Q: I cannot delete iPhone keyboard shortcuts.  They keep restoring.

This issue began occurring to me since iOS 8.x as well & continues even into 8.2. Shortcuts that were deleted in iOS7. I tried simultaneously disabling all iCloud services across my 3 iOS devices to try to prevent it - simultaneously zapped shortcuts, I even logged into web-based icloud & ensured it was cleaned out, deleted all backups, disabled & deleted all itunes syncs. No success - they come back after a few days or so. Unfortunately, I use a PC for home use so I don't have access to a lot of tools to modify dictionary data, etc.

The nice thing about this is that I have now stripped down my Apple ecosystem to only core services, which now makes it easier for me to transition out. So... unfortunately, due to this issue (and MANY others since iOS 8) I feel that the solution is to begin migration to an Android product for productivity, at least for my phone for starters. Hopefully when iOS 9 or an iPhone 7 is released Apple will have their **** together, and I'll return.

Delete all of your shortcuts from iPhone, reset keyboard from reset menu. manually backup to iCloud. Turn off device and turn back on. This worked for me!

Spencer87 wrote:

 

Delete all of your shortcuts from iPhone, reset keyboard from reset menu. manually backup to iCloud. Turn off device and turn back on. This worked for me!

When you say "reset keyboard" do you mean reset keyboard dictionary?

That worked for me too until I rebooted. A soft or hard reset brought them back. Have you rebooted since doing this?

None of the workaround work for me (iOS 8.1.3). The shortcuts go away for some variable amount of time and then inevitably return. I have tried third party keyboards, deleting all 34 of my shortcuts, logging out of iCloud altogether. The shortcuts just keep coming back after some time. I also tried changing my shortcuts to be "loopbacks" e.g. shortcut "abc" resolves to phrase "abc", but then the old shortcut is restored along with the new one (effectively corrupting the shortcuts data). Really bizzare.

There is another discussion going on about this here: Re: iOS 8.1 - Keyboard Shortcuts: Restores Previously Deleted Keyboard Shortcuts

I don't think Apple cares about their users anymore. This problem has been around for a very long time and they have done nothing. Its not the company it used to be and I for one am seriously considering giving some other vendor a try.

You might hold off until after iOS 9 is released. 9is supposed to fix a lot of issues and add stability to the OS, rather than a bunch of new features like in 7 and 8. Maybe the shortcuts issue will also be fixed. But for now, at least leave feedback on this problem. I have! Go here and leave feedback:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html

After a hard reboot, they would come back immediately. I just tried the "reset keyboard dictionary" option under the reset section and it seems to have at least temporarily prevented their return. I'll post again if they come back.

They came back.

I was foolish to think it would be so simple.

No need to feel foolish. We've all been there. But again, the only way is to restore your phone as new. Or wait until iOS 9 and see if there's a fix there. The problem is not enough people are complaining. There's a lot of users who have this problem but don't know because they have not tried to delete shortcuts. So we all need to send Apple Feedback on this.

@zoso4 I have already reported feedback numerous times over the past 6 months. I seriously doubt anyone at Apple has actually read it. The feedback mechanism is just a false forum to redirect people's frustration. I would wait until iOS 9 if I new this would be fixed, but there is no real evidence that it will. That is because Apple is not at all transparent about the release roadmap and what its actually going to fix. Where is the list of fixes that is going into iOS 9? You are just speculating that this "might be fixed" there.

In summary, I see no evidence that Apple actually cares about users or issues like this one. I paid a significant premium for iPhone, it should work extremely well. I am not an Apple fanatic that is going to consume whatever they dish out no matter how bad it is. I checked out some of the newly available competition this weekend, it looks really slick and in many cases superior on a point by point comparison with iPhone.

8.3 hasn't fixed it for me.

Just added a shortcut on my iPhone and it doesn't show on my iPad or Mac.  Accounts are set up fine and everything worked prior to iOS 8

I Had hoped 8.3 would fix this issue, since I had seen shortcuts in the changelog. IDK! Keep sending feedback! Or restore your device as new. That does work.

Sorry, I thought that this did fix the problem however the shortcuts reappeared a few days later. Im currently receiving support from an apple expert who is advising me what to do. If we come up with a solution I will post method then.

Clearly I should have waited a day or so before posting my previous post!

Sorry!

SORRY THIS DIDNT WORK> THEY CAME BACK A DAY OR SO LATER! GRRR!

Am dealing with an apple assistant who is going through all the possible solutions. Will post if we find one!

I can confirm that updating to the latest iOS 8.3 has allowed me access to view all my shortcuts once again and edit them. This has worked for me.

dmanapple87 wrote:

 

I can confirm that updating to the latest iOS 8.3 has allowed me access to view all my shortcuts once again and edit them. This has worked for me.

Very few people here are having an issue accessing and editing shortcuts. The issue most of us are having is that after deleting unwanted keyboard shortcuts they mysteriously and annoyingly come back a few days/hours later.