Spell Check Not Working in Word – Quick Fixes & Solutions

Welcome to our article addressing a common frustration many Word users encounter: spell check not working. In this piece, we will explore quick and effective solutions to help you resolve this issue and get back to error-free writing.

Symptoms of Spell Check Not Working in Word

1. Verify that Spell Check is enabled: Go to the Review tab, click on the Spelling & Grammar button, and ensure that the “Check spelling as you type” setting is enabled.

2. Reset Proofing Tools: Close Word, open the Run dialog (Windows key + R), and type “%appdata%\Microsoft\Proof” to access the Proofing folder. Rename the “ProofingTools\1.0” folder to “ProofingTools\1.0.old” and restart Word.

3. Check language settings: Make sure the correct language is selected for proofing. Go to the Review tab, click on the Language button, and choose the appropriate language.

4. Repair Office installation: If the issue persists, repair your Microsoft Office installation through the Control Panel’s Programs and Features section.

Causes of Spell Check Not Working in Word

There are several reasons why your spell check may not be working in Word. One common cause is that the proofing tools for your language are not installed. To fix this, go to the “File” tab, then select “Options” and “Language”. Make sure the correct language is selected and click “Set as Default”.
Another reason could be that the spell checker is turned off. To enable it, click the “Review” tab, then click on the “Spelling & Grammar” button. If these solutions don’t work, try restarting Word or repairing your Office installation.

Methods to Fix Spell Check Not Working in Word

1. Open Microsoft Word.
2. Go to the Review tab in the ribbon.
   
3. Click on Spelling & Grammar in the Proofing group.
4. Ensure that the Check spelling as you type and Mark grammar errors as you type options are enabled.
5. If they are already enabled, disable them and then enable them again to refresh the settings.

Method 2: Verify Language Settings

1. Open Microsoft Word.
2. Go to the Review tab in the ribbon.
   
3. Click on Language in the Proofing group.
4. Make sure the correct language is selected in the Language dialog box.
5. If the correct language is not listed, click on Add additional editing languages and select the desired language.

Method 3: Run Office Repair

1. Close all Microsoft Office programs.
2. Open the Control Panel on your computer.
   
3. Click on Programs or Programs and Features (depending on your version of Windows).
4. Locate and select Microsoft Office in the list of installed programs.
5. Click on the Change or Modify button.
6. Choose the Repair option and follow the on-screen instructions to repair the Office installation.
   

Method 4: Update Microsoft Office

1. Open any Microsoft Office program.
2. Click on File in the ribbon.
   
3. Select Account or Office Account.
4. Click on the Update Options button.
5. Choose Update Now to check for and install any available updates.
6. Restart Microsoft Word after the updates are installed.
   

Method 5: Disable Add-ins

1. Open Microsoft Word.
2. Click on File in the ribbon.
   
3. Select Options or Word Options.
4. Go to the Add-Ins tab.
5. In the Manage box, select COM Add-ins and click on the Go button.
6. Uncheck all the add-ins in the list and click OK.
   
7. Restart Microsoft Word and check if spell check is working.

Install Proofing Tools

To install Proofing Tools in Word and fix the spell check issue, follow these steps:

1. Close all Microsoft Office applications.
2. Go to the Microsoft Office website and search for “Proofing Tools for Word.”
3. Download and install the appropriate Proofing Tools version for your Word edition (e.g., Word 2010, Word 2013, or Word 2016).
4. Once the installation is complete, open Word and go to the “File” tab.
5. Click on “Options” and then select “Proofing” from the left-hand menu.
6. Under “When correcting spelling and grammar in Word,” check the box next to “Check spelling as you type.”
7. Click on “OK” to save the changes.
8. Restart Word and the spell check should now be working properly.

If the issue persists, try troubleshooting steps such as repairing Office installation or resetting Word settings.

Enable the Speller EN-US Add-in

To enable the Speller EN-US Add-in in Word and fix spell check issues, follow these quick steps:

1. Open Word and go to the “File” tab.
2. Select “Options” from the left-hand menu.
3. In the Word Options window, click on “Add-Ins.”
4. Under “Manage,” select “COM Add-ins” and click on “Go.”
5. Check the box next to “Speller EN-US” and click “OK.”
6. Restart Word for the changes to take effect.

If the Speller EN-US Add-in is not listed, you may need to reinstall or update Word.

By enabling this add-in, you should be able to resolve any issues with spell check not working in Word.

Modify Language Settings and Clear “Do Not Check Spelling or Grammar”

If your Word spell check is not working, follow these quick fixes to resolve the issue.

1. Modify Language Settings:
– Open Word and click on the “Review” tab.
– In the “Language” group, select “Language Preferences.”
– Under “Proofing,” click on “Set Language.”
– Make sure the correct language is selected and check “Detect language automatically.”

2. Clear “Do Not Check Spelling or Grammar”:
– Click on the “File” tab and select “Options.”
– In the “Word Options” dialog box, click on “Proofing.”
– Under “Exceptions for,” check if “Do not check spelling or grammar” is selected.
– If it is, click on “Clear All” to remove the exception.

Turning off Disabling Add-ins and Hide Spelling/Grammar Errors

To turn off or disable add-ins and hide spelling/grammar errors in Word, follow these quick fixes and solutions:

1. Disable Add-ins:
– Click on the “File” tab in Word.
– Go to “Options” and select “Add-ins” from the sidebar.
– Under “Manage,” choose “COM Add-ins” and click “Go.”
– Uncheck any add-ins that you want to disable.
– Click “OK” to save the changes.

2. Hide Spelling/Grammar Errors:
– Click on the “File” tab in Word.
– Go to “Options” and select “Proofing” from the sidebar.
– Under the “When correcting spelling and grammar in Word” section, check the “Hide spelling errors” and “Hide grammar errors” boxes.
– Click “OK” to save the changes.

These steps should help resolve the issue of spell check not working in Word.

Jacob Clements