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Verified for macOS Tahoe 26.2

How to Fix Freeform Text Duplication Bug in macOS Tahoe 26.2

Users on macOS Tahoe 26.2 have reported a frustrating bug in the Freeform app where text suddenly duplicates. This typically happens when typing a period (.) or a slash (/), causing the entire sentence or paragraph to repeat itself in the text box.

TL;DR fix

Start with Fix 1: Reset Freeform Container. If the issue persists after that, try Fix 2: Disable Smart Punctuation. Full Terminal commands and step-by-step instructions are in each section below.

While Apple is expected to fix this in a future update, you can resolve it using the following methods.

Method 1: Reset Freeform Container

The duplication issue is often caused by a corrupted cache or state in the Freeform container.

  1. Close Freeform.
  2. Open Terminal (Command + Space, type "Terminal").
  3. Run the following command to clear the Freeform container:
rm -rf ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.freeform
  1. Restart your Mac.

Method 2: Disable Smart Punctuation

Since the bug is triggered by periods and slashes, disabling smart punctuation can sometimes prevent the glitch.

  1. Go to System Settings > Keyboard.
  2. Click Edit next to Input Sources.
  3. Toggle off "Use smart quotes and dashes".
  4. Test Freeform to see if the duplication continues.

Method 3: Check iCloud Sync

If Freeform is struggling to sync a specific board, the "collision" of local and cloud data can result in duplicated text blocks.

  1. Go to System Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud.
  2. Click Show All.
  3. Toggle Freeform OFF.
  4. Choose "Delete from Mac" (your data remains in iCloud).
  5. Toggle it back ON.

Method 4: Update to Tahoe 26.3 or 26.4 Beta

Apple has addressed several stability issues in newer builds. If you are on 26.2, check for updates:

  1. Go to System Settings > General > Software Update.
  2. Install any available version (like 26.3).

Tested and documented by the MacDebug team — about MacDebug. See also Mac Wi-Fi Drops After Sleep on Tahoe 26.2, Mail Indexing Loop on Tahoe 26.2, or browse all guides on macdebug.