To change the proofing language in Word on Windows, select your text, open Review > Language > Set Proofing Language, choose a language, and select OK. For Word’s menus, open File > Options > Language, select a language under Office display language, choose Set as Preferred, and restart Office.
Spelling checks, menus, and keyboard input have separate language settings, and changing them does not translate existing text. The desktop steps cover Word for Microsoft 365 and Word 2024 unless otherwise stated, and the Windows settings paths use Windows 11 menus.
The short version
- Spelling and grammar: Change the proofing language for the text you select.
- Menus and buttons: Change the Office display language on Windows or the app, account, or device language on other platforms.
- Keyboard input: Switch your keyboard language separately when you need a different typing layout.
- Existing content: Use translation when you want the words themselves converted into another language.
| What you want to change | Where to start | What it affects |
|---|---|---|
| Windows proofing language | Review > Language > Set Proofing Language | Selected text or upcoming typing |
| Windows menu language | File > Options > Language | Office interface |
| Office authoring preference | Office authoring languages and proofing | Preferred authoring language and installed proofing tools |
| Mac proofing language | Review > Language | Selected text or upcoming typing |
| Mac document default | Tools > Language > Default | New documents |
| Mac menu language | System Settings > General > Language & Region | Word alone or the Mac’s system language |
| Web proofing language | Review > Editor > Set Proofing Language | Text in your browser document |
| Web menu language | Document host or Microsoft account language settings | Word for the web interface |
| iPhone proofing language | Edit > Home > Review > Proofing tools > Proofing Language | Spelling checks |
| iPad proofing language | Review > Spell Check > Proofing Language | Spelling checks |
| Android phone proofing language | Edit > Review > Proofing and Language | Spelling checks |
| Android tablet proofing language | Language selector on the Review ribbon | Spelling checks |
| Mobile menu language | Device language settings | Device and Word interface |
| Typing language | Device keyboard settings | Keyboard input layout |
| Automatic proofing language changes | Detect language automatically in the Windows proofing dialog | How Word identifies the text’s language |
Change the spelling and grammar language on Windows
Select the text you want Word to check in another language. Open Review > Language > Set Proofing Language, select the language, then choose OK. Different parts of the same document can use different proofing languages.
For the document’s main text, press Ctrl + A before opening the language dialog. To choose the language for upcoming typing instead, place the insertion point where you want to begin, then follow the same menu path.
With English ribbon shortcuts, select the text and press Alt + R, then U, then L in sequence to open the language dialog. Choose the proofing language and select OK. Another route is to type Language in the Microsoft Search box at the top of Word, select Language Options > Set Proofing Language, then choose the language and select OK.
Change Word’s menu language on Windows
Open File > Options > Language. Under Office display language, select the language you want, choose Set as Preferred, then restart Office. This changes the Office interface without translating your document.
When your language is missing, select Add a Language... under Office display language. Choose the language and select Add; installation permissions may be required. After installation, select it, choose Set as Preferred, and restart Office.
To make Office follow your Windows display language, select Match Microsoft Windows [Language] in the same display-language area. On Windows 11, open Start > Settings > Time & language > Language & region and choose a language under Windows display language. Select Sign out, then sign back in to apply the system-language change.
If the Windows language is missing, select Add a language on that page, choose the language, and select Next. Check Language pack, check Set as my Windows display language, then select Install. Your Windows edition must support multiple display languages.
Add an authoring language and proofing tools
For an Office-wide authoring preference, open File > Options > Language. Under Office authoring languages and proofing, select your language and choose Set as Preferred. Apply a proofing language directly to selected text when existing passages need a different language.
To add another authoring language, open Review > Language > Language preferences > Add a language. Choose the language, check Get proofing tools, and select Add. For an existing language marked Proofing available, select that link to install its tools.
You can also download Microsoft’s Language Accessory Pack. Select Newer versions, choose your language, and download the version matching your Office installation’s 32-bit or 64-bit architecture. Run the installer, then return to File > Options > Language to configure it. Interface and proofing coverage vary by language.
Change Word’s language on Mac
To change spelling and grammar checks, select your text or place the insertion point where you will type. Open Review > Language, choose the language, and select OK. For new documents, open Tools > Language, choose a language, then select Default > OK.
For Word’s interface, you can use Apple’s individual app language setting. Open the Apple menu > System Settings > General > Language & Region > Applications. Click Add, choose Microsoft Word and a supported language, then click Add again. Quit and reopen Word to apply the choice.
