feat(composer): opt-in keyboard autocorrect in the message box

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ between releases do not reach them. Remote-PC runtime bundles are versioned sepa
 ## [Unreleased]
 
 ### Added
+- **Settings → Chat → Autocorrect** lets the device keyboard correct, suggest and capitalize
+  sentences in the message box and queued messages, so phones get autocorrect and suggestions
+  in chat. Off by default; the terminal input line is unchanged.
 - **Settings → Phone & devices → Portal** gives this PC a public HTTPS address through
   [Portal](https://github.com/gosuda/portal-tunnel), with no account and no domain of your own.
   With Portal v2.6.1 or later installed, **Start** runs it on a relay you enter, dropping any

DESIGN.md

@@ -1150,6 +1150,9 @@ One set for both themes: the card is island black wherever it shows.
   is ignored. Stop sends Escape. While the agent works and a draft shows Send in Stop's place,
   Escape in the box is Stop; an open completion menu takes the first Escape. Working Send
   schedules a pending message; its Send now action submits that same message now.
+- The message box and queued messages turn off the keyboard's spell check, capitals and autocorrect,
+  since commands, paths and code go through them; **Autocorrect** (Settings → Chat, this device) turns
+  all three on. The terminal input line keeps its own attributes.
 
 ### Voice input
 - A mic button sits beside the add button in the composer and beside Send in the terminal input line; it
@@ -1225,7 +1228,7 @@ One set for both themes: the card is island black wherever it shows.
   replaces the one entry. A reload steps out of the entries it finds; Forward reopens the page.
 - Pages, in order: **Appearance** (theme, colors, density, language, sidebar rows), **Chat**
   (panes open in, show thinking, chat width, chat font size and family, highlight code; then
-  **Composer**: optional plain PageUp/PageDown chat scrolling (off by default), Enter sends, files at once, suggestion chip; then **Quick replies**; then **File viewer**: wrap long
+  **Composer**: optional plain PageUp/PageDown chat scrolling (off by default), Enter sends, autocorrect, files at once, suggestion chip; then **Quick replies**; then **File viewer**: wrap long
   lines, Markdown width), **Terminal** (font size, 80 columns in a split, font family, wheel
   speed, input mode, Key bar), **Alerts**, **Voice input**, **Subscription usage**,
   **Shortcuts** (the platform-resolved global bindings, then **Paging** with a 0–100 line overlap stepper; one line by default, zero for a full viewport), **Phone & devices** (the phone address,

docs/guide.md

@@ -537,6 +537,9 @@ the screen. Shift+PageUp/PageDown alone retains the focused control's own behavi
 
 Enter sends and Shift+Enter adds a line. Settings can switch sending to Mod+Enter.
 
