The short answer
In Gboard, open any app you can type in, tap the settings gear on the keyboard (or touch and hold the comma key), go to Text correction and turn off Auto-correction. On Samsung Galaxy phones, go to Settings › General management › Samsung Keyboard settings and turn off Auto replace.
Autocorrect is helpful until it keeps changing names, slang or words in another language. On Android, autocorrect belongs to the keyboard app, not the phone itself. Most phones use Gboard (Google’s keyboard); Samsung Galaxy phones use Samsung Keyboard by default.
Not sure which one you have? Open a message and look at the keyboard. Gboard usually shows a small “G” or a row of icons at the top; Samsung Keyboard shows a Samsung-style toolbar.
Turn off autocorrect in Gboard
- Open any app where you can type, like Messages or Gmail, and tap the text box.
- Open Gboard settings: tap the gear icon at the top of the keyboard, or touch and hold the comma key and slide to the gear. (You can also go to Settings › System › Keyboard › On-screen keyboard › Gboard; names vary by phone.)
- Tap Text correction.
- Under Corrections, turn off Auto-correction.
While you’re there, you can also:
- Turn off Auto-capitalization if you don’t want capital letters added automatically.
- Turn off Show suggestion strip to hide the word suggestions above the keyboard.
- Keep Spell check on if you still want misspelled words underlined in red.
Turn off autocorrect on Samsung Galaxy
On Samsung Keyboard, autocorrect is called Auto replace.
- Open Settings › General management.
- Tap Samsung Keyboard settings.
- Tap Auto replace and turn it off.
You can also reach these settings from the gear icon on the keyboard. Other options:
- Predictive text shows suggested words. Turn it off to hide them completely.
- Auto spell check underlines misspelled words in red. You can keep it on.
On older Samsung software, look under Settings › General management › Language and input › On-screen keyboard › Samsung Keyboard › Smart typing.
Better option: teach the keyboard your words
If autocorrect only gets a few words wrong, like names, add them to your dictionary instead:
- Gboard: type the word, tap it when it’s underlined in red, and choose Add to dictionary.
- Undo a correction: right after a word is changed, tap Backspace once to undo it.
- Samsung Keyboard: to remove a bad suggestion, touch and hold it in the predictive text bar and confirm.
Using a different keyboard?
If you’ve installed another keyboard, such as SwiftKey, open that keyboard’s own settings and look for options named Autocorrect, Auto replace or Quick prediction insert.
Related guides
While you’re tidying up your phone, see how to clear app cache on Android for apps that misbehave, and how to take a screenshot on Android to save a conversation.
The bottom line
In Gboard: keyboard gear › Text correction › Auto-correction off. On Samsung: Settings › General management › Samsung Keyboard settings › Auto replace off. If only a few words are a problem, add them to the dictionary instead.
Frequently asked questions
Will turning off autocorrect also turn off spell check?
Not necessarily. In Gboard, spell check is a separate option under Text correction, so you can keep the red underlines while stopping automatic changes. On Samsung Keyboard, Auto spell check is also a separate setting.
Can I stop autocorrect changing just one word?
Yes. Add the word to your dictionary instead of turning autocorrect off. In Gboard, tap the word underlined in red and choose Add to dictionary.
How do I undo an autocorrection?
Right after a word is changed, tap Backspace once to undo the correction.
Why you can trust this guide
- Based on official sources. The steps here are checked against the 3 official sources listed below, such as the help pages of the companies involved.
- Checked and dated. Last checked on November 12, 2026. We update guides when software or advice changes.
- Independent. No company paid for or reviewed this guide. We don't sell products, and ads never influence our advice.
- Open to corrections. Spotted an error? Tell us and we'll fix it. Read how we research.
Sources
- Gboard Help — Get word suggestions & fix mistakes
- Gboard Help — Fix problems with Gboard
- Samsung Support — Adjust auto-correct and predictive text on Samsung Galaxy devices
This guide is general information. Menus and features can change with software updates, and steps may differ on your device or version. Back up important data before making big changes. Read our disclaimer.
