Android Autocorrect and Personal Dictionary: Customize Gboard Corrections

Gboard is Google's keyboard app that comes pre-installed on most Android phones. Like iPhone's keyboard, it uses autocorrect to fix spelling mistakes as you type. And like iPhone's, it sometimes gets words wrong — especially names, slang, technical terms, or words that are not in its standard dictionary.

Android gives you a personal dictionary where you can add any words you want the keyboard to accept without changing them.

How autocorrect works on Gboard

Gboard watches what you type and compares each word to its dictionary. If a word is not recognized, it may replace it with the closest match — sometimes right, sometimes wrong. It also learns from your typing over time, picking up words you use often.

The personal dictionary

The personal dictionary is where you save words that Gboard does not know. Adding a word there tells the keyboard "this is a real word, stop changing it." You can also add shortcuts — short codes that expand into longer phrases when you type them.

Accessing Gboard settings

You can reach Gboard's settings by opening any app with a text field, tapping to bring up the keyboard, and then tapping the gear icon that appears in the top row of the keyboard. From there, go to "Dictionary" to manage your personal word list.

Autocorrect strength

Gboard lets you choose how aggressively it corrects. In Gboard settings, go to "Text correction" and find "Autocorrect." You can set it to "Off," "Modest," or "Aggressive." Modest means it only corrects clear mistakes; Aggressive means it corrects more freely, including unusual words it thinks might be wrong.

Quick Tip: If Gboard keeps changing a specific word every time, long-press the word after autocorrect changes it. You may see an option to "Add to dictionary" — tap it to prevent the correction from happening again.