Check NSString for special characters
NSCharacterSet * set = [[NSCharacterSet alphanumericCharacterSet] invertedSet]; if ([aString rangeOfCharacterFromSet:set].location != NSNotFound) { NSLog(@”This string contains illegal characters”); } You could also use a regex (this syntax is from RegexKitLite: http://regexkit.sourceforge.net ): if ([aString isMatchedByRegex:@”[^a-zA-Z0-9]”]) { NSLog(@”This string contains illegal characters”); }