Problem

Apple devices, by default, automatically capitalize the first letter of any text input. This can be problematic if you're entering a username that should be all lowercase (like "jdoe") into a field on MIT Touchstone because the device will change it to "Jdoe".

Solution

Add the username to the device’s autocorrect dictionary to prevent it from auto-capitalizing. This works well when the username isn’t a common word or name that you might normally want to capitalize in other contexts (like "Doe").

Implementation

For iOS devices:

1. Add to Text Replacements:

   • Go to "Settings" > "General" > "Keyboard" > "Text Replacement".
   • Tap the "+" icon to add a new text replacement.
   • In the "Phrase" field, enter the username exactly how you want it to appear (e.g., "jdoe").
   • In the "Shortcut" field, also enter the username (e.g., "jdoe"). This way, when you type "jdoe", it will suggest "jdoe" and not try to auto-correct it to "Jdoe".
   • Tap "Save".

2. Disable Auto-Capitalization:

   • If you’re only going to be typing lowercase usernames and are not concerned about disabling auto-capitalization for other uses, you can:
   • Go to "Settings" > "General" > "Keyboard".
   • Toggle off "Auto-Capitalization".

For Mac devices:

1. Add to Text Replacements:

   • Go to "System Preferences" > "Keyboard" > "Text".
   • Click the "+" icon below the left panel.
   • In both the "Replace" and "With" fields, enter the username as you wish it to appear (e.g., "jdoe").
   • Close the window. The changes should save automatically.

2. Disable Auto-Capitalization in Specific Apps:

   • In some applications (like Mail or Messages), you can go to "Edit" > "Spelling and Grammar" and uncheck "Correct Spelling Automatically" and/or "Capitalize words automatically".

Note

Ensure that the username you add as a text replacement isn’t a word or name that you may want to capitalize in other contexts. Otherwise, it will always suggest the lowercase version, which might not always be what you want.