Science & Tech · Big Tech & Internet · 1 hr ago
Researcher finds hidden list limiting iPhone predictive text
Researcher Derik Kauffman found a hidden list inside Apple's iOS keyboard that limits autocomplete and swipe-typing.
The list includes tens of thousands of words and phrases in multiple languages, and Kauffman estimates it may cover about 100,000 entries, excluding Chinese characters.
It is not a ban: iPhone users can still type the words themselves, though the keyboard often will not suggest them.
The list mostly covers offensive or vulgar terms and references to drugs, sex or violence, but it also includes political phrases such as “Dictator Trump,” “Sleepy Joe” and “United Ireland.”
Kauffman says the restrictions are sometimes inconsistent, while Apple says its keyboard aims to avoid inappropriate or offensive suggestions and that users can override suggestions.
The choices could affect how hundreds of millions of iPhone users communicate, because predictive text can shape the words a keyboard offers; Apple has not publicly disclosed the list or explained its political entries.
Researcher Derik Kauffman found an undisclosed multilingual list of words and phrases that Apple’s iOS keyboard generally will not suggest through autocomplete or swipe-typing.
The list contains tens of thousands of entries, with a conservative estimate of about 100,000 words and phrases, excluding Chinese characters.
Many entries are vulgar or relate to drugs, sex or violence, while others include politically sensitive phrases such as “dictator Trump” and “Tibetan independence.”
Kauffman said the feature is inconsistent and can have a significant effect, while Apple said its keyboard is designed to avoid inappropriate or offensive suggestions.
The restrictions do not prevent users from typing the words themselves or overriding predictive text.
- Who
- Independent researcher Derik Kauffman discovered the list. Apple makes the iOS keyboard.
- What
- The keyboard generally does not suggest certain words and phrases through autocomplete or swipe-typing. Users can still type them.
- When
- Kauffman said he found the list in September. The findings were reported on Nov 6, 2026.
- Where
- The list is stored in Apple’s operating system and affects the iOS keyboard.
- Why
- Apple said the keyboard is designed to avoid offering inappropriate or offensive suggestions. Kauffman said the feature is inconsistent.
Derik Kauffman
Apple
Purpose and effect
Derik Kauffman
Kauffman said the feature is understandable as a way to prevent accidental offensive messages, but is inconsistent and can have a big impact.
Apple
Apple said the keyboard is set up to avoid suggestions that might be inappropriate or offensive.
User choice
Derik Kauffman
Kauffman described the feature as a light-touch form of censorship.
Apple
Apple said users can type specific words and override predictive text suggestions.
Kauffman said he found the list after noticing that swipe-typing stuttered over certain phrases.
Reports published details of Kauffman’s findings about the iOS keyboard list.
- Researcher
- Derik Kauffman
- Estimated list size
- About 100,000 words and phrases, excluding Chinese characters
- Examples
- dictator Trump” and “Tibetan independence
- Hindi examples
- Modi braggart” and “Rahul is Pappu
- French example
- immigration too high
3 sources
What people are saying
Every major language has some version of this.
It’s a very light-touch form of censorship.
But at the scale that Apple is operating, it only takes a light touch to have a big impact.