Learn how to disable autocorrect and turn off spell check on your Android device by changing settings in keyboard apps like Gboard.
Detailed steps with screenshots.
What is Spell Check on Android?
Spell check, also known as autocorrect, is a feature on Android devices that automatically checks for spelling errors and grammar mistakes when you type text.
It underlines words it thinks are incorrect and provides suggested corrections.
Spell check can be useful for catching typos and fixing small errors.
However, some people find it annoying or overly aggressive with changing words they typed correctly.
Why Would You Want to Turn Off Spell Check?
Here are some common reasons you may want to turn off the spell check or autocorrect feature on your Android phone or tablet:
It Changes Words You Typed Correctly
The spell checker often automatically “fixes” words that don’t actually need correcting.
This can lead to strange or nonsensical sentences.
It Doesn’t Recognize Specialized Terms
If you regularly type industry-specific terminology or acronyms, the spell check may flag those as errors since they aren’t in its main dictionary.
It Interrupts Your Typing Flow
Having to constantly stop and fix incorrect autocorrections can greatly reduce typing speed and efficiency.
Privacy Concerns
Some third-party keyboard apps collect what you type for data mining and targeted advertising purposes.
Turning spell check off reduces the amount of your data being gathered.
How to Turn Off Spell Check on Android
The steps to disable spell check or autocorrect depend on which keyboard you use on your Android device.
Here are instructions for popular options:
Gboard
Step 1) Open the Gboard app or your device’s Settings app and find the Gboard settings options.
Step 2) Tap on Text correction.
Step 3) Toggle off the Autocorrect option.
Step 4) Toggle off the Spell check option.
SwiftKey
Step 1) In SwiftKey app, go to Settings > Typing.
Step 2) Tap the toggle next to SwiftKey autocorrect to turn it off.
Step 3) Tap the toggle next to Spell check to disable it.
Samsung Keyboard
Step 1) Go into your Android device’s Settings app.
Step 2) Tap General management > Language and input > On-screen keyboard > Samsung keyboard settings.
Step 3) Disable the Autocorrect and Spell check options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn off spell check system-wide?
There is no global option to disable spell check on Android that applies across all apps and keyboards. You need to turn it off in the settings for whichever keyboard you specifically use for typing.
Does turning off spell check improve typing speed?
For most people, turning off autocorrect and spell check significantly increases typing speed. You no longer have to stop and fix incorrect changes or tap through spelling suggestions. However, accuracy may decrease without the help of automated error checking.
Will my custom dictionary still work if I disable spell check?
On Gboard and some other keyboards, personalized dictionary functionality and next-word prediction will still work and learn from you even with spell checking disabled. So custom words you add should still be recognized.
Pros of Disabling Spell Check
- Faster, more efficient typing without constant autocorrections
- Won’t change correctly-spelled words or industry jargon
- May improve privacy if using third-party keyboard
Cons of Disabling Spell Check
- More spelling errors and typos may end up in your writing
- Loose some automatic grammar and style improvements
- Custom dictionary learning may not work on some keyboards.