+The message box leaves the keyboard's autocorrect, suggestions and capitals off, so commands
+and paths go as typed. Turn on **Settings → Chat → Autocorrect** to type prose with them on this device.
+
 ## How it works
 
 ```mermaid

scripts/ui-regression.ts

@@ -1393,6 +1393,25 @@ try {
   await setAttachLimit(2, 20);
   console.log("PASS one pick attaches up to the chosen number of files and names what it left out");
 
+  // Settings → Chat → Autocorrect hands the message box to the keyboard's corrections; off, it keeps them away.
+  const keyboardAttributes = () => composer.evaluate((element: HTMLTextAreaElement) =>
+    [element.getAttribute("spellcheck"), element.getAttribute("autocapitalize"), element.getAttribute("autocorrect")]);
+  const setAutocorrect = async (on: boolean) => {
+    await page.keyboard.press("ControlOrMeta+Shift+Comma");
+    await openSettingsPage(page, "Chat");
+    const toggle = page.getByRole("switch", { name: "Autocorrect", exact: true });
+    assert.equal(await toggle.getAttribute("aria-checked"), String(!on));
+    await toggle.click();
+    assert.equal(await toggle.getAttribute("aria-checked"), String(on));
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Close settings", exact: true }).click();
+  };
+  assert.deepEqual(await keyboardAttributes(), ["false", "off", "off"], "the keyboard's corrections are off by default");
+  await setAutocorrect(true);
+  assert.deepEqual(await keyboardAttributes(), ["true", "sentences", "on"], "Autocorrect turns the keyboard's corrections on");
+  await setAutocorrect(false);
+  assert.deepEqual(await keyboardAttributes(), ["false", "off", "off"], "turning it off takes them away again");
+  console.log("PASS Settings → Chat → Autocorrect turns the message box's keyboard corrections on and off");
+
   let releaseCreate!: () => void;
   const createGate = new Promise<void>((resolve) => { releaseCreate = resolve; });
   releases.push(releaseCreate);

shared/telemetry.ts

@@ -83,6 +83,8 @@ export interface TelemetrySettings {
   chatPageKeys: boolean;
   /** files one paste, pick or drop may attach (#863) */
   attachLimit: number;
+  /** the device keyboard's corrections in the composer (#753) */
+  chatAutocorrect: boolean;
 }
 
 /** The browser's full, non-sensitive snapshot. */
@@ -156,6 +158,7 @@ const TELEMETRY_SETTINGS_VALIDATORS = {
   pageOverlapRows: integerBetween(0, 100),
   chatPageKeys: booleanValue,
   attachLimit: integerBetween(1, 50),
+  chatAutocorrect: booleanValue,
 } satisfies Record<keyof TelemetrySettings, (value: unknown) => boolean>;
 
 const TELEMETRY_SETTINGS_KEYS = Object.keys(TELEMETRY_SETTINGS_VALIDATORS) as (keyof TelemetrySettings)[];

src/components/Composer.tsx

@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import { composerDrafts } from "../lib/composerDraft.ts";
 import { paneStorageId } from "../../shared/machines.ts";
 import {
   agentDisplayLabel,
+  composerKeyboard,
   composerModelDraw,
   composerSendShown,
   composerStatusCompact,
@@ -1070,9 +1071,7 @@ export function Composer({
           aria-controls={menuOpen ? menuId : undefined}
           aria-expanded={menuOpen}
           aria-activedescendant={menuOpen ? `${menuId}-${selectedIndex}` : undefined}
-          spellCheck={false}
-          autoCapitalize="off"
-          autoCorrect="off"
+          {...composerKeyboard(settings.chatAutocorrect)}
           // stays editable while the socket reconnects (sending waits for it): a phone's
           // dictation keyboard opens its own app and comes back, the socket may drop meanwhile,
           // and a disabled box would lose its focus and the dictated text with it

src/components/PaneTerminal.tsx

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import { EMPTY_DRAFT, applyToDraft, draftIsEmpty, restoreDraft, type InputDraft
 import { messageQueues } from "../lib/messageQueue.ts";
 import { pendingMessages } from "../lib/pendingMessages.ts";
 import { heldCountShown, heldOpenAtFold, heldOpenOnFocus, heldRefocusDue, heldRowError, heldRowsFold, heldRowsHidden, heldToggleShown, SHORT_PHONE_QUERY } from "../lib/heldRows.ts";
-import { type DraftRefusal, MAX_COMPOSER_CHARS, QUEUE_READY_STATUS, agentDisplayLabel, composerDelivery, composerMessage, composerPayload, submitNote, submitNotTyped, submitRefusal } from "../lib/compose.ts";
