Has it happened to you that you write a message on WhatsApp and the autocorrect changes the words for others that have nothing to do with it? Or does he correct your spelling unnecessarily or incorrectly? There is no denying that the WhatsApp autocorrect has its advantages, but it can also become a headache. Therefore, in this post we explain how to turn this feature on and off so you can regain control of what you write.
Writing with misspellings is not welcome under any circumstances, but there are times when it is especially embarrassing. A wrong letter or word can be laughable in most cases, but it can also get us into real trouble. So controlling the way WhatsApp autocorrect helps us is not a game thing. Let's explore this feature a bit and see how to get the most out of it without taking any risk.
WhatsApp autocorrect: how to activate and deactivate it?
Although it is true that voice notes and stickers save us the work of typing word for word, text messages are still the main means of communication used in WhatsApp. Hence, we are all grateful to have him. whatsapp autocorrect, that function that analyzes what we write and suggests or corrects the words according to the language and the dictionary that we have configured.
Thanks to the autocorrect we don't have to investigate how a particular word is written, if with 'b' or with 'v', with 's' or with 'c'. Possible misspellings are automatically corrected, and misspelled words are replaced with correct ones. This is really useful to write faster and avoid mistakes, taking care of the image that others have of us because of our way of writing.
Now, there are times when the autocorrect plays a trick on us, and adds words totally out of place. Meaningless or even offensive phrases can slip into our text messages because of the automatic corrector. This feature is also a bit annoying if you change the keyboard language frequently. That's why, Let's review the procedure to activate or deactivate WhatsApp autocorrect.
On Android
Keep in mind that to activate or deactivate the autocorrect in WhatsApp You must go to the keyboard settings of your mobile, since WhatsApp does not have a specific option for it. Also, the process may vary depending on the model and brand of your device. In the case of Android mobiles, such as those of the Samsung or Xiaomi brands, the autocorrect is easily activated or deactivated. We will do the process using a Redmi Note 8 (2021):
- Open the WhatsApp app and select any chat.
- Tap the text field to bring up the keyboard, just as if you were going to write a text message.
- Tap Settings (the donut or gear icon).
- Under the 'Settings' section, choose the 'Spell check' option.
- There you will see the 'Automatic correction' function and the button to activate or deactivate it.
- You should take a look at the other features, such as 'Block offensive words' and 'Spell checker'.
On iOS
If you have an Apple device, such as an iPhone or iPad, you can also turn autocorrect on or off in WhatsApp. To do this you must go directly to the 'Settings' section of the mobile and make the necessary adjustments. Besides, you can activate other related functions, such as using 'Predictive text' or 'Replace text'. Let's see the complete procedure:
- Open the 'Settings' app.
- Click on the 'General' option and then on 'Keyboard'.
- You will see a list of options, including 'Autocorrect', and sliders to activate or deactivate them. The 'Autocorrect' option is enabled by default.
- The 'Predictive' option allows you to turn predictive text on or off, to type and complete entire sentences with just a few taps.
- The 'Replace Text' option allows you to use shortcuts to replace longer phrases. For example, you can type 'MG' and it will be automatically replaced with 'Thank you very much'.
Advantages and disadvantages of using the WhatsApp autocorrect
As you can see, activating or deactivating the WhatsApp autocorrect will not take more than a few seconds. Besides, As you do from the mobile settings, your preferences will also be saved for other messaging applications. Whether you want to send an SMS, compose an email, or send a message via Telegram or Instagram, the autocorrect settings will be the same.
Using or dispensing with the autocorrect to write texts on the mobile has its advantages and disadvantages. Like we have already said, is a very useful feature that has received major improvements over the years. Between and advantages of using the autocorrect in WhatsApp stand out:
- It allows you to write faster and with fewer errors, which improves communication and a professional image.
- Avoid having to constantly review what is written, which saves time and effort.
- It offers word suggestions appropriate to the context and language, making it easier to express and understand.
On the other hand, some disadvantages of activating the function of autocorrect in the mobile are the following:
- It can change the meaning or the tone of what is meant, generating misunderstandings or uncomfortable situations.
- It may not recognize its own, technical or colloquial words, which requires correcting manually or adding them to the dictionary.
- It can interfere with learning and improving spelling, which affects the quality of written language.
Conclusions
In conclusion, we have reviewed the procedure to activate or deactivate autocorrect in WhatsApp, both on Android and iOS devices. We have also seen other useful functions that we can use to improve the experience of using this tool when writing on our mobile. And finally, we review the advantages and disadvantages of using autocorrect in messaging apps.
Be that as it may, most of us would rather have the help of autocorrect than do without it entirely. What we can do so that the autocorrect does not play against us is to introduce some settings and restrictions. For example, the Google keyboard, GBoard, allows you to block the use of offensive words in several languages, thus reducing the risk of them slipping into our messages. This way, you will never again have to blame the autocorrect for the content of one of your messages.