Skip to content
WeType
Try for free

macOS inline predictive text: how it works, and how to turn it off

Since macOS Sonoma, your Mac can suggest the next word or two in grey as you type. Some people love it; some find it interrupts. Here is how to switch it, and why you would.

By Published 4 min read

Short answer

macOS inline predictive text shows a suggested word or short phrase in grey after your cursor as you type; press Space to accept it. To turn it off, open System Settings › Keyboard, click Edit next to Input Sources, and switch off “Show inline predictive text”. Turn it back on the same way. Turn it off if it keeps catching your spacebar, or if you use another autocomplete app, so two sets of grey text do not overlap.

What it is

Inline predictive text is a macOS feature, introduced in macOS Sonoma, that guesses the next word or short phrase as you type and draws it in grey directly after the cursor. Press Space to accept it; keep typing to ignore it. Apple says the predictions come from a language model that runs on the Mac and adapts to how you type. It is separate from autocorrect and from the older row of suggestions that appears above the keyboard on an iPhone.

Notes

Let me know if you have any questions

What an inline prediction looks like. On the Mac, Space accepts it.

How to turn it off

The switch is not on the main Keyboard page, which is why it is hard to find. It is inside the editor for your input sources.

  1. Open System Settings

    From the Apple menu, or Spotlight.

  2. Choose Keyboard in the sidebar

    Scroll to the Text Input section.

  3. Click Edit next to Input Sources

    A sheet opens with your keyboard layouts and a list of text-input options.

  4. Switch off “Show inline predictive text”

    Then click Done. The change applies straight away in most apps; restart any app that keeps showing predictions.

Only the inline predictions stop. Autocorrect, automatic capitalisation and the other switches in the same list are independent, so you can keep those.

How to turn it on

Follow the same steps and switch Show inline predictive text on. If the option is missing, check that you are on macOS Sonoma or later (Apple menu › About This Mac). If it is on but nothing appears, the app you are typing in may not support it; it works best in Apple’s own apps and standard text fields.

Reasons to switch it off

  • It catches your spacebar. Because Space both accepts a prediction and types a space, a fast typist occasionally accepts a word they did not want.
  • It pulls your eye. Some people find any moving grey text distracting while they are thinking.
  • You use another autocomplete tool. Two tools drawing grey text at the same cursor overlap and become unreadable. This is the most common reason.

Using it alongside another autocomplete app

If you install a system-wide AI autocomplete app such as WeType, turn Apple’s inline predictions off so only one suggestion is drawn. WeType checks for this during setup and offers to open the Keyboard settings for you. The two differ in more than the accept key; the side-by-side comparison covers when Apple’s built-in predictions are all you need, and when they are not.

Questions

How do I accept an inline prediction on a Mac?
Press the Space bar while the grey suggestion is showing. To ignore it, just keep typing and it updates or disappears.
Why can I not find the inline predictive text setting?
It lives in the Input Sources editor rather than on the main Keyboard page. Open System Settings › Keyboard, click Edit next to Input Sources, and the switch is in the list that opens. It needs macOS Sonoma or later.
Does turning off inline predictions disable autocorrect?
No. Autocorrect, capitalisation and the other text-input options are separate switches in the same list, so you can keep them and turn off only the inline predictions.

Keep reading

Try AI autocomplete in every app on your Mac.

5 days free · 100 words a day · no card, no account

Try WeType free