+import { type DraftRefusal, MAX_COMPOSER_CHARS, QUEUE_READY_STATUS, agentDisplayLabel, composerDelivery, composerKeyboard, composerMessage, composerPayload, submitNote, submitNotTyped, submitRefusal } from "../lib/compose.ts";
 import { afterRead, afterSend, afterSettled, composerLift, greetingMemory, rememberGreeting, greetingFits, greetingFolder, roomOverComposer, showsGreeting, type ChatRead } from "../lib/greeting.ts";
 import { answerFromText, answerHint, answerRefusal, needsConfirmation, type TypedAnswer } from "../lib/promptAnswer.ts";
 import { ApiError, assertAttachable, fetchPaneScroll, fetchPaneSelection, scrollPane } from "../lib/api.ts";
@@ -2439,7 +2439,7 @@ export function PaneTerminal({
               aria-label={t("Queued message {n}", { n: index + 1 })}
               maxLength={MAX_COMPOSER_CHARS}
               disabled={queueStore.isSending(message.id)}
-              spellCheck={false} autoCapitalize="off" autoCorrect="off"
+              {...composerKeyboard(settings.chatAutocorrect)}
               onChange={(event) => { queueStore.edit(queueOwner, message.id, event.target.value); }}
             />
             <div className="composer-queue-actions">

src/components/SettingsDialog.tsx

@@ -229,6 +229,9 @@ function ChatPage() {
         <SettingsRow label={t("Enter sends")} description={t("When off, Mod+Enter sends")}>
           <Toggle label={t("Enter sends")} checked={settings.enterSends} onChange={(enterSends) => update({ enterSends })} />
         </SettingsRow>
+        <SettingsRow label={t("Autocorrect")} description={t("The keyboard corrects, suggests and capitalizes what you type in the message box, on this device. Off, text stays exactly as typed.")}>
+          <Toggle label={t("Autocorrect")} checked={settings.chatAutocorrect} onChange={(chatAutocorrect) => update({ chatAutocorrect })} />
+        </SettingsRow>
         <SettingsRow label={t("Files at once")} description={t("How many files one paste, pick or drop attaches. The rest are left out, and the message box says how many.")}>
           <Stepper label={t("Files at once")} value={settings.attachLimit} text={String(settings.attachLimit)} min={ATTACH_LIMIT_MIN} max={ATTACH_LIMIT_MAX} decreaseLabel={t("Attach fewer files at once")} increaseLabel={t("Attach more files at once")} onChange={(attachLimit) => update({ attachLimit })} />
         </SettingsRow>

src/lib/api.test.ts

@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ it("posts the full safe telemetry snapshot and current notice version", async ()
   const body = JSON.parse(String(requestInit?.body)) as Record<string, unknown>;
   expect(body).toEqual(change);
   expect(body).not.toHaveProperty("changed_settings");
-  expect(Object.keys(body.settings as object)).toHaveLength(53);
+  expect(Object.keys(body.settings as object)).toHaveLength(54);
   expect(body.settings).not.toHaveProperty("terminalFontFamily");
   expect(body.settings).not.toHaveProperty("chatFontFamily");
   expect(body.settings).not.toHaveProperty("usageHidden");

src/lib/compose.test.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from "bun:test";
 
-import { agentDisplayLabel, composerDelivery, composerMessage, terminalOnlyCommand, composerSendShown, composerPayload, composerModelDraw, composerStatusCompact, composerStatusHint, composerStatusWord, COMPOSER_STATUS_COMPACT_BELOW, contextLeftPercent, formatTokens, imageMention, insertLeadingMention, MAX_COMPOSER_CHARS, QUEUE_READY_STATUS, rankSlashCommands, submitNote, submitNotTyped, submitRefusal, sameMessage } from "./compose.ts";
+import { agentDisplayLabel, composerDelivery, composerKeyboard, composerMessage, terminalOnlyCommand, composerSendShown, composerPayload, composerModelDraw, composerStatusCompact, composerStatusHint, composerStatusWord, COMPOSER_STATUS_COMPACT_BELOW, contextLeftPercent, formatTokens, imageMention, insertLeadingMention, MAX_COMPOSER_CHARS, QUEUE_READY_STATUS, rankSlashCommands, submitNote, submitNotTyped, submitRefusal, sameMessage } from "./compose.ts";
 
 describe("composerMessage and submitNote", () => {
   it("keeps the message as written for agent.prompt: inner newlines stay, the composer's own trailing ones go", () => {
