Spell check not working in Word usually comes down to one of four things: proofing is off, the wrong language is selected, the document is set to skip checks, or an add-in is interfering.
Start with a manual check, then move through the settings that control red underlines, Editor, dictionaries, and repair tools.
1. Run Word’s spell checker first
Start here because it tells you whether Word’s proofing engine is working at all.
Open the document in Word.
Press F7, or open Review > Spelling & Grammar.
In newer Word versions with Editor, use Home > Editor or Review > Spelling & Grammar.
For each result, choose Change, Ignore once, Ignore All, or Add to dictionary.
When Word catches mistakes here, automatic checking, language settings, ignored errors, or document proofing settings need attention next.
2. Turn automatic checking back on
On Windows: Open File > Options > Proofing.
Select Check spelling as you type, turn on the grammar options available in your Word build, then select OK.
On Mac: Open Word > Preferences > Spelling & Grammar.
Under Spelling, select Check spelling as you type.
Under Grammar, select Check grammar as you type, then close the dialog box.
In Word for the web: Open Review > Editor > Editor Settings.
Turn on the spelling and grammar categories you want Editor to check, then close the Editor pane so the settings apply.
3. Stop Word from skipping your text
A document can mark selected text, or the whole file, as text that Word should not check.
Clear that setting before changing anything deeper.
- 1.Press Ctrl + A to select the whole document, or select the affected text.
- 2.Open Review > Language > Set Proofing Language.
- 3.Clear Do not check spelling or grammar.
- 4.Choose the correct proofing language.
- 5.Select OK.
In Word for the web, open Review > Editor > Set Proofing Language, then clear Don’t check spelling or grammar.
4. Pick the correct proofing language
Word checks spelling against the proofing language assigned to the document.
If the document is set to the wrong language, Word flags the wrong words or misses the words you expect it to catch.
Open Review > Language > Language Preferences.
Under Office authoring languages and proofing, select the language you want, then select OK.
You can also open Review > Language > Set Proofing Language, choose the language, then select OK.
For mixed-language documents, open Review > Language > Set Proofing Language and select Detect language automatically.
If Word keeps choosing the wrong language, clear Detect language automatically and set the language manually.
5. Add the proofing tools Word needs
Open File > Options > Language.
Under Office authoring languages and proofing, select Add a Language....
Choose the language you need.
Select Add.
If the language shows Proofing available, select that link to download and install its proofing tools.
Select the language, then choose Set as Preferred so Word uses it first; the preferred language appears in bold at the top of the list.
On Windows 11, also check the keyboard language Word is working with.
Open Start > Settings > Time & language > Language & region, select the language, open Options, select Add a keyboard, then choose the keyboard you want.
6. Reset ignored errors and clean up dictionaries
Word remembers spelling and grammar issues you ignored in the current document.
Reset them when misspelled words stay unmarked after the main settings are correct.
On Windows: Open File > Options > Proofing > Recheck Document.
Select Yes, select OK, then run Spelling & Grammar again.
On Mac: Open Tools > Spelling and Grammar > Reset Ignored Words and Grammar.
Select Yes, then open Review > Spelling & Grammar.
Now check the custom dictionary.
Open File > Options > Proofing.
Clear Suggest from main dictionary only, select Custom Dictionaries, choose your dictionary, leave its checkbox selected, then select Edit Word List.
Use Add, Delete, or edit the entries shown there.
7. Review proofing options that ignore words
Some Proofing settings tell Word to skip specific kinds of text.
Open File > Options > Proofing, then check these options.
Clear Ignore words in UPPERCASE to check all-caps words.
Clear Ignore words that contain numbers to check words with numbers inside them.
Clear Ignore Internet and file addresses to check URLs and file-style text.
Select Flag repeated words to catch duplicated words.
These proofing-option changes apply across Office programs.
8. Disable add-ins, then update or repair Word
Safe Mode is the fastest way to test whether an add-in is behind the problem on Windows.
Close Word.
Open Search, type Run, then open Run.
Type winword /safe.
Press Enter.
Test spell check in Safe Mode.
If spell check works, open File > Options > Add-Ins.
In Manage, choose Word Add-ins or COM Add-ins, then select Go.
Clear one add-in checkbox, select OK, restart Word normally, and repeat until the problem add-in is off.
Next, update Word.
On Windows, open File > Account > Update Options > Update Now.
If updates are disabled, choose Enable Updates first.
On Mac, open Word > Help > Check for Updates.
In Microsoft AutoUpdate, select Update or Update All, then restart Word.
When Windows Word still fails after updating, repair Office.
On Windows 11, right-click Start, open Installed apps, select your Microsoft 365 or Office product, choose Modify, then select Online Repair > Repair.
This repairs the whole Office suite.
9. Check mobile Word and work account limits
On iPad: Open the Review tab, select the Spell Check icon, then turn on Spelling.
On Android tablet: Open the Review tab, then select the Spell Check icon.
On iPhone: Tap the Edit icon, open Home > Review > Proofing tools, then turn on Spelling.
For mobile AutoCorrect on iPhone or iPad, open Settings > General > Keyboard, then turn on Auto-Correction.
On Android, use the device maker’s keyboard and language settings.
On a work or school account, connected proofing features and Editor controls can be limited by privacy settings or organization policy.
Open File > Account > Account Privacy > Manage Settings when your organization allows user control.
If proofing commands are greyed out, contact your organization admin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Word only miss spelling mistakes in part of my document?
That section is likely using a different proofing language or has “Do not check spelling or grammar” applied. Select the affected text, open Review > Language > Set Proofing Language, clear that option, choose the correct language, and select OK.
Why is Word checking English UK instead of English US?
The document or selected text is assigned to the wrong proofing language. Use Review > Language > Language Preferences or Review > Language > Set Proofing Language, choose the English version you want, and select OK.
Does reinstalling Office fix spell check in Word?
Use reinstalling only after the faster fixes, updates, add-in testing, and Office repair. Microsoft’s current Windows repair path is Start > Installed apps > Microsoft 365 or Office > Modify > Online Repair > Repair.
Can Word for the web change spell check settings?
Yes. In Word for the web, use Review > Editor > Editor Settings to turn spelling and grammar categories on, and use Review > Editor > Set Proofing Language to clear the “Don’t check spelling or grammar” checkbox.