# Autocorrect question **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 30, 2019, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autocorrect-question/837851 "2019-07-30T02:46:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2019, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autocorrect-question/837851/1 "2019-07-30T02:46:26Z")
I have an iPhone, not sure if this applies to all smart phones… Sometimes when I’m typing (like here, for example) and misspell a word it will display it as I typed it but put a red line underneath it. But when I tap the word it offers me a correct alternative. So if the program has an idea what I was going for why not offer it as an autocorrect suggestion in the first place? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2019, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autocorrect-question/837851/2 "2019-07-30T02:53:58Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > I have an iPhone, not sure if this applies to all smart phones… > > Sometimes when I’m typing (like here, for example) and misspell a word it will display it as I typed it but put a red line underneath it. But when I tap the word it offers me a correct alternative. So if the program has an idea what I was going for why not offer it as an autocorrect suggestion in the first place? I don’t have an iPhone, but there’s probably an option to make it do that. It may be defaulted off since people generally don’t like words being changed without them realizing it. There’s entire websites and facebook pages dedicated to autocorrect mistakes. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2019, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autocorrect-question/837851/3 "2019-07-30T02:58:28Z")
Are you sure that you aren’t confusing the autocorrect built into your phone with the spell-checker built into your web browser? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2019, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autocorrect-question/837851/4 "2019-07-30T03:43:04Z")
My iPhone erratically auto-corrects my misspellings to French. And then mispells it anyway, trying to turn it back into English. Particularly likes putting in “e” with the accent aigu, so if you see a word like “balancéd” in my posts, that’s why. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2019, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autocorrect-question/837851/5 "2019-07-30T04:02:54Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > My iPhone erratically auto-corrects my misspellings to French. And then mispells it anyway, trying to turn it back into English. > > Particularly likes putting in “e” with the accent aigu, so if you see a word like “balancéd” in my posts, that’s why. Is this a Canadian thing? Would an American English spellcheck do that I wonder? ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2019, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autocorrect-question/837851/6 "2019-07-30T04:14:31Z")
[Drunk elves](https://pics.me.me/it-helps-if-you-imagine-autocorrect-as-a-tiny-little-37927439.png). ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2019, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autocorrect-question/837851/7 "2019-07-30T05:05:30Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > Is this a Canadian thing? Would an American English spellcheck do that I wonder? It started when I was in Paris a few years ago. Why, I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2019, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autocorrect-question/837851/8 "2019-07-30T06:24:06Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I don’t have an iPhone, but there’s probably an option to make it do that. It may be defaulted off since people generally don’t like words being changed without them realizing it. No, in iOS, auto-correct is on by default (in general, iDevices tend to be a bit smarter than their users, much of the time), and one has to be fairly diligent about not letting it mess you up (like, by glancing at what you are typing). It is handy not to have to capitalize “I” every time, but, when you want to type “(i.e.,” you have to catch the replacement. Also, when typing a word like “its” or “were”, one develops a habit for catching evil apostrophes. Another iOS keyboard feature has given rise to a game. The keyboard normally displays 3 text boxes: the middle one shows what is going in, and the other two show alternate guesses, allowing you to save typing strokes when you see the next word you want in one of those boxes. Tapping one of the boxes repeatedly will generate guessed text, which is sometimes quasi-coherent and sometimes madness. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2019, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autocorrect-question/837851/9 "2019-07-30T19:40:32Z")
