How To Clear Keyboard Suggestions

Introduction

When it comes to using a keyboard, whether on your smartphone, tablet, computer, or web browser, the suggestions that pop up can be both helpful and sometimes annoying. While keyboard suggestions aim to save you time by predicting the words you’re about to type, they can also lead to embarrassing autocorrect mistakes or offer suggestions that are completely irrelevant to what you’re trying to say. If you find yourself in a situation where you want to clear out those keyboard suggestions, this guide will show you how to do it on various devices and platforms.

Whether you’re using an Android device, an iPhone or iPad, a Mac computer, a Windows PC, or a web browser, we’ll cover the steps to clear out keyboard suggestions effortlessly. Additionally, we’ll explore how to clear suggestions in popular apps, like messaging or social media applications, which often have their own unique settings for handling keyboard suggestions.

By the end of this guide, you’ll have the knowledge you need to confidently clear out unwanted keyboard suggestions, enhancing your typing experience and reducing the chances of embarrassing autocorrect mishaps.

Clearing Keyboard Suggestions on Android

If you’re an Android user, there are a few ways you can clear keyboard suggestions depending on the keyboard app you’re using. Here’s how to do it using the default Gboard keyboard:

1. Open the Settings app on your Android device.
2. Scroll down and tap on “System” or “System & Device,” depending on your Android version.
3. Select “Languages & input” or “Language & input.”
4. Tap on “On-screen keyboard” or “Virtual keyboard.”
5. Choose “Gboard” from the list of installed keyboards.
6. Tap on “Text correction.”
7. Look for the “Personal Dictionary” option and tap on it.
8. Here, you’ll find a list of words that the keyboard has learned. You can manually delete individual words or clear the entire selection.

If you’re using a different keyboard app, the steps may vary slightly. However, most keyboard apps have a similar process for clearing out suggestions. Look for options like “Personal Dictionary” or “Learned Words” within the keyboard settings.

In addition to clearing out suggestions from the keyboard settings, you can also clear the keyboard cache, which can help improve performance. Here’s how:

1. Go to the Settings app on your Android device.
2. Scroll down and tap on “Apps” or “Applications.”
3. Select “Manage Apps” or “App info.”
4. Find and tap on the keyboard app you’re using.
5. Tap on “Storage & cache.”
6. Select “Clear cache” to remove temporary files associated with the keyboard app.

Keep in mind that the exact labeling of settings may differ slightly depending on your Android device’s manufacturer and software version. However, with these general guidelines, you should be able to clear out keyboard suggestions on most Android devices.

Clearing Keyboard Suggestions on iOS

If you’re using an iPhone or iPad, the default keyboard on iOS is called the “Apple Keyboard” or “iOS Keyboard.” To clear keyboard suggestions on iOS, follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app on your iOS device.
2. Scroll down and tap on “General.”
3. Select “Keyboard.”
4. Tap on “Text Replacement.”
5. This is where all the custom text shortcuts and suggestions are stored. To clear out suggestions, you can either individually delete specific shortcuts or tap on “Edit” and then select “Delete All” to remove all the suggestions.

If you’re using a third-party keyboard app on iOS, the steps to clear out suggestions may vary. Typically, you’ll find the option to manage or clear suggestions within the keyboard app’s settings. Look for options like “Dictionary” or “Shortcuts” to access the suggestion settings for the specific keyboard app you’re using on iOS.

Apart from clearing suggestions via the settings, you can also clear out the keyboard cache on iOS to improve performance. However, keep in mind that clearing the cache will remove all the keyboard data, including personalized suggestions and settings.

1. Go to the Settings app on your iOS device.
2. Scroll down and tap on “General.”
3. Select “iPhone Storage” or “iPad Storage.”
4. Scroll down and find the keyboard app you’re using.
5. Tap on the keyboard app.
6. Select “Offload App” to remove the app without deleting any associated documents and data, or choose “Delete App” to remove the app completely, including all its data.

Remember to reinstall the keyboard app from the App Store if you choose to delete it completely. This will restore the default settings and clear any previous suggestions or cache.

Clearing Keyboard Suggestions on Mac

If you’re using a Mac computer, clearing keyboard suggestions can be done through the system preferences. Here’s how to do it:

1. Click on the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and select “System Preferences.”
2. Choose “Keyboard.”
3. Click on the “Text” tab.
4. Here, you’ll see a list of words and phrases that your Mac has learned. You can manually remove specific suggestions by selecting them and pressing the “minus” button (-) below the list, or you can choose the “Remove All” button to clear out all the suggestions.

In addition to clearing keyboard suggestions, you can also disable autocorrect and predictive text on your Mac if you find them more of a nuisance than a help. To do this, simply uncheck the boxes next to “Correct spelling automatically” and “Touch bar shows” on the “Text” tab in the Keyboard preferences.

If you’re using third-party keyboard apps on your Mac, such as those available for specialized tasks or multiple language support, clearing suggestions may vary depending on the specific app. Check the app’s settings or preferences to find options for managing or clearing suggestions related to that particular keyboard app.

Clearing Keyboard Suggestions on Windows

On Windows computers, clearing keyboard suggestions can be done through the settings of your preferred keyboard app. Here’s how to do it using the default keyboard app, also known as the “Touch Keyboard” or “On-Screen Keyboard”:

1. Click on the Start menu, and then select “Settings” (the gear icon).
2. In the Settings window, click on “Devices.”
3. Choose “Typing” from the sidebar menu.
4. Scroll down to find the option called “Suggest text as I type.” Toggle the switch off to disable suggestions.

