Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. Apple
  4. Legacy Archives

Take back control of your keystrokes: How to disable autocorrect in OS X Yosemite

Add as a preferred source on Google

So, you’re typing along on a fresh Mac or a newly re-installed copy of OS X. All of a sudden, the operating system thinks it’s smarter than you, replacing your keystrokes with words it thinks you’re trying to write, when you’re really not. You just want to tell your friend about how you could eat a truckload of Cheetos, not Cheetahs. What the heck, OS X?

Believe us, we’ve been there.

Recommended Videos

Luckily for you, there’s a way to disable autocorrect in OS X Yosemite. With this guide, we’ll show you how.

Keep in mind, however, that this explainer outlines the steps you need to take to pull this off while using Mac OS X Yosemite, Apple’s newest version of its desktop operating system. Therefore, the steps you’d need to perform while using past versions of OS X may vary from version to another. You’ve been warned.

How to turn off autocorrect in Mac OS X Yosemite

Step 1: Open Spotlight by clicking on the magnifying glass icon in the upper right-hand corner of your desktop.

Screen Shot 2014-10-30 at 9.15.14 PM
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 2: Type “keyboard,” and click the first result that appears. This should take you to Yosemite’s Keyboard settings in the system preferences menu.

Screen Shot 2014-10-30 at 9.09.47 PM
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 3: Click on the “Text” tab at the top of the window, and uncheck the box labeled “Correct spelling automatically.”

Screen Shot 2014-10-30 at 9.11.30 PM
Image used with permission by copyright holder

You’re done! There’s no need to hit “OK,” “Apply,” or anything like that. Once you uncheck the box, OS X will no longer try to correct your spelling. You’re free to close the Keyboard menu, and go about your business as usual.

Konrad Krawczyk
Former Computing Editor
Konrad covers desktops, laptops, tablets, sports tech and subjects in between for Digital Trends. Prior to joining DT, he…
Gemini Notebook’s new Collections arrive just as Google turns it into a bigger workspace
Google is cleaning up notebook organization as the former NotebookLM expands across Gemini and Search
Gemini Notebook branding on a MacBook

Google has barely finished renaming NotebookLM, and it’s already addressing one of the headaches that comes with building a large research library.

Collections are rolling out to all Gemini Notebook users, giving them a way to group related notebooks while keeping everything visible under My Notebooks. The dashboard gets some structure without asking users to rearrange the library they’ve already built.

Read more
Samsung’s humanoid robot ambitions are real, but factories come first
Samsung’s new robotics division has humanoids in its sights, although its immediate business is far more practical factory automation
Robot Touch Human Finger

Samsung wants a place in the humanoid race, but its new robotics push begins with machines built for factories rather than homes.

The CEO-led RX robotics division will initially focus on manufacturing robots. Samsung has separately identified humanoids as a priority, although it hasn’t announced a commercial model or explained where one fits into the division’s immediate plans.

Read more
WhatsApp’s Liquid Glass redesign is finally coming to Mac after months of waiting
WhatsApp's Mac app is getting Apple's Liquid Glass-inspired makeover
WhatsApp

WhatsApp has been steadily adopting Apple's new design language across its apps, but Mac users have largely been left watching from the sidelines. That is finally beginning to change.

The messaging platform has started rolling out its Liquid Glass redesign for the WhatsApp Mac app, bringing the desktop experience much closer to what iPhone and iPad users have been seeing over the past few months. The update introduces a refreshed interface with redesigned navigation elements, updated menus, and a cleaner layout that aligns with Apple's latest software aesthetic. According to WABetaInfo, the rollout has begun through the latest Mac App Store update and is currently reaching a limited number of users.

Read more