How to Manage Learned Words on Windows 11, macOS and Android Keyboards

Why your keyboard keeps a list of you​

Autocorrect needs memory. Without it, your surname gets "fixed" into a random dictionary word every time you type it.

• Windows 11: Microsoft says Windows 11 creates a custom word list from words you type or write, to improve typing and inking accuracy. The list is associated with your Microsoft account and can be used across Microsoft products.
• macOS: Apple's spell checker keeps any word you approve with Learn Spelling and stops flagging it.
• Android (Gboard): Google says Gboard saves the words you type to help with spelling and predicting searches, and that these words are saved only to your device.

The wording on Windows deserves care. Microsoft's support page describes the list as tied to your account. Other documentation describes the same data as local, and Windows Backup can also sync some settings. How much follows you between PCs probably depends on your configuration, so don't assume either extreme.

Windows 11: a clear-all switch plus a file you can edit​

The documented route​

Microsoft's own procedure is a bulk wipe, not a viewer:

1. Open Settings > Privacy & security > Inking & typing personalization.
2. Turn off Custom inking and typing word list.
3. That clears the custom word list, according to Microsoft.

This removes every learned word at once, and Microsoft's page doesn't offer per-word editing.

The inspectable file​

For finer control, the words live in a plain text file. Press Win + R, enter %AppData%\Microsoft\Spelling, and open the language folder you use. Open default.dic in Notepad. Each word sits on its own line, and deleting a line removes that word.

Microsoft's support page doesn't mention this file. It is, however, widely corroborated:

• Eleven Forum says custom dictionary words are saved to default.dic in the %AppData%\Microsoft\Spelling\neutral folder for your account.
• WindowsForum's own coverage notes that Microsoft's developer documentation lists a per-user spelling dictionary at the neutral\default.dic path.
• Other guides point to language-specific subfolders such as en-US. In practice you may find the file under neutral, under your language folder, or both. Check each.

Some guides also describe a My custom dictionary page in Settings with an export button, and the Settings label can vary by Windows build. Don't count on it being there. If the Settings page offers an export, use it as a backup.

Safety tips​

• Copy default.dic somewhere safe before editing. A backup makes mistakes reversible.
• Close apps that use spell checking while you edit.
• Don't delete the whole Spelling folder to remove one word.
• Not every app uses the Windows dictionary. Office also keeps its own custom dictionaries, so a stubborn word may live there instead.

macOS: supported per-word control, unofficial file path​

Apple documents the practical workflow clearly:

• Add a word: Control-click a highlighted word and choose Learn Spelling. Apple says it then won't be flagged in any document.
• Ignore once: Ignore Spelling applies only to that document. The word is still flagged elsewhere.
• Remove a word: Control-click it and choose Unlearn Spelling.

MakeUseOf also points to a local file: ~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.apple.AppleSpell/Library/Spelling/LocalDictionary. Open it with Finder's Go > Go to Folder (Shift-Command-G) and view it in TextEdit. I could not confirm that path in Apple's support pages, and Apple's guide doesn't describe a screen that lists every learned word. Treat the file as a useful but unofficial way to look. For removals, stick with Unlearn Spelling.

Android: Gboard, not "Android"​

The Android instructions apply to Gboard. They don't apply to every Android keyboard.

Gboard​

• Add a word: type it, tap the red-underlined word, then tap Add to dictionary.
• Bulk delete (Google documented): open any text field, tap Gboard's settings icon, then go to Dictionary > Delete learned words. Enter the number shown to confirm, then tap OK.
• Personal dictionary view: the tester reports long-pressing the comma key, opening the gear, and choosing Dictionary > Personal dictionary, where each entry can be edited or deleted. Google's pages I reviewed don't spell out that exact screen. Menus vary by Gboard version and device, so expect some differences.

What stays local, and what doesn't​

Google says saved words aren't sent to Google. The same page says searches and usage statistics are sent, and that voice typing sends your speech for transcription. Gboard also has optional audio-snippet donation and federated learning. Google says federated learning sends what the model learned, not your typed text. Those are separate from your saved-word list, but "fully local" overstates it. Gboard's Privacy settings let you review these toggles.

Samsung Keyboard​

Galaxy phones ship with Samsung Keyboard, a separate app. Samsung confirms it learns frequently used and new words. Its documented removal path is Settings > General management > Samsung Keyboard settings > Reset to default settings > Erase personalized predictions, then tap Erase. Samsung says this erases prediction data and learned words. The tester couldn't find any browsable word list, and Samsung's documentation doesn't describe one. Menu names vary by One UI version, and Samsung's UK guidance mentions removing a single suggestion by touch-and-hold on supported devices. So "all-or-nothing" is true for the list but not necessarily for every individual suggestion.

Comparison at a glance​

Prune before you nuke​

A full wipe means retraining autocorrect from scratch, including every colleague's name and odd product term. The better routine:

1. Open each list once.
2. Delete the typos you approved by accident.
3. Leave the useful entries alone.
4. Use bulk-clear only if you really want a reset, or if the list may hold sensitive terms like a client codename.

On a shared or work PC, remember that a plain-text dictionary can reveal names, internal terms, and the odd password-like word someone once "added" to silence a red underline. That alone is a reason to check it occasionally.

Bottom line​

The headline claim holds up broadly. Each platform keeps learned words, and each lets you remove them. The "list you can read" part is uneven. Windows has a readable file, macOS has per-word control, Gboard may show a personal dictionary, and Samsung hides its list. The "under a minute" timing is the author's estimate, not a guarantee. If you only do one thing, back up and trim the entries you don't want rather than wiping everything.