Android phones feature some pretty neat predictive text features for typing with the software keyboard, but sometimes they don't contain words you need (or they add words you don't want). Here's how to edit your phone's predictive text dictionary.


Most vanilla Android phones, like the Nexus One or the Droid, should have an area in the Settings app dedicated to your keyboard's dictionary, easily accessed by going to Settings > Language and Keyboard > User dictionary. However, reader Mr_Bloggeriffic writes in to note that on many phones with the HTC Sense UI, this feature is hard to find in Settings. Luckily, it is easily accessible from the keyboard:

Maybe this is more obvious to everyone else, but the dictionary is accessible from the speech-to-text button. The gear icon actually means something! Long-press the microphone to get to the Touch Input settings menu. From there, click User Dictionary and edit out all your "well, crap, I did it again!!!" entries. You can also add entries (at the top), you can long-press an entry to edit, or click the red X to delete.


This particular tip seems to only work on some HTC phones, like the Incredible. On other models, such as the Droid Eris, for example, there is no speech-to-text icon—instead, in its place, there is just a gear icon that will take you to the same settings with a regular press (instead of a long press). Additionally, you can access that area in the settings app by going to Language & Keyboard > Touch Input > User Dictionary. If you've got a different Android phone that doesn't work with any of these methods, let us know in the comments.