Too Many Weird Words in Your iOS Auto-Correct Dictionary? Reset the Dictionary to Get Rid of Them

Typing on an iOS device can be annoying, as auto-correct “fixes” some of the words you type. Also, over time, it tends to “learn” a lot of words, and suggest words that you don’t want. For example, almost every time when I type the letter “M,” one of the suggestions is M&S. This is an abbreviation for the British store Marks & Spencer, which I may have typed exactly once.

But there’s a way to delete these words that the dictionary has learned, and go back to the default. Go to Settings, then tap General > Reset > Reset Keyboard Dictionary. You’ll see the following:

Reset auto correct

Tap Reset Dictionary, and you’ll be ready to start over. You’ll have to “teach” the dictionary any words it doesn’t know, such as your name (if yours is uncommon like mine), but it can make predictive typing, and auto-correct, a lot more efficient.

Thanks to David Chartier, who asked the question on Twitter, and Adam Nelson, who provided the answer.