@@ -292,3 +292,10 @@ describe("commands the chat cannot finish", () => {
     expect(terminalOnlyCommand(null, "/tree")).toBeNull();
   });
 });
+
+describe("composerKeyboard", () => {
+  it("keeps the keyboard's corrections off unless the setting turns them on", () => {
+    expect(composerKeyboard(false)).toEqual({ spellCheck: false, autoCapitalize: "off", autoCorrect: "off" });
+    expect(composerKeyboard(true)).toEqual({ spellCheck: true, autoCapitalize: "sentences", autoCorrect: "on" });
+  });
+});

src/lib/compose.ts

@@ -24,6 +24,14 @@ export function composerMessage(text: string): string {
   return text.replace(/[\r\n]+$/, "").replace(/\r\n?/g, "\n");
 }
 
+/** The message box's keyboard attributes: off by default, since commands, paths and code go through the same box;
+ * on, the device keyboard corrects, suggests and capitalizes sentences (Settings → Chat → Autocorrect). */
+export function composerKeyboard(autocorrect: boolean): { spellCheck: boolean; autoCapitalize: "sentences" | "off"; autoCorrect: "on" | "off" } {
+  return autocorrect
+    ? { spellCheck: true, autoCapitalize: "sentences", autoCorrect: "on" }
+    : { spellCheck: false, autoCapitalize: "off", autoCorrect: "off" };
+}
+
 /** The text a composer message types, without its submit (HerdrSocket.submit adds the Enter). */
 export function composerPayload(text: string, bracketedPaste: boolean): string {
   const body = composerMessage(text).replace(/\n/g, "\r");

src/lib/i18n.ja.ts

@@ -100,6 +100,8 @@ export const JA: Record<string, string> = {
   "Composer": "入力欄",
   "Enter sends": "Enter で送信",
   "When off, Mod+Enter sends": "オフの場合は Mod+Enter で送信します",
+  "Autocorrect": "自動修正",
+  "The keyboard corrects, suggests and capitalizes what you type in the message box, on this device. Off, text stays exactly as typed.": "この端末で、メッセージ欄に入力した内容をキーボードが修正・予測し、文頭を大文字にします。オフの場合は入力したとおりのままです。",
   "Files at once": "一度に添付するファイル数",
   "How many files one paste, pick or drop attaches. The rest are left out, and the message box says how many.": "1 回の貼り付け、選択、ドロップで添付するファイルの数です。残りは添付されず、何件かをメッセージ欄に表示します。",
   "Attach fewer files at once": "一度に添付するファイルを減らす",

src/lib/i18n.ko.ts

@@ -98,6 +98,8 @@ export const KO: Record<string, string> = {
   "Composer": "입력창",
   "Enter sends": "Enter로 보내기",
   "When off, Mod+Enter sends": "끄면 Mod+Enter로 보냅니다",
+  "Autocorrect": "자동 수정",
+  "The keyboard corrects, suggests and capitalizes what you type in the message box, on this device. Off, text stays exactly as typed.": "이 기기에서 메시지 상자에 입력하는 내용을 키보드가 고치고, 제안하고, 문장 첫 글자를 대문자로 바꿉니다. 끄면 입력한 그대로 남습니다.",
   "Files at once": "한 번에 첨부할 파일 수",
   "How many files one paste, pick or drop attaches. The rest are left out, and the message box says how many.": "붙여넣기, 선택 또는 끌어놓기 한 번에 첨부되는 파일 수입니다. 나머지는 제외되며 메시지 입력창에 몇 개인지 표시됩니다.",
   "Attach fewer files at once": "한 번에 첨부할 파일 줄이기",

src/lib/i18n.tr.ts

@@ -98,6 +98,8 @@ export const TR: Record<string, string> = {
   "Composer": "Mesaj yazma alanı",
   "Enter sends": "Enter gönderir",
   "When off, Mod+Enter sends": "Kapalıyken Mod+Enter gönderir",
+  "Autocorrect": "Otomatik düzeltme",
+  "The keyboard corrects, suggests and capitalizes what you type in the message box, on this device. Off, text stays exactly as typed.": "Bu cihazda klavye, mesaj kutusuna yazdıklarınızı düzeltir, öneride bulunur ve cümle başlarını büyük harf yapar. Kapalıyken metin tam yazıldığı gibi kalır.",
   "Files at once": "Tek seferde dosya",
   "How many files one paste, pick or drop attaches. The rest are left out, and the message box says how many.": "Bir yapıştırma, seçim veya bırakmanın eklediği dosya sayısı. Kalanlar eklenmez ve mesaj kutusu kaç tane olduğunu söyler.",
   "Attach fewer files at once": "Tek seferde daha az dosya ekle",

src/lib/i18n.zh.ts

@@ -102,6 +102,8 @@ export const ZH: Record<string, string> = {
   "Composer": "输入框",
   "Enter sends": "按 Enter 发送",
   "When off, Mod+Enter sends": "关闭后按 Mod+Enter 发送",
+  "Autocorrect": "自动更正",
+  "The keyboard corrects, suggests and capitalizes what you type in the message box, on this device. Off, text stays exactly as typed.": "在此设备上，键盘会更正、联想你在消息框中输入的内容，并将句首字母大写。关闭后，文字保持输入时的原样。",
   "Files at once": "每次附加的文件数",
   "How many files one paste, pick or drop attaches. The rest are left out, and the message box says how many.": "一次粘贴、选择或拖放附加的文件数。其余文件不会附加，消息框会显示数量。",
