predictive Text separately on the same Keyboard screen. On Gboard, turn off Show suggestion strip under Text correction. On Samsung, turn off Predictive text under Smart typing. You can keep suggestions on while autocorrect is off, and many people prefer that combination.
Will turning off autocorrect delete my saved words or shortcuts?
No. Turning the switch off only stops automatic replacement. Your personal dictionary, text replacements, and shortcuts stay saved, and they work again as soon as you turn autocorrect back on. Only a deliberate reset — such as Gboard's Delete learned words and data — clears learned words.
Why does autocorrect still change words in one app but not others?
That app probably has its own autocorrect or editor setting on top of the keyboard's, or you are typing with a different keyboard in that app. Check the app's own settings first, then confirm which keyboard is active while you type in it. If words change everywhere, the keyboard switch itself is the problem, not the app.
Does turning off autocorrect on my phone change my tablet too?
No. Keyboard settings are per device. An iPhone change does not carry to an iPad, and a change on one Android phone does not carry to another phone or tablet, even with the same account signed in. Change the switch on each device you use.
Can I stop autocorrect from changing just one word?
Yes, and it is usually better than turning the whole feature off. Add the word to your keyboard's dictionary or text replacements — on iPhone through Settings, then General, then Keyboard, then Text Replacement; on Gboard through Dictionary and then Personal dictionary; on Samsung through Smart typing's text shortcuts. The keyboard then treats your word as correct and stops replacing it.
How do I turn autocorrect back on?
Reverse the same steps: on iPhone, go to Settings, then General, then Keyboard, and turn Auto-Correction back on. On Gboard, go to Text correction and turn Auto-correction back on. On Samsung, go to Samsung Keyboard settings and turn Auto replace back on. Nothing else needs to be set up again.