Apple Keeps Secret Gray List of Blocked Words
An independent researcher found that Apple's iOS keyboard avoids autocompleting or swipe-typing tens of thousands of words and phrases, a list the company has not disclosed.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Corruption
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Apple maintains an undisclosed gray list of tens of thousands of words and phrases that its iOS keyboard will not autocomplete or swipe-type, according to a report by Reuters. Independent researcher Derik Kauffman discovered the list in September and publicized it.
Why it matters
The list affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide who use iPhones, shaping what words are suggested as they type. Apple has said the keyboard is designed to avoid suggestions that might be inappropriate or offensive.
The gray list was recovered and matched by researchers Derik Kauffman and Matt Suiche, but Apple has not publicly responded to the full list. Reuters found that some flagged phrases were difficult to swipe-type or were not suggested via autocomplete.
The players
Apple
Apple is the American technology company that designs the iPhone and the iOS operating system whose keyboard uses the gray list.
Derik Kauffman
Derik Kauffman is an independent researcher who discovered the gray list and publicized it after noticing swipe-typing problems.
Reuters
Reuters is the international news agency that published the exclusive report on Apple's gray list.
The details
The flagged words are overwhelmingly vulgar, offensive, or related to drugs, sex, or violence, though some politically salient phrases such as 'dictator Trump' and 'sleepy Joe' are also included. Non-English keyboards have different flagged words, including Hindi phrases about Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi, as well as phrases such as 'Tibetan independence' and 'United Ireland'. Kauffman noticed swipe-typing stuttered over certain phrases and used AI coding tools to search for the cause before finding the compendium stored within Apple's operating system.
Timeline
September: Kauffman discovers the gray list.
Earlier this week: A Norwegian systems administrator independently finds a partial list.
Last year: Apple's iPhone dictation of 'racist' briefly displayed 'Trump'.
November 6, 2026: Reuters publishes its exclusive report on the gray list.
Legal Context
Apple's earlier iPhone dictation incident, in which 'racist' briefly displayed 'Trump', set a precedent for scrutiny of its automated text systems. The undisclosed gray list now raises questions about how opaque content-filtering decisions shape the words available to users worldwide.
iPhone users may find that some words and phrases do not appear in autocomplete or swipe-typing suggestions. The undisclosed nature of the list means users have no official way to know which terms are affected.
The takeaway
Users typing on an iPhone may be unknowingly shaped by a list of filtered words that the company has not publicly acknowledged. Checking how your device handles specific words can help you understand what your keyboard is quietly suppressing.
Further reading
For more on related cases of undisclosed influence, see Corruption.
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Do you trust Apple to filter the words your iPhone suggests?
