[GNC] How to Disable AutoComplete?

Wed Nov 26 00:52:56 EST 2025

R Losey,

Try an exact match in the description field.

https://lists.gnucash.org/pipermail/gnucash-user/2025-November/118387.html

> On 11/25/2025 9:36 PM PST R Losey <rlosey at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>  
> Curious; I have the 5.12 build on my iMac and both Esc and "Don't
> AutoComplete" work flawlessly for me: I typed "Ama" and it pulled up Amazon
> stuff, but hitting Esc left it as "Ama" (as did selecting "Don't
> AutoComplete").
> 
> I assume that it works the same on Windows... I have Windows 10 with a
> (relatively) recent build of 5.13... I can try it there if you like.
> 
> 
> 
> On Tue, Nov 25, 2025 at 5:53 PM Tom Route36 <tom.route36 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > Hi Sherlock,
> >
> > Thanks for the advice as to pressing Esc or selecting Don't AutoComplete
> > before hitting Tab.  That's pretty much what everyone has been
> > suggesting here.  It's also what I've been trying all along to get
> > around this issue.  Unfortunately, that method isn't working.  If I type
> > in anything for the Description that GnuCash has seen previously, that
> > earlier entry will appear in the drop-down list.  And whether I hit Esc
> > at that point, or select Don't AutoComplete from the top of the list, it
> > doesn't seem to matter. Once I try to continue the entry by hitting the
> > Tab key, GnuCash still insists on AutoCompleting the entry with the most
> > recent transaction it finds for whatever I typed into the Description
> > field.
> >
> > The way that GnuCash is behaving here seems like something I'd call a
> > bug; since it certainly seems like hitting Esc should stop the
> > AutoCompletion.  But that's not happening.
> >
> > For David who asked about the GnuCash release and OS version, I'm
> > running Windows 11 Home Version 24H2 OS Build 26100.6584.  And I've
> > confirmed this problem with the two latest stable versions of GnuCash:
> > with both v5.12 Build ID: 5.12+(2025-06-28) and with v5.13 Build ID:
> > 5.13+(2025-09-27).
> >
> > I have come up with a fairly reliable workaround for this problem;
> > although I have to say it's not something I really like.  My workaround
> > is to leave the Description field completely BLANK.  And I just go ahead
> > and enter all the amounts and details in the Splits.  Once all those
> > details are entered, I go and save the Transaction -- yes, with a BLANK
> > Description field.  After saving the Transaction that way, then I go
> > back and edit the Transaction to type in whatever the Description field
> > should actually be.  And since I'm only editing an existing Transaction,
> > GnuCash is happy to leave things alone and no longer try to AutoComplete
> > anything.  This solution of mine does work; but as noted above, it's not
> > something that I really like.  I think the proper solution would be for
> > GnuCash to recognize the Esc key up front as a flag to stop doing the
> > AutoCompletion.  Or, even better, have a Preference setting in GnuCash
> > to let the user decide whether or not they want to enable AutoCompletion.
> >
> > Anyway, that's where things stand right now for me.  If you need any
> > additional details, or would like me to try some other solution for this
> > issue, just let me know.
> >
> > Tom
> >
> >
> > On 11/25/2025 11:56 AM, Sherlock wrote:
> > > Hi Tom,
> > >
> > > There is no preference setting to disable autocomplete.   If you don't
> > > want GnuCash to match the earlier transaction, press the Esc key (or
> > > select Don't Autocomplete in the pull-down menu) before you hit the
> > > Tab key.
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > >
> > > Sherlock
> > >
> > > On 11/25/25 1:22 AM, Tom Route36 wrote:
> > >> Hi.  I'm still learning my way around GnuCash; so forgive this
> > >> beginner question.  When I go to enter a new transaction into a
> > >> register and what I am entering into the Description field matches an
> > >> earlier transaction, GnuCash will automatically fill in the amount
> > >> and the split details exactly as it was recorded previously for that
> > >> earlier transaction.
> > >>
> > >> For example, let's say my earlier transaction had the Description
> > >> "Walmart - Sacramento" with a Tot Charge amount of $154.26, and the
> > >> Split consisted of 9 entries.  If a couple weeks later I go to enter
> > >> a new transaction with the same Description ("Walmart - Sacramento")
> > >> and I hit the Tab key to type in whatever new Tot Charge amount I
> > >> want to record, what happens is that GnuCash will automatically
> > >> fill-in that same earlier $154.26 amount before I have any chance to
> > >> enter my new Tot Charge amount.  Worse yet, it fills in the 9 Split
> > >> entries for the new transaction to match that earlier transaction as
> > >> well.
> > >>
> > >> Not only is this annoying; but GnuCash gets bogged down and slows my
> > >> system down while it tries to recall the Split details of that
> > >> earlier transaction.  Is there a preference setting somewhere to stop
> > >> GnuCash from trying to AutoComplete my new transactions with the
> > >> details of my earlier transactions?
> > >>
> > >> Tom
> > >
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> 
> -- 
> _________________________________
> Richard Losey
> rlosey at gmail.com
> Micah 6:8
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