Four Tips for Using the Spelling and Grammar Check in Word

When you inherit a Microsoft Word document, the original author’s settings can affect the document even when you open it on your own computer. These lingering and potentially unwanted settings may prevent you from receiving a complete spelling and grammar check from Word’s Editor. Here are four quick tips for using the spelling and grammar check in Word effectively—even if your document was originally created by someone else.

Tip 1: Review Your Language Settings

Tip 2: Review Your Proofing Settings

Tip 3: Run a Fresh Spelling and Grammar Check

Tip 4: Search for Hidden Languages in Specific Sections

Please note that the images below are from Word 365, which is currently the same as Word 2019. However, the steps are the same in Word 2016 and similar for Word 2013 and Word 2010.

Tip 1: Review Your Language Settings

The following seven steps show how to review and, if necessary, change your language settings in Word. The language settings determine the dictionary Word uses to run the spelling and grammar check.

1. Press Ctrl+A to select the entire document.

2. Select the Review tab.

3. Select Language in the Language group.

4. Select Set Proofing Language in the drop-down menu.

5. Ensure that English (or another preferred language) is selected in the Language dialog box. Use the menu to select a new language, if necessary.

6. Ensure that Do not check spelling or grammar is not checked. To be on the safe side, also consider unchecking Detect language automatically.

7. Select the OK button to save your changes and close the Language dialog box.

Tip 2: Review Your Proofing Settings

The following six steps show how to review and, if necessary, change your proofing settings in Word. The proofing settings determine how Word applies the spelling and grammar check to your document.

1. Select the File tab.

2. Select Options in the Backstage view.

3. Select Proofing in the Word Options dialog box.

4. Review your proofing settings. Here are a few specific settings to review:

• Ensure that Ignore words in UPPERCASE is not checked because titles, headers, footers, and table data often appear in uppercase but should still be spell-checked.
• Ensure that Hide spelling errors in this document only and Hide grammar errors in this document only are also unchecked.

5. Select the Settings button if you want to customize additional options for grammar, clarity and conciseness, formal language, inclusive language, punctuation conventions, and vocabulary choices.

6. Select the OK button to save your changes and close the Word Options dialog box.

Tip 3: Run a Fresh Spelling and Grammar Check

The following eight steps show how to delete the results of previous spelling and grammar checks and then run a fresh check.

1. Select the File tab.

2. Select Options in the Backstage view.

3. Select Proofing in the Word Options dialog box.

4. Select the Recheck Document button.

5. Select the Yes button in the dialog box asking if you want to continue.

6. Select the OK button in the Word Options dialog box.

7. Select the Review tab.

8. Select Check Document in the Proofing group to run a new spelling and grammar check. (Note that Word 2016 and older versions of Word will say Spelling & Grammar instead of Check Document.)

Further Reading: How to Use the Spelling and Grammar Check in Microsoft Word

Tip 4: Search for Hidden Languages in Specific Sections

If Word’s spelling and grammar check isn’t performing correctly within a specific section, such as a header, footer, or table, you can use the Reveal Formatting function to uncover hidden language settings that may be affecting that section.

1. Select the entire section you want to check.

2. Press Shift+F1 to open the Reveal Formatting task pane. (Note that some computers will require you to press Shift + Fn + F1 instead.)

3. Review the language(s) listed under the Language heading.

4. Select LANGUAGE if you need to open the Language dialog box in order to change a language. (Tip 1, above, shows how to change a language in the Language dialog box.)

To review or change the language setting for comments made with Track Changes, visit “How to Change the Proofing Language for Microsoft Word Comments.”