Turning off word suggestions in Windows 11 isn’t exactly rocket science, but because Windows has to make everything just a little harder than it should be, the process isn’t super obvious at first. If those little pop-up word prompts keep distracting while you’re typing, here’s how to shut them down without pulling your hair out.
How to Turn Off Word Suggestions in Windows 11
Basically, disabling these suggestions involves tweaking a couple of settings. It’s helpful if you find those prompts annoying or if they just get in the way while you’re trying to focus. Here’s the rundown—might seem straightforward, but on some setups, you need to make sure you’re in the right place, especially with updates and all that.
Step 1: Open Settings
First off, click the Start button or hit Windows key, then pick Settings. Or just type “Settings” and hit Enter — faster that way. The Settings app is your main destination for messing around with Windows options. The icon’s a little gear, usually at the bottom-left corner.
Step 2: Go to Devices
In Settings, click on Devices. Yup, that’s the right spot. It’s where all the hardware controls live—mouse, keyboard, printers, etc. If you don’t see it right away, scroll a bit or use the search in Settings to find “Devices”.
Step 3: Select Typing
Next, in the sidebar on the left, find and click on Typing. In some versions, it might be buried under advanced menus, but typically it’s right there. This section is all about how Windows handles your text input. This is also where you’ll find spellcheck options if you want to mess around further.
Step 4: Disable Text Suggestions
Look for the toggle labeled Show text suggestions as I type. Turn that off. On some machines, it’s a slider or a checkbox—either way, switch it to off. By doing this, you’re turning off Windows’ little helper suggestions, which pop up usually under the text cursor.
Honestly, not sure why turning it off is so convoluted, but here we are. Once you toggle it off, the suggestions should stop showing up, at least for a while. Sometimes, you might have to restart the app or log out and back in for good measure, but usually, it just works after toggling.
Step 5: Close Settings
Simply close the Settings window—your change should be instant. No need to restart your PC, so that’s a plus. If suggestions still pop up later, double-check you toggled the right option, because Windows updates sometimes move things around.
By doing this, your typing experience should be a lot cleaner, fewer interruptions, and less “auto-suggestion anxiety.” Keep in mind, this only disables the suggestions, not autocorrect or spell check, which are separate settings.
Tips for Turning Off Word Suggestions in Windows 11
- Make sure your Windows 11 is fully updated — sometimes, settings behave differently on older builds.
- If there are multiple user accounts, consider if someone else might want the suggestions and weigh that for your setup.
- It’s worth exploring other text-related settings in the Typing menu — maybe you like auto-correct but hate prompts, or vice versa.
- Disabling suggestions won’t stop spellcheck or auto-correct unless you mess with those too, so don’t forget to check the Spelling & Typing settings if needed.
- If you change your mind later, follow the same steps and toggle everything back on — easy peasy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why would I want to turn off word suggestions?
Honestly, some people just find those little prompts distracting or annoying when they’re trying to type fast or focus. So, turning them off helps keep things clean and minimal.
Will this impact other typing aids like spellcheck?
Nah, turning off suggestions doesn’t touch auto-correct or spellcheck unless you specifically go into those settings. They’re separate controls.
Can I change this setting back if I don’t like it?
Definitely. Just repeat the steps and toggle it back on whenever you feel like having suggestions again. Windows is pretty flexible that way.
Does this feature turn off for all apps?
Yeah, since it’s a system-wide setting, it affects everything, whether you’re typing in Notepad, Word, or even browsers.
Is it possible to disable this for only certain apps?
Sadly, not at the moment. Windows doesn’t support per-app disabling. So, if you want suggestions in your email but not in your coding IDE, that’s a no-go right now.
Summary
- Open Settings
- Go to Devices
- Select Typing
- Turn off text suggestions
- Close Settings
Hopefully this shaves off a few hours for someone. The process isn’t super complicated once you know where to look, and it’s nice to have a bit more room to breathe while you type. Just remember, Windows sometimes plays hide-and-seek with these options after updates, so if it’s not working, double-check you didn’t miss a toggle. Good luck!