Turning off predictive typing on your iPhone running iOS 17 is simple. Navigate to Settings, tap on General, select Keyboard, and then toggle off the ‘Predictive’ option. This will disable the feature that suggests words as you type.
After you’ve turned off predictive typing, your iPhone will no longer suggest words above the keyboard as you type, giving you a more straightforward typing experience.
You can also check out this video about how to turn off predictive typing on iPhone for more on this topic.
Introduction
We’ve all been there – typing out a text message or email on our iPhone, and the phone thinks it knows exactly what we want to say. It offers up suggestions, predicts our next word, and sometimes even autocorrects to something entirely different than intended. While this feature, known as predictive typing, can be a real timesaver for some, for others, it’s a nuisance that interrupts the flow of typing.
Predictive typing, introduced a few years ago, is one of the many smart features of iOS that aims to make our digital lives easier. However, not everyone finds this feature helpful. Some users find it distracting, while others may have privacy concerns about what they’re typing being analyzed. For those who prefer to keep things simple or who find the feature more annoying than useful, turning it off is a straightforward process. This article is especially relevant for users who’ve recently upgraded to iOS 17 and are navigating the new features and settings.
Related: How to Enable Auto Correct on iPhone 14: A Step-by-Step Guide
Step by Step Tutorial on How to Turn Off Predictive Typing on iPhone
The following steps will guide you through the process of turning off predictive typing on your iPhone running iOS 17.
Step 1: Open Settings
Start by opening the Settings app on your iPhone.
Accessing Settings is the gateway to customize various aspects of your iPhone. It’s where you can adjust your preferences for many of the phone’s features, including the keyboard settings where predictive typing is located.
Step 2: Tap on General
Once in Settings, scroll down and tap on the General option.
General settings encompass a range of features on your iPhone, from software updates to keyboard preferences. It’s like the control center for getting your device to work just the way you like it.
Step 3: Select Keyboard
In the General settings menu, find and tap on Keyboard.
The Keyboard settings are where you can change how your keyboard operates, such as auto-capitalization, auto-correction, and as we’re discussing here, predictive typing.
Step 4: Toggle Off Predictive
Find the Predictive option in the list and toggle the switch to the off position.
Turning off the Predictive option will immediately stop your iPhone from displaying word suggestions as you type, giving you a cleaner and more controlled typing experience.
Pros
| Benefit | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Enhanced Privacy | Turning off predictive typing ensures that the words you type aren’t being analyzed or stored by the predictive typing system. This can be a relief for privacy-conscious users. |
| Less Distractions | Without word suggestions popping up as you type, you can focus better on what you’re writing, potentially leading to fewer mistakes and a more efficient typing experience. |
| More Control | Some users prefer to have complete control over what they’re typing without the interference of predictive algorithms. Disabling this feature gives that control back to the user. |
Cons
| Drawback | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Slower Typing | Predictive typing can speed up the typing process by suggesting words, so turning it off may slow some users down. |
| Less Convenience | For those who have come to rely on word suggestions, turning off predictive typing means they’ll have to type out every word in full, which might be less convenient. |
| Missed Corrections | Predictive typing can also suggest corrections to misspelled words. Without it, users might miss those corrections and send messages with typos. |
Video About Predictive
Additional Information
Now that you know how to turn off predictive typing on iPhone running iOS 17, you might find that your typing experience is different. Some users may miss the convenience of having the next word predicted, while others will relish in the newfound simplicity and privacy.
It’s worth noting that predictive typing is different from autocorrect. Even with predictive typing turned off, your iPhone might still autocorrect words it perceives as misspelled. If you want to turn off autocorrect as well, you can do so in the same Keyboard settings where you disabled predictive typing.
Another thing to keep in mind is that disabling predictive typing does not affect your keyboard’s ability to learn new words. The iPhone’s keyboard will still adapt to your typing habits over time and incorporate words you frequently use into its dictionary.
A final tip: if you’re ever in a situation where you think predictive typing could be helpful—like when you’re in a rush or have one hand occupied—you can easily toggle it back on following the same steps we’ve outlined.
Summary
- Open Settings on your iPhone.
- Tap on General.
- Select Keyboard.
- Toggle off Predictive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will disabling predictive typing also turn off autocorrect?
No, autocorrect and predictive typing are separate features. You can have one enabled without the other.
Can I turn predictive typing back on if I change my mind?
Absolutely! Just follow the same steps and toggle the Predictive switch back on.
Does turning off predictive typing affect other keyboards, like third-party ones?
No, this setting only affects the default iOS keyboard. Third-party keyboards have their own settings.
Will my iPhone still learn new words if I turn off predictive typing?
Yes, the keyboard will continue to learn and adapt to your typing habits.
Is it possible to turn off predictive typing for only certain apps?
Currently, predictive typing is a system-wide setting and can’t be disabled for specific apps.
Conclusion
Turning off predictive typing on iPhone with iOS 17 is a simple way to tailor your typing experience to your personal preference. Whether you value privacy, a distraction-free interface, or just prefer complete control over what you type, disabling this feature puts you in the driver’s seat.
Remember, technology is here to serve us, not the other way around. So go ahead and set up your iPhone to work exactly how you like it. Because at the end of the day, isn’t that what personalization is all about?
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.