How to completely clear a set of words in Android: from autocomplete to a custom dictionary

Have you noticed that the Android keyboard suggests awkward or outdated words? Or does autocomplete substitute incorrect options in messages and searches? The problem lies in a set of saved wordsthat Android and installed keyboards (like Gboard, Samsung Keyboard or SwiftKey) have been collecting for years. This data includes not only frequently used phrases, but also typos, random combinations of characters, and sometimes even confidential information.

Cleaning this “garbage” not only improves the accuracy of autofill, but also frees up space in the device’s memory. In this article we will look all possible methods from standard Android settings to hidden commands for advanced users. Important: the procedure differs depending on the OS version and smartphone manufacturer (for example, Xiaomi and Samsung paths to settings may vary).

Why Android saves your words and where they are stored

Autofill system in Android it works based on three main sources:

• 📱 User dictionary — a manual list of words you added in the keyboard settings. Stored in the file /data/data/com.android.providers.userdictionary/databases/user_dict.db.
• 🔄 Keyboard cache —temporary data about frequently used words and phrases. Each keyboard (for example, Gboard or Microsoft SwiftKey) has its own cache.
• ☁️ Cloud dictionary —synchronized Google account data (if Dictionary Sync is enabled). Stored on Google servers and available on all devices with your account.

In addition, some manufacturers (for example, Huawei or OnePlus) add their own autocomplete layers, which may duplicate or conflict with standard Android settings. This explains why, after clearing the dictionary in Gboard outdated options still appear - they may be substituted by the system keyboard from the manufacturer.

Where exactly is this data stored?

• 📁 Locally: in folders /data/data/ (root access required).
• 🖥️ In your Google account: in the section "Google Account Management → Data and Personalization → Dictionary."
• 🔧 In the keyboard settings: usually along the path Settings → System → Language and input → Virtual keyboard.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with Android 12+ i Android 13+ Google has limited access to system dictionary files without root access. If your smartphone is updated to the latest version, some of the methods in this article may not work.

Method 1: Clearing the user dictionary through Android settings

This is the easiest method that works on most devices without additional tools. Suitable for deleting words added manually or saved by the system after correcting typos.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → System (or General settings on some smartphones).
2. Go to Language and input → Virtual keyboard.
3. Select the keyboard you are using (for example, Gboard or Samsung Keyboard).
4. Find the item Dictionary, Custom dictionary or Personal words (name may vary).
5. Click on a language (for example, "Russian"), then select Delete all or delete words one by one.

On some devices (for example, Xiaomi Redmi or POCO) the path may look like this:

Settings → Advanced settings → Language and input → Current keyboard → Dictionary

Make sure your keyboard is updated to the latest version

Make a backup copy of important words (if any) yes)

Disable dictionary synchronization in your Google account (temporarily)

Check if you are using a third-party keyboard -->

⚠️ Attention: On Android 14 and later, Google has removed direct access to the user dictionary in system settings. In this case, use Method 3 (clearing via keyboard) or Method 5 (resetting settings).

Method 2: Removal cache and keyboard data

If clearing the dictionary does not help, the problem may lie in the keyboard cache. This method will reset all temporary data, including the input history and trained autocomplete models.

How to do:

1. Go to Settings → Applications.
2. Find your keyboard (for example, Gboard, Samsung Keyboard or SwiftKey).
3. Open Storage → Clear cache and Clear data.
4. Confirm the action. The keyboard will be reset to factory settings (the language may need to be re-set).

What will be deleted:

• 🧹 History of entered words and phrases.
• 🎨 Custom themes and keyboard settings.
• 🔑 Saved gestures (for example, swipes in Gboard).
• 📚 Trained text prediction models (you will have to “train” the keyboard again).

Keyboard	Path to clear cache	Consequences
Gboard (Google)	Settings → Applications → Gboard → Storage	Resetting all user data, including dictionary and themes
Samsung Keyboard	Settings → Device maintenance → Storage → Samsung Keyboard	Deleting trained words and prediction settings
SwiftKey (Microsoft)	Settings → Applications → SwiftKey → Storage	Resetting the cloud and local dictionary
Huawei Swype	Settings → System → Language and input → Huawei Swype → Reset	Deleting all user data without the possibility of recovery

Method 3: Clearing the dictionary directly in the keyboard interface

Many keyboards (for example, Gboard or Samsung Keyboard) allow you to control the dictionary directly while typing. This is convenient if you need to delete a specific word without going into the settings.

Instructions for Gboard:

1. Open any text input field (for example, in Messages or Notes).
2. Start typing the word you want to delete. When it appears in the prediction line, hold. finger on it.
3. In the menu that appears, select Remove from dictionary or Do not offer.

For Samsung Keyboard:

1. While entering text, press on ⚙️ Settings on the keyboard panel.
2. Select Dictionary and AutoCorrect → Manage words.
3. Find an unnecessary word and delete it manually.

How to delete a word that is not in the sentences?

If the word does not appear in the prediction line, but the keyboard “knows” it, try typing it in full, then click on it in the sentence line (even if it is underlined as an error) and hold. In some keyboards this will trigger. deletion menu.

