Turn Off Autocorrect on iPhone, Mac, iPad, Watch and Safari

Turn off autocorrect to stop Apple devices from automatically changing words as you type. The setting is separate on iPhone and iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch; Safari’s behavior depends on the device and keyboard you use. Have the device you want to change nearby, and check its software’s Settings or System Settings if a menu label differs slightly.

What You’ll Need

Your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch, unlocked and available.
For Apple Watch, the paired iPhone can make some settings easier to find.
For a Mac, note whether you type with the built-in keyboard, an external keyboard, or dictation; they do not all use the same controls.

Step-by-Step

Turn off autocorrect on iPhone. Open Settings, tap General, then Keyboard. Switch off Auto-Correction. This stops the keyboard from automatically replacing words it thinks are misspelled. You can leave Predictive on if you still want suggested words above the keyboard; suggestions and automatic replacement are different features.
Check other iPhone keyboard options. In Settings > General > Keyboard, review options such as Check Spelling and Predictive. Turning off Auto-Correction does not necessarily remove spelling indicators, suggestions, or text replacements. If a phrase keeps changing, tap Text Replacement on that screen and remove or edit the relevant shortcut.
Turn off autocorrect on iPad. Open Settings > General > Keyboard and switch off Auto-Correction. The setting applies to typing with the iPad’s on-screen keyboard. If you use a hardware keyboard, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Hardware Keyboard and switch off Auto-Correction there too, if that option is shown. Check both places if corrections continue with an attached keyboard.
Turn off autocorrect on Mac. Open the Apple menu and choose System Settings. Select Keyboard, then click Text Input and choose Edit beside the input source, if needed. Turn off Correct spelling automatically. On some macOS versions, the spelling correction option is displayed directly in Keyboard settings or under a slightly different layout. Look for that exact wording rather than changing unrelated keyboard settings.
Check an individual Mac app. Some apps have their own spelling controls. In the app’s menu bar, open Edit > Spelling and Grammar and look for Correct Spelling Automatically. If the system setting is off but a particular app still changes words, turn off the app’s option too. The available menu items depend on the app.
Adjust autocorrect on Apple Watch. Apple Watch does not have the same full keyboard settings screen as iPhone. On a text-entry screen, type a message and use the keyboard’s available controls to review suggested or corrected words before sending. If you use a supported third-party keyboard or language option, check its own settings. Turning off Auto-Correction on the paired iPhone does not guarantee that every Watch text-entry method will behave identically.
Understand what happens in Safari. Safari does not generally have one universal autocorrect switch that overrides the keyboard. On iPhone and iPad, use the device’s Settings > General > Keyboard > Auto-Correction control. On Mac, use the system Keyboard setting and check Edit > Spelling and Grammar in Safari if a correction persists. Web pages can also provide their own text-entry behavior, so a site may not respond exactly like a standard text field.
Test the change where you noticed it. Open Notes or a message, type a word that used to be changed, and pause before sending. Then test the same kind of text field in Safari or the app where the problem occurs. If the word is still replaced, check the other applicable setting in the steps above and review text replacements or app-specific controls.

Common Mistakes

Switching off Predictive instead. Predictive text offers suggestions; Auto-Correction changes text automatically. Turn off Auto-Correction to stop automatic replacements, and disable Predictive only if you also want to hide suggestions.
Changing only one keyboard type on iPad. On-screen and hardware keyboards can have separate controls. Check Hardware Keyboard settings when a connected keyboard is involved.
Expecting one setting to cover every device. These options are not a single universal switch shared by iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Watch. Change each device where you want the behavior to stop.
Assuming Safari owns the setting. Safari usually relies on the system keyboard and text services. Disabling autocorrect in a browser-related setting that is not present will not solve an iPhone keyboard correction.
Forgetting text replacements. A saved shortcut can expand or alter text even when autocorrection is off. Review the Text Replacement list on iPhone or iPad if a particular phrase keeps changing.

Tips

You can keep spelling checks and suggested words while disabling automatic correction; adjust each option independently to suit how you type.
If you regularly type names, technical terms, or another language, add the appropriate keyboard or language rather than relying on autocorrect to recognize every word.
When testing, use a plain text field first. A website’s form, messaging app, or document editor may apply extra corrections or formatting.
Remember that turning autocorrect off may leave more typos in messages. Preview important text before sending or publishing.

Troubleshooting

Words still change on iPhone or iPad: Confirm Auto-Correction is off under Settings > General > Keyboard. If you are using an external iPad keyboard, check the separate Hardware Keyboard controls. Also inspect Text Replacement for shortcuts that produce the same result.

Only one app keeps changing words: Look in that app’s editing, keyboard, or spelling settings. On Mac, check the app’s Edit > Spelling and Grammar menu. Close and reopen the app after changing its setting, then test again.

Safari behaves differently from Notes: Try another website and another text field. A site may implement its own editor or text suggestions. On iPhone or iPad, the system keyboard setting is still the main control; on Mac, check both Keyboard settings and Safari’s spelling menu.

The option is missing or named differently: Search Settings or System Settings for “Auto-Correction” or “Correct spelling automatically.” Apple changes layouts over time, and some controls appear only when a keyboard or input source is available. Update the device’s software if the settings appear incomplete, then check again.

Apple Watch still suggests or corrects text: Watch text entry varies by input method and software. Review the words offered on the Watch before sending, and try dictation or another available input method if the keyboard behavior is disruptive. The paired iPhone’s keyboard switch may not control every Watch input method.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does turning off autocorrect also turn off word suggestions?
No. Auto-Correction and Predictive text are separate options. You can turn off automatic replacements while keeping suggestions visible.

Can I disable autocorrect only in Safari?
There is not usually a general Safari-only switch for this. Change the system keyboard setting on iPhone or iPad, or the macOS spelling setting, and check Safari’s spelling menu on Mac.

Why does my iPad still autocorrect with a keyboard attached?
A hardware keyboard may have its own setting. Check Settings > General > Keyboard > Hardware Keyboard as well as the main Keyboard screen.

Will disabling autocorrect remove red spelling marks?
Not necessarily. Automatic correction and spelling checks are distinct. If spelling indicators remain, look for a separate spelling-check option in the device or app settings.

Does the iPhone setting sync to my Mac or Apple Watch?
Do not assume it does. Check the autocorrect controls on each device and input method where you want to change the behavior.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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