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How to set up text replacement shortcuts for words you often misspell

5 minute read · updated October 28, 2026

7 sources: 7 product documentation

On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement, tap Add, and enter the word in Phrase and your code in Shortcut. On a Mac, use System Settings > Keyboard > Text Replacements. On Windows, add the code and word to AutoCorrect in Word (File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options), which applies across Office programs.

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A text replacement is a short code that your device swaps for a longer word or phrase as you type. Apple describes it as shorthand for words you use often.[1] It also works for a word you misspell the same way every time: you type a code you can remember and get the correct spelling.

iPhone

Create a text replacement on iPhone

  1. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement. Or, in any text field, touch and hold the Emoji or Switch Keyboard key, tap Keyboard Settings, then Text Replacement.[1]
  2. Tap the Add button.
  3. Type the correctly spelled word in the Phrase field.
  4. Type your code in the Shortcut field.[1]

If autocorrect keeps "fixing" a word you spell correctly, such as a surname, Apple suggests adding it with the Phrase filled in and the Shortcut left blank.[1] To keep your list on your other Apple devices, Apple says to turn on iCloud Drive and Sync this iPhone under Settings > your name > iCloud > See All > iCloud Drive.[1]

Mac

Create a text replacement on a Mac

  1. From the Apple menu, open System Settings and select Keyboard. In many apps you can also choose Edit > Substitutions > Show Substitutions, then click Text Settings.[2]
  2. Click Text Replacements.
  3. Click the Add button, type the text to replace (your code) and its replacement (the correct word), then click Add.
  4. Click Done.[2]

Apple notes that text replacements are not available in every app. In an app that supports them, choose Edit > Substitutions > Text Replacement to switch them on, or select some text and use Show Substitutions > Replace in Selection to fix text already typed.[2]

Windows (Microsoft Office AutoCorrect)

The Microsoft pages used for this guide cover word replacement through AutoCorrect in Office; they do not describe a Windows-wide setting for it. Microsoft says the AutoCorrect list applies across all Office programs that support it, so an entry added in Word also works in the others.[3]

Add an AutoCorrect entry in Word for Windows

  1. Go to File > Options > Proofing and select AutoCorrect Options.[4]
  2. On the AutoCorrect tab, make sure Replace text as you type is selected.
  3. In the Replace box, type your code or the misspelling you often make.
  4. In the With box, type the correct spelling, then select Add.[3]

On a Mac, the same list is under the Word menu > Preferences > AutoCorrect.[4] Microsoft says Word for the web supports AutoCorrect but cannot add or remove entries, so add them in the desktop app.[3]

Windows itself can suggest words as you type on a physical keyboard. In Windows 11, go to Settings > Time & language > Typing and turn on Show text suggestions when typing on the physical keyboard; press the Up arrow, then the arrow keys and Enter, to pick one.[5]

Android with Gboard

Add a word to the Gboard dictionary

  1. In any app, type the word the way you want it spelled.
  2. Tap the word where it is underlined in red.
  3. Tap Add to dictionary.[6]

Troubleshooting

  • It works in one Mac app but not another. Not every app supports text replacements; check Edit > Substitutions in that app.[2]
  • Word replaces something you did not want. Remove the entry: on the AutoCorrect tab, type it in the Replace box, select it, and select Delete.[3]
  • Gboard keeps suggesting an old mistake. Touch and hold the suggestion and drag it to Trash, or delete learned words under Settings > Dictionary on the keyboard.[6][7]

Quick answers

Where is Text Replacement on iPhone?

Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement.[1]

Does Windows have text replacement?

The Microsoft pages read for this guide describe it through AutoCorrect in Office, which you set in Word under File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options.[4][3]

Do my iPhone shortcuts work on my Mac?

Apple says you can keep your personal dictionary up to date across devices through iCloud Drive by turning on Sync this iPhone.[1]

Review status

Source-checked, not expert-reviewed

Drafted with AI assistance. Each factual claim was checked against the source it links to on 2026-10-28. No clinician, psychologist or dyslexia specialist has reviewed this page. See the claims register.

Sources

  1. [1]Set up shorthand for frequently used text on iPhone. Apple, 2026. Accessed 2026-10-28. Product documentation
  2. [2]Replace text and punctuation in documents on Mac. Apple, 2026. Accessed 2026-10-28. Product documentation
  3. [3]Add or remove AutoCorrect entries in Word. Microsoft Support. Accessed 2026-10-28. Product documentation
  4. [4]Turn AutoCorrect on or off in Word. Microsoft Support. Accessed 2026-10-28. Product documentation
  5. [5]Enable text suggestions in Windows. Microsoft Support. Accessed 2026-10-28. Product documentation
  6. [6]Get word suggestions & fix mistakes (Gboard Help, Android). Gboard Help. Accessed 2026-10-28. Product documentation
  7. [7]Fix problems with Gboard (Android). Gboard Help. Accessed 2026-10-28. Product documentation

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