   "Attach fewer files at once": "每次附加更少文件",

src/lib/settings.test.ts

@@ -755,3 +755,12 @@ it("keeps plain chat paging opt-in and saves the keyboard choice on this device"
   }
   for (const chatPageKeys of [null, "true", 1]) expect(sanitizeSettings({ chatPageKeys }).chatPageKeys).toBe(false);
 });
+
+it("keeps the composer's keyboard corrections off until this device turns them on", () => {
+  expect(DEFAULT_SETTINGS.chatAutocorrect).toBe(false);
+  expect(SETTING_SCOPE.chatAutocorrect).toBe("device");
+  for (const chatAutocorrect of [true, false]) {
+    expect(sanitizeSettings(JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(sanitizeSettings({ chatAutocorrect })))).chatAutocorrect).toBe(chatAutocorrect);
+  }
+  for (const chatAutocorrect of [null, "true", 1]) expect(sanitizeSettings({ chatAutocorrect }).chatAutocorrect).toBe(false);
+});

src/lib/settings.ts

@@ -113,6 +113,9 @@ export interface Settings {
   chatWidth: ChatWidth;
   /** true: Enter sends in the composer, Shift+Enter breaks the line; false: Ctrl/Cmd+Enter sends */
   enterSends: boolean;
+  /** the device keyboard's autocorrect, suggestions, spell check and sentence capitals in the composer and queued
+   *  messages (lib/compose.ts composerKeyboard); off by default, as commands and paths go through the same box */
+  chatAutocorrect: boolean;
   /** how many files one paste, pick or drop attaches; the rest are left out with a note */
   attachLimit: number;
   /** true: a message sent while the agent works goes by itself when the turn ends; false: it waits for Send now */
@@ -237,6 +240,7 @@ export function telemetrySettingsSnapshot(settings: Settings): TelemetrySettings
     pageOverlapRows: settings.pageOverlapRows,
     chatPageKeys: settings.chatPageKeys,
     attachLimit: settings.attachLimit,
+    chatAutocorrect: settings.chatAutocorrect,
   };
 }
 
@@ -253,7 +257,7 @@ export const SETTING_SCOPE = {
   terminalInputMode: "device", keyBarExtras: "device", keyBarItems: "device", shortcutOverrides: "device", pageOverlapRows: "device", chatPageKeys: "device", density: "device",
   quietOpenedDone: "device", terminalFontSize: "device", terminalCursorStyle: "device", terminalCursorBlink: "device",
   terminalWheelSpeed: "device", terminalFontFamily: "device", paneClipboard: "device", releasePaneAway: "device",
-  narrowPaneFont: "device", chatFontSize: "device", chatFontFamily: "device", chatWidth: "device", enterSends: "device", attachLimit: "device",
+  narrowPaneFont: "device", chatFontSize: "device", chatFontFamily: "device", chatWidth: "device", enterSends: "device", chatAutocorrect: "device", attachLimit: "device",
   keepScreenOn: "device", alertsOn: "device", alertInput: "device", alertDone: "device", alertInApp: "device", alertSound: "device",
   voiceInput: "device", voiceLanguage: "device", voicePolishChat: "device", voicePolishTerminal: "device",
   // Viewer layout follows this screen, as chatWidth does; highlighting remains shared.
@@ -293,6 +297,7 @@ export const DEFAULT_SETTINGS: Settings = {
   chatFontFamily: "",
   chatWidth: "default",
   enterSends: true,
+  chatAutocorrect: false,
   attachLimit: 20,
   autoSendQueued: true,
   showThinking: false,
@@ -466,6 +471,7 @@ export function sanitizeSettings(raw: unknown): Settings {
     chatFontFamily: sanitizeFontFamily(record["chatFontFamily"]),
     chatWidth: CHAT_WIDTHS.includes(record["chatWidth"] as ChatWidth) ? record["chatWidth"] as ChatWidth : DEFAULT_SETTINGS.chatWidth,
     enterSends: typeof record["enterSends"] === "boolean" ? record["enterSends"] : DEFAULT_SETTINGS.enterSends,
+    chatAutocorrect: typeof record["chatAutocorrect"] === "boolean" ? record["chatAutocorrect"] : DEFAULT_SETTINGS.chatAutocorrect,
     attachLimit: typeof record["attachLimit"] === "number" && Number.isFinite(record["attachLimit"])
       ? Math.min(ATTACH_LIMIT_MAX, Math.max(ATTACH_LIMIT_MIN, Math.round(record["attachLimit"])))
       : DEFAULT_SETTINGS.attachLimit,

telemetry/worker.test.ts

@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ const settings: TelemetrySettings = {
   pageOverlapRows: 1,
   chatPageKeys: false,
   attachLimit: 20,
+  chatAutocorrect: false,
 };
 const now = new Date("2026-10-08T13:45:00Z");