How to Fix Spell Check Not Working in Word

The Problem

Spell check isn’t underlining misspelled words with red squiggly lines in your Word document. You’ve typed obvious errors, but Word isn’t catching them. The spell check feature appears to be completely disabled or not functioning properly.

Quick Fix

Enable spell check immediately:

1. Go to File > Options
2. Click Proofing in the left sidebar
3. Check the box: “Check spelling as you type”
4. Click OK to save

If this doesn’t work, proceed to the Step-by-Step Solution below.

Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1: Verify Spell Check is Enabled

1. Open your Word document
2. Click File in the ribbon
3. Select Options from the left menu
4. Click Proofing in the Options dialog
5. Look for the “Spelling” section
6. Ensure “Check spelling as you type” is checked
7. Also check “Mark grammar errors as you type” if you want grammar checking
8. Click OK

Step 2: Set Your Document Language Correctly

Word won’t check spelling if your document language is set to a language you don’t use. To fix this:

1. Click Review tab in the ribbon
2. Click Language in the Proofing group
3. Select Set Proofing Language
4. Choose your correct language (usually English for English documents)
5. Check the box: “Do not check spelling or grammar” should be UNCHECKED
6. Click OK

Step 3: Clear Spell Check Errors and Reset

Sometimes Word caches spell check issues:

1. In your document, select all text (Ctrl+A)
2. Go to Review > Spelling & Grammar or press F7
3. Let the Spelling checker run through the document
4. Even if it finds no errors, this refreshes the spell check
5. Close the dialog when complete

Step 4: Disable Conflicting Add-ins

Add-ins can interfere with spell check functionality:

1. Click File > Options
2. Click Trust Center at the bottom
3. Click Trust Center Settings
4. