# iPhone - can I change the dictionary on the spell-check?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-can-i-change-the-dictionary-on-the-spell-check/625246>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 15, 2012, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-can-i-change-the-dictionary-on-the-spell-check/625246 "2012-06-15T16:00:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**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:** [June 15, 2012, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-can-i-change-the-dictionary-on-the-spell-check/625246/1 "2012-06-15T16:00:38Z")

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I use Canadian-British spellings - any way to change the dictionary in the spell-checker so it’s not always trying to correct my spelling?

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**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2012, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-can-i-change-the-dictionary-on-the-spell-check/625246/2 "2012-06-15T16:07:41Z")

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Under \>\> Settings \>\> General \>\> Keyboard \>\> Go nuts!

You can turn off auto-capitalization, Correction, or disable spell checking altogether

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**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-can-i-change-the-dictionary-on-the-spell-check/625246/3 "2012-06-15T16:11:33Z")

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You can also try:  
Settings \> General \> International \> Language \> British English (close to the bottom of the list on mine.)  
I don’t know if this is wired up to the spell checking, but it seems a reasonable WAG.

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**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2012, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-can-i-change-the-dictionary-on-the-spell-check/625246/4 "2012-06-15T16:14:12Z")

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Under “Check Spelling,” all I see is “on” or “off.”

**Northern Piper** , I’m guessing “no,” since the phone was sold in Canada for use in Canada—if there were a Canadian spelling option, it would be the default.

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**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:** [June 16, 2012, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-can-i-change-the-dictionary-on-the-spell-check/625246/5 "2012-06-16T13:43:49Z")

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I tried **chrisk** ’s suggestion, with weird result.

Typed in “colour” and it got red underlining, but no auto correction.

Typed in “labour” and it’s fine.

Typed in “authorise” and it got auto-corrected to “authorize.”

:dubious: 😕

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**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-can-i-change-the-dictionary-on-the-spell-check/625246/6 "2012-06-16T14:08:32Z")

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Your iPhone will eventually learn from you and stop correcting words that you use frequently or that you backspace and “uncorrect” after an autocorrection.

[Here’s a quicker way, though.](http://gigaom.com/apple/ios-5-how-to-add-words-to-the-auto-correct-dictionary/)

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**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-can-i-change-the-dictionary-on-the-spell-check/625246/7 "2012-06-16T23:07:00Z")

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> [@Northern\_Piper](#):
>
> I tried **chrisk** ’s suggestion, with weird result.
> 
> Typed in “colour” and it got red underlining, but no auto correction.
> 
> Typed in “labour” and it’s fine.
> 
> Typed in “authorise” and it got auto-corrected to “authorize.”
> 
> :dubious: 😕

Huh, that’s the opposite of the usual problem! Correct Canadian spelling is “authorize,” so whenever I try to use a British spell-check for Canadian English, I have to change all the “-ize” endings back when they get corrected to the British standard “-ise.”