Before you start
- An iPhone or Android phone
Method 1 iPhone and iPad
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Step 1: Open keyboard settings
Go to Settings > General > Keyboard.
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Step 2: Turn off Auto-Correction
Switch off Auto-Correction to stop words being changed as you type.
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Step 3: Turn off Predictive Text
Switch off Predictive Text to remove the word suggestions above the keyboard. On iOS 17 and later, you can keep the bar but turn off Show Predictions Inline (the grey text that appears ahead of your cursor).
Method 2 Gboard (Pixel and most Android phones)
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Step 1: Open Gboard settings
Go to Settings > System > Keyboard > On-screen keyboard > Gboard. Shortcut: tap the gear icon on the keyboard’s toolbar.
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Step 2: Open Text correction
Tap Text correction.
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Step 3: Choose what to turn off
Turn off Auto-correction to stop changes, Show suggestion strip to hide suggestions, and Next-word suggestions to stop predictions. Also consider Auto-capitalisation and Double-space period.
Method 3 Samsung Keyboard
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Step 1: Open Samsung Keyboard settings
Go to Settings > General management > Samsung Keyboard settings, or tap the gear icon on the keyboard.
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Step 2: Turn off Predictive text
Switch off Predictive text.
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Step 3: Turn off autocorrection
Look for Auto replace (or under Smart typing) and switch it off so words aren’t replaced automatically.
Troubleshooting
I turned it off but words still change
You may have more than one keyboard. Check which keyboard is active (look at its logo or settings) and change the settings for that one.
Spelling mistakes are no longer underlined
That’s a separate setting: iPhone Check Spelling; Gboard Spell check in Text correction. Keep it on if you want red underlines without automatic changes.
Frequently asked questions
Will turning off autocorrect delete my learned words?
No. Your dictionary stays; it’s just not used to change words.
Can I turn off autocorrect for one language only?
Gboard applies text correction to all languages. Some keyboards, such as SwiftKey, let you manage languages separately.
Summary
On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Keyboard. On Android, open your keyboard’s settings (Gboard > Text correction or Samsung Keyboard settings). Turn off autocorrect and predictions separately, or just remove the one word that keeps annoying you.
