iPhone users suffer bizarre autocorrect fault - but there is a fix

A recent software update for iPhones has resulted in a predictive text glitch that causes the letter “i” to be replaced with random figures and symbols, reports BBC News.

The autocorrect issue is believed to be exclusive to the iOS 11.1 software version, the website says, and affects the company’s most recent smartphones - the iPhone 8 and X.

The site adds that “not all iOS 11.1 users have been affected”, but the many comments posted by iPhone owners on social media sites suggests it is a widespread problem.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

For instance, one owner posted an image on Twitter revealing how his iPhone was autocorrecting the letter “i” to a capital “A” and an obscure symbol with a question mark in the centre of it.

Several other users shared similar images on the social network, with one iPhone user posting a plea to Apple to rectify the issue.

The company has yet to fix the bug through a new software update, but MacRumors says there is a “temporary workaround” to solve the issue.

According to the website, iPhone users need to go to Settings, General, Keyboard and then Text Replacement on their device.

After accessing this menu, the website says, users should press the “+” and then type an uppercase “I” in the “Phrase field”, followed by a lowercase “i” in the “Shortcut field”.