iPadOS cannot disable spellcheck in *handwritten* Notes

[not_anton]

Yes, the "beloved" wrong spelling underline came to the handwritten Notes. Now filled with wrong suggestions from mis-understanding your handwriting, and a horrific looking "correction" that does not fit size, style, or even the line type to the original word.

Imagine taking a doctor's prescription, and highlighting with a green dotted line every word you could not quite read. That's how your notes gonna look like.

The cherry on top: it cannot be disabled. There is just no option. Can disable normal text spellcheck, but handwriting spellcheck fills your notes with underlines.

Whoever imagined this feature, either hates humanity, or does not understand that the whole purpose of handritten notes is to not be like text. I want colors, line styles, different placement, size and tilt of words. Spellchecking looks as natural there as an accountant on a student party.

Hope for a handwriting spellcheck toggle to make its way into release version, otherwise I would sadly have to look for another device for notes taking. Sincerely, a faithful handwriting Notes user from the times of iPad Pro 9.7".

 

[Slartibart]

»currently in this beta«

 

[louistrevino]

This is still the case with the official release. It's annoying enough to not use Notes.

Edit: it seems to be disappearing, but you still can't disable it. It's not as bad as I thought originally.

 

[01cowherd]

I saw your post and thought surely they'd fix it before the public release. It's so bad that I had to make an account to reply. This "feature" genuinely has me considering going back to paper and pencil.

I submitted feedback, but I'm skeptical anyone at Apple reads or cares, considering this slipped all the way through. Surely someone tested it and thought "this is fine". It's especially obnoxious because it will also "spellcheck" words that are spelled correctly that iPadOS is not 100% certain of what you wrote (which is why I don't use Scribble—it's horrible at transcribing the actual letters I write rather than what it thinks I wrote, regardless of how neatly or clearly I write).

Whoever imagined this feature, either hates humanity, or does not understand that the whole purpose of handritten notes is to not be like text.

I think the most insulting part is that if you tap the spellcheck to take the suggestion, it will "fix" your handwriting. I had that toggle disabled for a reason. Just because whatever ML they use cannot read my handwriting with 100% accuracy doesn't mean that humans (namely me) cannot read my handwriting with 100% accuracy.

it seems to be disappearing, but you still can't disable it. It's not as bad as I thought originally.

For me, the underlines will flicker on and off as I write or scroll (not sure what triggers it). I find this more annoying than if the underlines were permanent, since it attracts my attention.

 

[Ed-88]

Same issue. So annoying. And not good enough. Why it is so difficult to have on/off option?
can’t wait for fix.

 

[goshya]

This is driving me crazy. I have blue dots under most handwritten words. If one clicks on the word a completely different word gets suggested? Not only ugly and annoying, also utterly useless! Isn’t there any way to just write a word with an Apple Pencil pro without apple trying to tell me how and what to write?

 

[01cowherd]

Still does this on iPadOS 18.3.

 

[goshya]

Call Apple. Ask to speak to a senior advisor. Show them the problem. Tell them that the problem is on all devices you have tried, also the ones in the Apple Stores. Ask them to contact an Apple engineering team.

 

[01cowherd]

It only took a whole year, but you can finally disable this in iPadOS 26.

 

[wrychu]

It only took a whole year, but you can finally disable this in iPadOS 26.

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thank you sooooo much for notifying!! i dont keep up w update news but your reply bumped the thread to the first page [ecosia] results, just as i finally got frustrated enough to search for a solution lol feeling blessed 🫶

 

[Just_Kevin]

This has got to be in the top 5 improvements for the new OS.