Is there any way to turn off magic fill in numbers on an iPad?

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Level 1

15 points

Is there any way to turn off magic fill in numbers on an iPad?

My most common use of numbers includes tabbing across several columns after deleting an entry to add a new entry several columns to the right. It used to be simple but I now have to watch out for magic fill inventing an irrelevant entry in one of the intermediate columns and taking my tab to the next column as accepting its wrong data.

Does anyone know a way to disable magic fill or at least require a positive selection of the data it offers so that tab to the next column is taken as a no?

iPad, iPadOS 18

Posted on Feb 7, 2026 3:46 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Ches Martin

Level 1

26 points

Feb 10, 2026 10:27 PM in response to Ches Martin

Sorry, just noticed your question is specific to iPad. There, the option is in the in-app settings: Three dots kebab menu > Settings > Auto-Correction > Show Suggestions When Editing Cells

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Answer 2

Feb 10, 2026 10:15 PM in response to Owen101

I have not tested because I haven't opted into a Creator Studio subscription or trial, but try disabling Editing: Show suggestions when editing table cells in the General tab of Numbers > Settings…

My interpretation of the note at the end of the help doc is that this option should mean that Magic Fill only works when you ask for it from the menu or keyboard shortcut. Not sure if it affects any other features that might be undesirable for you, though…

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Answer 3

hike77

Level 1

14 points

Mar 4, 2026 12:45 PM in response to Owen101

Spoke too soon, this has to be the worst update ever.

On the desktop it's still doing it, even with disabling the option in settings.... I am going to have to go back to 14.5

I don't know how to stop it and when I do it, it just says for me to pay up.

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Answer 4

Owen101 Author

Level 1

15 points

Feb 15, 2026 4:28 AM in response to Ches Martin

Thanks. That seems to have done the trick. It is a pity that it is not mentioned in the notes describing the feature.

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Answer 5

tinmanjc

Level 1

8 points

Mar 21, 2026 10:24 AM in response to Owen101

Shutting off “Show Suggestions” did not work for me. This is extremely annoying because it disables auto-fill with an add-on that costs extra. Is that right. Please remove it.

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Is there any way to turn off magic fill in numbers on an iPad?

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