I’ve got a BlackBerry Priv, and I turned the autocorrect OFF. The damned thing still thinks it is smarter than I am, and if I don’t look carefully, I end up sending text messages with strange meanings. The next line of text I send is typically, "Damned autocorrect! " ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2019, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autocorrect-question/837851/10 "2019-07-30T23:59:13Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > [Drunk elves](https://pics.me.me/it-helps-if-you-imagine-autocorrect-as-a-tiny-little-37927439.png). 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autocorrect-question/837851/11 "2019-07-31T01:44:21Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Another iOS keyboard feature has given rise to a game. The keyboard normally displays 3 text boxes: the middle one shows what is going in, and the other two show alternate guesses, allowing you to save typing strokes when you see the next word you want in one of those boxes. Tapping one of the boxes repeatedly will generate guessed text, which is sometimes quasi-coherent and sometimes madness. Sample game output (where I typed the first four words but then let autocorrect do its stuff): [QUOTE=iPhone] The guessed text game was not good but I was not able enough for a while and I was just wondering how to make a new version and then it is really really fun but I have been to this for years now but it was just one that was a lot more than a lot more then a good time and then it would have to go back and get the one that you have and then you have it all over the place again. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autocorrect-question/837851/12 "2019-07-31T05:29:12Z")
It’s on. It usually autocorrects (I tap fast in the hope that autocorrect will pick up the slop and fat fingers. But it will occasionally fill in the misspelling just as I type it. > [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Are you sure that you aren’t confusing the autocorrect built into your phone with the spell-checker built into your web browser? Not at all. I don’t know, that’s why I asked. But it seems since both are built into the same device there should be some crossover. If spell-checker knows why wouldn’t autocorrect? (if indeed that’s what’s happening) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autocorrect-question/837851/13 "2019-07-31T05:35:12Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > It started when I was in Paris a few years ago. Why, I have no idea. Did you switch the keyboard and dictionary to French by accident? Look at the bottom left corner of the iPhone keyboard. There should be a 123 button, then a globe, then a microphone, then a space, etc. Click on the globe icon to make sure you’re set to English (US). ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autocorrect-question/837851/14 "2019-07-31T06:19:39Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Did you switch the keyboard and dictionary to French by accident? Look at the bottom left corner of the iPhone keyboard. There should be a 123 button, then a globe, then a microphone, then a space, etc. Click on the globe icon to make sure you’re set to English (US). Yeah, but **Northern Piper** is Canadian, so the US keyboard would be incorrect. (Yes, iOS has an actual Canadian keyboard). ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autocorrect-question/837851/15 "2019-07-31T16:42:21Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Are you sure that you aren’t confusing the autocorrect built into your phone with the spell-checker built into your web browser? On phones and tables, I don’t believe the spellchecking is provided by the browser. It simply tells the mobile OS itself (Android or iOS) to handle the spellcheck. Or, to be more precise, it uses lets the keyboard app handle it. That way it is still always learning from what you type. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autocorrect-question/837851/16 "2019-07-31T18:37:20Z")
That seems to be the case in Firefox, at least. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2019, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autocorrect-question/837851/17 "2019-08-02T02:19:00Z")
I think there must be some way to remove the French dictionary (that you picked up when you were in France) from your phone. That should take care of it, but where is it? I suppose you could uninstall your auto-correct then re-install with only English. ETA: Ooops, it looks like I got confused about who the OP was. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2019, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autocorrect-question/837851/18 "2019-08-02T03:40:31Z")
I use both the French keyboard and the English (UK). My iPhone doesn’t have an English (Canadian) option. But the spell check doesn’t change with the keyboard. If I’ve got it set for French, but type in recognisable English, it usually doesn’t try to autocorrect. The French suggestions can come up when I’m typing in English with the English keyboard. I just try to watch for it, but don’t always catch the efforts of the « nains sous ». ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2019, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autocorrect-question/837851/19 "2019-08-02T03:41:34Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > I think there must be some way to remove the French dictionary (that you picked up when you were in France) from your phone. That should take care of it, but where is it? I suppose you could uninstall your auto-correct then re-install with only English. > ETA: Ooops, it looks like I got confused about who the OP was. Sorry. Don’t want to lose the French functionality. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2019, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autocorrect-question/837851/20 "2019-08-02T04:32:35Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > I use both the French keyboard and the English (UK). My iPhone doesn’t have an English (Canadian) option. Yes, it does. Unless you are using a laughably old/unupdated iPhone.