Turn Off Auto-Correct on iPad Without Predictive Text
To stop your iPad from changing correctly typed words, open Settings > General > Keyboard and turn off Auto-Correction. This stops automatic word replacements without turning off Predictive Text, so you can keep the suggestion bar. If you type with a Magic Keyboard, Smart Keyboard, Bluetooth keyboard, or USB keyboard, turn off Auto-Correction for the hardware keyboard separately.
What you need to check before changing the setting
Before changing the setting, identify the keyboard that is making the unwanted edit:
- The on-screen keyboard appears when you tap a text field without a connected physical keyboard.
- A hardware keyboard includes a Magic Keyboard, Smart Keyboard, Bluetooth keyboard, or USB keyboard connected to the iPad.
- A third-party keyboard, such as one installed from the App Store, can have separate correction settings in its app or keyboard preferences.
If you switch between keyboards, changing Auto-Correction for one keyboard does not necessarily change another. Start with the built-in Apple keyboard. If the problem occurs only while a physical keyboard is connected, change the hardware-keyboard setting as well.
Where to turn off Auto-Correction on your iPad
Turn off Auto-Correction for the built-in on-screen keyboard:
- Open the
Settingsapp. - Tap
General. - Tap
Keyboard. - Switch off
Auto-Correction.
The iPad should stop replacing a word after you type a space, punctuation mark, or return. The suggestion bar can remain visible because Auto-Correction and Predictive Text are separate settings.
If you use a connected physical keyboard, change its setting separately:
- In
Settings > General > Keyboard, tapHardware Keyboard. - Switch off
Auto-Correction.
On some iPadOS versions, the Hardware Keyboard option appears only when a physical keyboard is connected. If you use a third-party keyboard, switch to the Apple keyboard with the keyboard key on the on-screen keyboard, or open the third-party keyboard's settings and turn off its correction feature there.
Auto-Correction is off, but words still change
Auto-Correction is only one typing feature. If a name such as “Marin” keeps changing, check the feature or keyboard responsible before disabling every typing aid.
| Setting | What it does | Effect of turning it off |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-Correction | Replaces words it thinks are incorrect | Stops automatic word replacements |
| Predictive Text | Shows likely words and phrases above the keyboard | Removes the suggestion bar and predictive suggestions |
| Check Spelling | Flags possible spelling mistakes | Removes spelling checks, including red underlines where supported |
| Text Replacement | Expands a shortcut into saved text | Stops that particular saved replacement |
Return to Settings > General > Keyboard to review these options. Leave Predictive Text enabled if you want suggestions without automatic replacements. Leave Check Spelling enabled if you still want possible spelling mistakes marked. Review Text Replacement and delete only the shortcut causing the unwanted replacement; do not remove all saved shortcuts unnecessarily.
If the change happens only with a hardware keyboard, open Hardware Keyboard and turn off its Auto-Correction option. If it happens only in a third-party keyboard, check that keyboard's own settings. Test the same word in another app because an app can apply its own editing behavior.
How to confirm the change worked
Test the setting in Notes or Messages rather than in the app where you first noticed the problem.
- Open
Notesor start a new message. - Type an unusual word, a name, or an intentionally misspelled word.
- Type a space or punctuation mark after it.
With Auto-Correction off, the iPad should leave the word as you entered it instead of silently replacing it. Predictive suggestions can still appear above the on-screen keyboard, and Check Spelling can still mark the word with a red underline. Those behaviors do not mean Auto-Correction is active.
If the word still changes, close the app completely, reopen it, and test again. If that does not help, restart the iPad. Then check the active keyboard language by tapping the globe or keyboard key and selecting the intended language. Each language can have different correction behavior, and you may have changed a setting for one keyboard while typing with another.
Should you turn off Predictive Text too?
Usually, leave Predictive Text enabled. It can show likely words without replacing text you have already typed, which helps with exact names, technical terms, and unusual spellings while leaving the final choice to you.
Turn it off from Settings > General > Keyboard if you do not want suggestions above the keyboard or find the suggestion interface distracting. Turning off Check Spelling is separate and is not needed to stop automatic replacements.
To turn Auto-Correction back on, return to Settings > General > Keyboard and switch on Auto-Correction. If you use a physical keyboard, also open Settings > General > Keyboard > Hardware Keyboard and enable its Auto-Correction option. Disabling correction can lead to more ordinary typing mistakes, especially in long messages, so keep spelling checks or predictive suggestions enabled if you still want help catching errors.
Conclusion
Turn off `Auto-Correction` under `Settings > General > Keyboard`, then test an unusual word in Notes. Keep `Predictive Text` on if you want suggestions without automatic replacements. If words still change, check the separate hardware-keyboard setting, the active keyboard language, saved text replacements, and any correction settings in a third-party keyboard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will turning off Auto-Correction remove the word suggestions above the iPad keyboard?
No. Auto-Correction and Predictive Text are separate. Turn off Auto-Correction to stop replacements while leaving Predictive Text enabled for suggestions.
Why does Auto-Correction still work with my Magic Keyboard?
A connected physical keyboard can use a separate setting. Open Settings > General > Keyboard > Hardware Keyboard and turn off Auto-Correction there.
Why does my iPad keep changing one particular name?
Review Text Replacement under Settings > General > Keyboard, confirm the active keyboard language, and test the name in another app. If the problem occurs only in a third-party keyboard, check that keyboard's own correction settings.