To change the Mac’s system language, open the Apple menu > System Settings > General > Language & Region. Under Preferred Languages, click Add if you need to add your language, then drag it to the top. Quit and reopen Word, and restart the Mac if required; a separate Word app-language override takes precedence. Word includes its available Mac language resources, so you do not need a Windows language-pack download.
Change the language in Word for the web
In your browser document, select the text or place the insertion point where you want to type. Open Review > Editor > Set Proofing Language, choose the language, and select OK. You can also right-click in the document, select Set Proofing Language, choose the language, and select OK.
Word for the web normally follows the display language of the service hosting the document. For a document opened from personal OneDrive, open OneDrive’s Settings, select the currently displayed language, choose another language, and select Select. Reopen your Word document from OneDrive afterward.
Your personal Microsoft account also has a display-language preference. Sign in to your Microsoft account profile and choose the preferred display language in the profile settings. Configure desktop Office’s interface language separately.
For a work or school account, sign in to Microsoft 365 and open Settings > Change your language > Display Language. Select the pencil icon and choose your language. Microsoft says these changes can take up to 24 hours.
If your organization shows the alternate settings page, open Settings > Microsoft 365 settings > Settings > Language and time zone, choose the language, and select Save. If your organization manages the language setting, contact its IT administrator.
Change the language on iPhone and iPad
On iPhone, tap Edit > Home > Review > Proofing tools > Proofing Language, then choose the language. On iPad, open Review > Spell Check > Proofing Language and make your selection.
To change the interface language Word follows, open your device’s Settings > General > Language & Region > Add Language. Choose your language, then select it as the primary language in the alert. This changes the device interface too.
For typing, open Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard and choose your keyboard. While typing in Word, hold the Globe key and select the language.
Change the language on Android
On an Android phone, tap Edit > Review > Proofing and Language, then choose the proofing language. On an Android tablet, open Review and select the proofing language from the ribbon.
Word’s Android interface can follow your device language. On a current Pixel, open Settings > System > Language and region > Preferred language > Add a language. Choose the language, drag it to the top, and reopen Word. Other Android manufacturers use different settings labels.
With Gboard already installed, tap a text-entry area in Word and open the keyboard’s Settings > Languages > Add keyboard. Choose the language and layout, then select Done. Hold the Space bar to switch languages without changing the device’s display language.
Switch the typing language on your computer
On Windows 11, open Start > Settings > Time & language > Language & region. Open the language’s ellipsis menu, select Language options > Add a keyboard, and choose the layout. In Word, select the taskbar’s input-language icon to choose that keyboard, or hold Windows and press Spacebar.
On Mac, open the Apple menu > System Settings > Keyboard > Text Input > Edit. Click Add, select an input source, then click Add again. Choose it from the menu bar’s Input menu while using Word, or press Control + Space to select the previous input source. Press Control + Option + Space to select the next input source.
Fix unwanted proofing language changes
If Windows Word keeps choosing the wrong proofing language, select the affected text and open Review > Language > Set Proofing Language. Uncheck Detect language automatically, select the intended language, and choose OK. This gives that text an explicit language choice.
For automatic detection instead, first enable the relevant authoring languages and install their proofing tools. Open the same proofing dialog, check Detect language automatically, and select OK. Detection needs sufficient text, so choose the language manually for short passages that Word misidentifies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does changing the language in Word translate my document?
No, display and proofing settings do not translate existing content. In Microsoft 365 Word on Windows or Mac, or Word for the web, open Review > Translate > Translate Document, choose the target language, and select Translate to create a translated copy. Internet access and connected experiences are required.
Why did selecting all text miss the language in a header or text box?
Ctrl + A targets the document’s main text. Headers, footnotes, and text boxes may require separate selections before you apply the proofing language.
How do I change the language Word uses for dictation?
In Microsoft 365 Word on Windows or Mac, open Home > Dictate, select the dictation settings gear, and choose Spoken Language. Select the language you will speak, then dictate your content. Desktop dictation requires a subscription, a microphone, and internet access.
Can I remove an unwanted authoring language?
Yes, in Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, first make another language preferred if necessary. Open File > Options > Language, select the unwanted language under Office authoring languages and proofing, then choose Remove. Removing an authoring language does not translate existing text or remove its existing language tags.
How do I restore Word’s system language on Mac after choosing an app language?
Open the Apple menu > System Settings > General > Language & Region > Applications. Select Word’s entry and click Remove to restore the system default, then quit and reopen Word.
Can the Microsoft Editor browser extension change proofing in Word for the web?
No, the Microsoft Editor browser extension does not control proofing suggestions inside Word for the web. Word supplies its own Editor, so use the language controls within your document.