If you’re using a third-party keyboard app on Windows, the process for clearing suggestions may vary. In that case, check the settings or preferences of the specific keyboard app to find options for managing or clearing suggestions.

Alternatively, you can also clear the auto-complete history in Windows to remove keyboard suggestions. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the Settings app by pressing the Windows key + I.
2. Click on “Privacy.”
3. In the left sidebar, select “Speech, inking, & typing.”
4. Under “Typing,” click on “View typing history.”
5. Click on the “Clear” button to remove all the auto-complete suggestions.

By following these steps, you’ll be able to clear out keyboard suggestions on your Windows computer, ensuring a clean and personalized typing experience.

Clearing Keyboard Suggestions on Web Browsers

Web browsers also offer suggestions while typing in search bars, forms, and text fields. Clearing keyboard suggestions in browsers can vary depending on the browser you’re using. Here are some common browsers and how to clear suggestions in them:

Google Chrome:

1. Open Google Chrome on your computer.
2. Click on the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner of the browser window.
3. Select “Settings” from the drop-down menu.
4. Scroll down and click on “Advanced” to expand the settings.
5. Under the “Privacy and security” section, click on “Clear browsing data.”
6. In the pop-up window, select “Browsing history” and “Autofill form data.”
7. Click on the “Clear data” button to remove the browsing history and keyboard suggestions.

Mozilla Firefox:

1. Open Mozilla Firefox on your computer.
2. Click on the three-line menu icon in the top-right corner of the browser window.
3. Select “Options” from the drop-down menu.
4. In the left sidebar, click on “Privacy & Security.”
5. Scroll down to find the “Forms & Autofill” section.
6. Click on the “Clear Data” button.
7. Make sure the “Form & Search History” option is checked, and then click on the “Clear” button to remove the keyboard suggestions.

Microsoft Edge:

1. Open Microsoft Edge on your computer.
2. Click on the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner of the browser window.
3. Select “Settings” from the drop-down menu.
4. Scroll down and click on “Privacy, search, and services” in the left sidebar.
5. Under the “Clear browsing data” section, click on the “Choose what to clear” button.
6. Make sure the “Browsing history” and “Autofill form data” options are checked.
7. Click on the “Clear” button to remove the browsing history and keyboard suggestions.

Please note that the steps and options may vary in different versions of browsers. However, most browsers have similar settings to clear browsing data, which includes keyboard suggestions and autofill form data.

Clearing Keyboard Suggestions on Popular Apps

In addition to system-wide keyboard settings, many popular apps have their own settings for managing and clearing keyboard suggestions. Here are some examples of how to clear suggestions on popular apps:

Facebook:

1. Open the Facebook app on your mobile device.
2. Tap on the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top-right corner.
3. Scroll down and tap on “Settings & Privacy.”
4. Tap on “Keyboard Shortcuts.”
5. Here, you can manually edit or delete individual keyboard shortcuts or clear all suggestions by tapping on “Clear All Shortcuts.”

Twitter:

1. Open the Twitter app on your mobile device.
2. Tap on your profile icon in the top-left corner.
3. Tap on “Settings and privacy.”
4. Go to “Privacy and safety.”
5. Scroll down and tap on “Personalization and data.”
6. Tap on “Edit keyboard history.”
7. Here, you can manually delete individual keyboard suggestions or tap on “Clear all” to remove all suggestions.

WhatsApp:

1. Open the WhatsApp app on your mobile device.
2. Tap on the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner.
3. Go to “Settings.”
4. Tap on “Chats.”
5. Tap on “Chat backup.”
6. Tap on “Clear” next to “Reset keyboard history.”

These are just a few examples of popular apps with dedicated options for managing keyboard suggestions. It’s worth exploring the settings or preferences within the specific apps you use regularly to see if they offer similar options for clearing keyboard suggestions. Remember that the specific steps may vary depending on the app version and platform (iOS or Android), so it’s always a good idea to refer to the app’s official documentation or support resources for accurate instructions.

Conclusion

Keyboard suggestions can be a helpful feature, but they can also be intrusive or inaccurate at times. Knowing how to clear keyboard suggestions on your devices and apps can give you more control over your typing experience. Whether you’re using Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, or web browsers, you now have the knowledge to remove unwanted suggestions effortlessly.

On Android, you can clear keyboard suggestions through the keyboard settings or by clearing the keyboard app cache. iOS users can manage suggestions through the keyboard settings or clear the cache by offloading or reinstalling the keyboard app. Mac users can access the keyboard preferences in the system settings to remove suggestions. Windows users can disable suggestions through the settings of the built-in keyboard app or clear the suggestions using the browser’s settings. Web browser users can clear keyboard suggestions by clearing browsing data or autofill form data in the browser settings.

It’s also important to note that popular apps often have their own settings for managing keyboard suggestions. Apps like Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp offer options to edit or clear keyboard shortcuts or history within their settings or preferences.

By taking advantage of these options, you can keep your keyboard suggestions personalized, accurate, and free from unnecessary clutter. Remember to explore the settings and preferences specific to each device, app, or browser you use for more customized control over keyboard suggestions.

With the knowledge gained from this guide, you can now enjoy a smoother, more efficient typing experience across all your devices and applications. Take a few moments to familiarize yourself with the steps provided and start clearing those keyboard suggestions with confidence.