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How to Add Words and Shortcuts to the iPhone Keyboard

Use iPhone Text Replacement to add a word the keyboard should keep or create a shortcut that expands into a phrase.
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Use Text Replacement in Settings to teach your iPhone a word you use or make a short trigger expand into a longer phrase. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement, tap Add, enter the text in Phrase, and—if you want a shortcut—enter its trigger in Shortcut. Tap Save.

Set up a shortcut that expands into a phrase

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap General > Keyboard > Text Replacement.
  3. Tap Add.
  4. Enter the word or phrase you want inserted in Phrase.
  5. Enter the short trigger you will type in Shortcut.
  6. Tap Save.

For example, a shortcut can expand “omw” to “On my way!” Apple uses this as an example in its iPhone user guide. Pick a trigger that is easy to remember and unlikely to appear accidentally in ordinary writing.

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You can also reach the keyboard settings from a text field: touch and hold the Emoji or Switch Keyboard key, then choose Keyboard Settings. Apple documents this alternative route in its guide to Auto-Correction and predictive text.

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Add a word without making a shortcut

To keep the keyboard from changing a word or phrase you use, create a Text Replacement entry with the preferred text in Phrase and leave Shortcut blank. Tap Save. Apple documents this as the way to add a word or phrase without having it replaced by a trigger. See Apple’s Text Replacement instructions.

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Choose the right keyboard feature

Text Replacement, Auto-Correction, and predictive text do different jobs:

Feature What it does Use it when
Text Replacement Substitutes a shortcut you define with its paired word or phrase. You want a trigger to insert longer text, or want to add a word without a trigger.
Auto-Correction Automatically corrects misspellings as you type. You want spelling corrections rather than a custom phrase shortcut.
Predictive text Suggests likely next words or phrases. You want suggestions while composing text.

These distinctions are described in Apple’s keyboard feature guide. If your goal is to enter a frequently used phrase, start with Text Replacement rather than changing predictive-text settings.

Edit or delete a Text Replacement entry

To remove an entry, open Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement, tap Edit, tap Remove beside the entry, tap Delete, then tap Done. Apple lists these steps in its keyboard guide.

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Keep your personal dictionary up to date on other devices

Apple documents using iCloud Drive to keep your personal dictionary up to date across devices. On iPhone, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > See All > iCloud Drive, then turn on Sync this iPhone. See Apple’s Text Replacement guide.

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If a replacement does not appear

Apple’s documentation does not establish that every app or third-party keyboard handles system Text Replacement the same way. Try the entry in a standard Apple text field first. If it works there but not in one app, check that app’s keyboard or input behavior.

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Reset the keyboard dictionary only if you want to remove all custom entries

Resetting deletes all custom words and shortcuts and restores the default dictionary. To do it, open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Keyboard Dictionary. Because this removes every custom entry, use it only if you intend to clear them all. Apple documents the reset path in its iPhone user guide.

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