A misspelled word in an email is easy to miss when Outlook's spell check is turned off, using the wrong language, or hidden behind Microsoft Editor. The right fix depends on where you write: new Outlook, classic Outlook, Outlook on the web, Outlook for Mac, or the mobile app. Start with the Outlook version in front of you, then tighten the language and autocorrect settings if mistakes still slip through.
Start with Editor in new Outlook
New Outlook for Windows uses Microsoft Editor to check spelling while you write. Open your email draft, go to the Message tab, choose Editor in the Proofing group, then select Open Editor.
In the Editor pane, select a category such as Spelling, then choose the correction you want. You can also choose Ignore Once or Don't check for this issue when Outlook flags text that should stay as written.
Red underlines work directly in the message body. Left-click an underlined word, then choose a suggested change or an ignore option.
If Editor does not flag the mistake, check the proofing language for that draft next.
Use Editor in Outlook on the web
Use this method when you send mail from Outlook.com or Outlook on the web in a browser. Editor is included when you are signed in with a Microsoft 365 account.
Open an email draft.
Go to the Message tab and select Editor in the Options group.
In the Editor pane, choose Spelling.
Accept a suggestion, or choose an ignore option.
To change what Editor checks, open the ... overflow menu in the simplified ribbon, or select the Editor icon in the classic ribbon.
Choose Editor, open Editor Settings, turn suggestion types on or off, then select OK.
Change the spell check language for one draft
Language mismatches are a common reason good words get marked wrong or real mistakes get missed.
- 1.In new Outlook for Windows, open the draft and select the ... overflow menu.
- 2.Choose Editor, then select Editor Settings.
- 3.Select Manage spellcheck languages.
- 4.Under Proofing languages, select + Add another language.
- 5.Choose the language, select Add, then select Done.
Run spell check in classic Outlook
Classic Outlook for Microsoft 365 also supports Microsoft Editor. While drafting an email, select the ... overflow menu in the simplified ribbon, or choose Editor in the classic ribbon, then review suggestions in the Editor pane.
You can also run the spelling and grammar checker directly from the message. Press F7, or use the ribbon shortcut Alt + V, Q, G, then choose actions such as Change, Ignore, or Add to Dictionary.
To check only part of an email, select the sentence or paragraph first, then press F7.
If manual checking works but Outlook is not checking as you type, turn on automatic spelling in classic Outlook.
Turn automatic checking on in classic Outlook
The most common cause in classic Outlook is that spelling checks as you type, grammar checks, or pre-send checking are disabled.
Select File, open Options, choose Mail, then select Spelling and Autocorrect.
Select Check spelling as you type.
If the grammar options are shown, select Mark grammar errors as you type, Check grammar with spelling, or both. Not every Office program includes every grammar option.
For a final check before messages leave your inbox, go to File, open Options, choose Mail, and select Always check spelling before sending under Compose messages.
When you select Send, Outlook checks spelling, and you can choose Cancel to stop and keep editing.
Reset words Outlook already ignored
This fixes drafts where Outlook stopped warning you about mistakes you previously ignored.
Open the email item you want to check again.
Select File, then open Options.
Choose Mail, then select Spelling and Autocorrect.
Select Recheck E-mail.
Choose Yes, then select OK.
Run spelling and grammar check again.
Control spelling in Outlook for Mac
Current Outlook for Mac can automatically detect and spell-check languages in your emails. If you added languages while Outlook was open, exit and restart Outlook first.
Open a new email, place the cursor in the message body, then select Edit, Spelling and Grammar, Language, and Language. Select Detect language automatically, choose OK, and type your message.
To control autocorrect in Outlook for Mac, select Outlook, open Settings..., then choose Spelling & Typing. Under Automatic Corrections and Typing Substitutions, turn Correct Spelling Automatically, Smart Quotes, Smart Dashes, and Text Replacement on or off.
If Outlook for Mac still misses typing errors, use macOS spelling controls from the same message window.
Fix mobile spell check through your keyboard
Outlook for iPhone, iPad, and Android does not have a separate Outlook spell-check switch. The mobile app uses autocorrect and suggestions from the active iOS or Android keyboard.
On iPhone or iPad, open Settings, choose General, then open Keyboard. Turn Auto-Correction on or off. In iOS 17 and later, tap a temporarily underlined autocorrected word and choose an option from the pop-up menu.
Predictive text is also controlled by the iOS keyboard. Touch and hold the smile emoji or globe icon, tap Keyboard Settings, then turn Predictive or Predictive Text on or off. You can also use Settings, General, Keyboard, then Predictive or Predictive Text.
On Android, use the correction bar and autocorrect from the keyboard you are typing with. For Microsoft SwiftKey, open the Microsoft SwiftKey app, choose Typing, and turn Auto-correct on or off; its prediction bar shows three suggestions, and you can tap any one of them. Pressing the spacebar inserts the middle prediction only when Auto-correct or Quick prediction insert is turned on.
Check browser and work account limits
If you use Outlook on the web, your browser can add its own spelling help.
In Microsoft Edge, go to edge://settings/languages, then under Writing assistance choose Microsoft Editor for enhanced spelling and grammar checking or Basic for local spellchecking.
In Chrome on desktop, open More, select Settings, then choose Languages. Under Spell check, turn Check for spelling errors when you type text on web pages on or off, then choose Basic or Enhanced spell check when Chrome offers the choice.
Firefox automatically checks words in multiline text boxes. To change that setting, open the Firefox menu, choose Settings, select General, then check or uncheck Check your spelling as you type.
On work or school accounts, some Editor and connected-experience features can be controlled by your organization. Personal Microsoft account users can review connected experiences in an Office app from File, Account, Account Privacy, and Manage Settings; basic Editor functionality remains available when connected experiences that analyze content are disabled.
Do not install the old Microsoft Editor browser extension for Outlook spell check in 2026. Microsoft retired the Edge and Chrome extensions on October 31, 2025, so use Outlook's built-in Editor or your browser's built-in proofing tools.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is spell check not working in Outlook?
The usual causes are a hidden Editor pane, automatic checking turned off in classic Outlook, the wrong proofing language in the draft, or mobile Outlook relying on the phone keyboard instead of an Outlook setting.
Does Outlook check spelling before I send an email?
Classic Outlook can do this. Go to File > Options > Mail and turn on Always check spelling before sending under Compose messages.
Can I change the spell check language in just one Outlook email?
Yes. In new Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web, the proofing-language choice applies only to the specific email draft.
Does Outlook mobile have its own spell check setting?
No. Outlook for iOS and Android uses autocorrect and suggestions from the active iOS or Android keyboard.