Horrid Pixel2 autocorrect, what options do I have?

[BrunoGenovese]

A few months ago I migrated from an iPhone 5s to a Google Pixel 2. Some things were better but in general I was disappointed by what is obviously a fairly poor quality control standard of the core Android software.

I had issues with several features, but the most annoying one is the Autocorrect. It is absolutely horrid, very often changing properly spelled words to things with completely different meaning. The most common is translating its to it's when it is not appropriate (this web page just did it too). Autocorrect is old technology, so it baffles me that Google gets it so wrong.

Anyway, even though I might be stuck with it for a few years, I need to take this lemon and make lemonade. So on to the questions:

- Are there 3rd party autocorrect apps that can replace Android's default?

- Is turning autocorrect off the only alternative?

- Are there other options to improve autocorrect, like maybe disabling or self-fixing some of the autocorrect words/choices?

 

[chanchan05]

A few months ago I migrated from an iPhone 5s to a Google Pixel 2. Some things were better but in general I was disappointed by what is obviously a fairly poor quality control standard of the core Android software.

I had issues with several features, but the most annoying one is the Autocorrect. It is absolutely horrid, very often changing properly spelled words to things with completely different meaning. The most common is translating its to it's when it is not appropriate (this web page just did it too). Autocorrect is old technology, so it baffles me that Google gets it so wrong.

Anyway, even though I might be stuck with it for a few years, I need to take this lemon and make lemonade. So on to the questions:

- Are there 3rd party autocorrect apps that can replace Android's default?

- Is turning autocorrect off the only alternative?

- Are there other options to improve autocorrect, like maybe disabling or self-fixing some of the autocorrect words/choices?

The autocorrect function of Android is built into the keyboard app. Which means if you replace the keyboard app, the autocorrect engine will also be changed.

Since you are using a Pixel, I would assume you are using Gboard (Google Keyboard). While a lot of people like it, I personally don't. The top alternative to Gboard is Swiftkey, which is owned by Microsoft. I find the autocorrect on it superior, then English isn't my first language and I have taught Swiftkey over the years a lot (it learns your patterns the more you use it). So I'd suggest you try that.

 

[ManiacJoe]

Another vote for SwiftKey.

My choice of keyboard is more about the key layout, not the autocorrect engine.

On every keyboard I have tried, the first thing I always did was turn off the autocorrect associated with the space bar. I heavily use the suggested words at the top of the keyboard, but I do not want the app replacing words on its own.

 

[Rukbat]

And another. And for both reasons - I prefer the layout (unless I'm doing programming, then it's Programmers Keyboard in portrait mode), and the autosuggest is almost always dead on. (And English is my first language - but you can use English US, English UK, or any other language you prefer - they're downloadable.) SwiftKey Keyboard

 

[J Dubbs]

The stock Google keyboard use to work great with auto correct, but since all the updates lately to the new and improved "G-board" it's gotten pretty bad. Pretty typical when you try to fix something that ain't broke :-[