Skip to Content

How Do You Stop Annoying Automatic Unit Conversions in Text Edit on macOS?

Struggling with Automatic Unit Conversions in Text Edit? Here’s How to Fix It!

Typing should feel simple, right? But then, Text Edit decides to act smart and mess things up. You type “19cm,” hit space, and boom—suddenly it’s “7.49 inches.” Who asked for that? Not me, not you. Worse, it happens in Pages and Notes too. Let’s fix this nonsense step by step.

How Do You Stop Annoying Automatic Unit Conversions in Text Edit on macOS?

Solution 1: Try Space + Option

Hold the Option key when pressing Space. This sneaky trick skips the conversion.

Solution 2: Re-Type It

Weirdly enough, the app only converts the first time. Delete the word, type it again—it won’t convert this time.

Solution 3: Turn Off Text Replacement

Go to Edit > Substitutions > Uncheck Text Replacement. This stops some auto-changes from happening.

Solution 4: Disable Data Detectors

Same menu: Edit > Substitutions > Uncheck Data Detectors. This prevents the app from detecting units or dates.

Solution 5: Turn Off Apple Intelligence

Head to System Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri > Turn Off Apple Intelligence. Some users swear this fixes it.

Solution 6: Disable Keyboard Text Replacement Globally

Open System Settings > Keyboard > Text Replacement. Remove or disable any unwanted replacements here.

Solution 7: Switch to a Better App

If all else fails, ditch Text Edit for something smarter:

  • BBEdit: Clean and powerful for text editing.
  • Sublime Text 3: Great for coding and writing alike.
  • Ulysses or Tot: Perfect for focused writing sessions.

This issue is frustrating but solvable with these tweaks. Test each fix and see what works best for you!