Method limitations:

• ❌ Does not work for mass deletion (you will have to clean each word separately).
• ❌ Does not delete data from the Google cloud dictionary.
• ❌ On some keyboards (for example SwiftKey) this feature is disabled.

Method 4: Delete a synced Google dictionary

If you are using dictionary synchronization via a Google account, clearing local data will not help - outdated words will be loaded again. In this case, you need to delete them directly in your account settings.

How to do this:

1. Open the browser and go to the page Management Google account (log in if necessary).
2. Select Data and personalization → Dictionary (may be in the section Application settings).
3. Find unnecessary words and delete them one by one or use the function Clear dictionary.
4. Disable dictionary synchronization (optional) if you do not want the data to be restored.

Important: The synchronized dictionary may contain data from all your devices connected to this Google account. Deleting words will affect autofill. all gadgets.

⚠️ Attention: Starting from 2026 Google has changed the location of the dictionary in your personal account. If you do not find this section, try using the search on the account management page (enter "dictionary" in the search bar).

Method 5: Reset the keyboard to factory settings

If the previous methods did not work, there is a radical solution - a complete keyboard resetThis will delete all user data, including:

• 📚 User dictionary.
• 🎨 Themes and design settings.
• 🔄 Input history and trained models.
• 🔑 Gestures and abbreviations.

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings → Applications.
2. Find your keyboard (for example, Gboard).
3. Open Storage → Delete data (or Reset settings).
4. Confirm the action. The keyboard will restart with factory settings.

On devices Samsung may require additional step:

Settings → General management → Reset → Reset keyboard settings

Method 6: Manually deleting dictionary files (for advanced users)

If you have root access or are ready to use ADB, you can delete dictionary files manually. This method is suitable for advanced users, as it requires working with system files.

Method 1: Via ADB (without root)

1. Connect your smartphone to the PC and enable USB debugging in the developer settings.
2. Open the command line (or Terminal on Mac/Linux) and enter:

adb shell pm clear com.android.providers.userdictionary

This command will reset the Android user dictionary.

Method 2: Through root explorer

1. Install a file manager with root support (for example, Root Explorer or FX File Explorer).
2. Go to the path:

/data/data/com.android.providers.userdictionary/databases/

and delete the file user_dict.db.

3. To reset the cache Gboard delete the folder:

/data/data/com.google.android.inputmethod.latin/

⚠️ Attention: Improper deletion of system files can lead to malfunctions of the keyboard or even a “bootloop” (boot loop). Before proceeding, make a backup via TWRP or another recovery.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even after clearing the dictionary, users encounter common problems. solve:

Problem	Cause	Solution
Words are returned after clearing	Synchronization with Google account	Disable synchronization dictionary in the account settings
The keyboard does not offer words at all	Reset the trained model	Actively use the keyboard for 1-2 days to retrain
Some words are not deleted	They are saved in the cloud dictionary	Clear the dictionary in Google account
There is no access to the dictionary Android 14 no access to dictionary	Google has restricted settings	Use clearing the keyboard cache (Method 2)

Additional tips:

• 🔄 If after cleaning the keyboard is unstable, restart the device.
• 📱 On Samsung and Xiaomi you may need to disable proprietary keyboard services in the settings.
• ☁️ Before mass clearing, disable synchronization to avoid data recovery.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions

You can Is it possible to clear the dictionary without resetting all keyboard settings?

Yes, in most cases it is enough to use Method 1 (clearing through dictionary settings) or Method 3 (deleting individual words directly while typing) (Method 5) is only needed if other methods do not work.

Why does the keyboard suggest strange words after clearing the dictionary?

This happens because the keyboard uses not only your personal dictionary, but also:

• 🌍 General language dictionary (built into Android).
• 📊 Statistics of frequently used words on the Internet (in Gboard).
• 📱 Data from other applications (for example, from Google Search or Gmail).

To improve sentences, actively use the keyboard for 1-2 days - it will be retrained to suit your style.

How to clear the dictionary on Android without root and ADB?

Without root access and ADB you can:

1. Use Method 1 (settings dictionary).
2. Apply Method 2 (clearing the keyboard cache).
3. Use Method 4 (delete words via Google account).

If none of these methods worked, the only option left is to reset the keyboard (Method 5).

Clearing the dictionary will remove my passwords or data from applications?

No, clearing the dictionary affects only:

• 🔤 Autocomplete suggestions when entering text.
• 📝 Saved user words (for example, slang or jargon).
• 📊 Statistics of frequently used phrases.

Passwords, application data, browser history and other personal data are not deletedHowever, if you use autofill for passwords via the keyboard (for example, in Gboard), this data may be reset when you completely clear the application (Method). 5).

How to prevent unnecessary words from being saved in the future?

To prevent the keyboard from remembering unnecessary words:

• 🚫 Disable "Dictionary synchronization" in your Google account.
• ❌ Do not confirm typos (if the keyboard asks "Add a word to the dictionary?" - select "No").
• 🔄 Clear your keyboard cache regularly (once every 1-2 months).
• 📱 Use keyboards with flexible privacy settings (for example AnySoftKeyboard or FlorisBoard).