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How to Add Words to iPhone & iPad Dictionary

How to Add Words to iPhone & iPad Dictionary

August 5, 2018 by Mitch Bartlett 8 Comments

Are you tired of your Apple iPhone or iPad automatically correcting words for you? If you learn how to add commonly used words to the auto-correct dictionary of the device, you won’t have this annoying problem anymore. There are a couple of ways you can go about adding words to the dictionary. Just check out this tutorial.

Note: This post applies to Apple iOS11

Option 1 – On the Fly

This is the recommended option because it’s so easy and quick. You can add words to the dictionary while typing by using these steps.

  1. Type the word in any app, then press the “Spacebar“. The word gets auto-corrected as expected.
  2. Press “Backspace” and bubble will appear above the word containing the auto-corrected word. Tap the one that matches your word.
    iOS Add Autocorrected word

The word is now added to the iOS internal keyboard dictionary. You’ll never have to correct the word again.

If you ever wish to clear the words you have added to the keyboard dictionary, go to “Settings” > “Reset” > “Reset Keyboard Dictionary“.


Option 2 – Adding Words From Different Language

If you speak multiple languages and your device keeps trying to correct you, import additional dictionaries using these steps.

  1. Tap any word to select it.
  2. Tap the right-arrow, then select “Define“.
  3. Select “Manage“.
  4. Tap the cloud button next to the dictionary you wish to start using to download it. Your device should then stop bugging you about correcting words in that language.
    iOS Dictionaries

Option 3 – Using Shortcuts

You can add words in bulk before you use them using this option.

  1. Open “Settings“.
  2. Select “Keyboard“.
  3. Scroll to the bottom and select “Add New Shortcut…“
  4. Type the word you wish to add in both the “Phrase” and “Shortcut” fields, and auto-correct won’t bother that word again.
    iOS Create Shortcut

You can delete a Shortcut by swiping left across the shortcut from the “Settings” > “Keyboard” screen, then tap “Delete”


FAQ

Is there a list somewhere that allows me to just add words to the dictionary?

Nope. But you could simply type them out one by one in an app, then add them all to the dictionary that way.

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Filed Under: iPhone

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cheryl Lockhart says

    March 5, 2023 at 5:42 am

    No. I want to add common words/acronyms used in my day-to-day military life…. Things like “projo” and “OPR” Your method does not work.

  2. Del says

    January 7, 2020 at 2:32 pm

    Option 1 – when I press backspace, the bubble that appears just says “No Replacements Found”. I want to add words on the fly!

  3. Gary says

    November 3, 2019 at 11:55 am

    I want to replace abs with and. How do I do this?

  4. Kay the Arky says

    February 28, 2019 at 1:19 pm

    I guess I’m stupid, but the directions here neglect to ay start with “edit” at the bottom, then add, then both words, then “done” at the bottom left. Once I figured out the edit and done parts I was good to go. In detailed directions, add ALL the directions!

  5. Gary says

    January 2, 2019 at 8:34 am

    CORRECTION: Under Option 3 (Shortcuts) it should say Open Settings then General then Select Keyboard (not Open Settings and Select Keyboard).

  6. Jean Pierre says

    November 4, 2018 at 11:45 am

    No help. The Settins/Keyboard does not exist: on IOS 12 it is in settings/ general/ keyboard, and there is not a choice for shortcut.

  7. Pratyush Tewari says

    October 20, 2016 at 9:00 am

    Is there any way to add hundreds of words in the iphone dictionary? I can edit the ~/Library/Spelling/LocalDictionary file in mac and add it there. Is there any similar feature in Iphone?

  8. Chua Li Li says

    September 17, 2016 at 10:34 am

    The stupid iphone keeps auto correcting my words by capitalising simple non-name words and it is really irritating. I can’t believe Apple is so stupid that it cannot define the sentence rule properly. I thought this problem should have been settled 3 decades back!

    I miss my HTC M8!

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Baby and Daddy My name is Mitch Bartlett. I've been working in technology for over 20 years in a wide range of tech jobs from Tech Support to Software Testing. I started this site as a technical guide for myself and it has grown into what I hope is a useful reference for all.

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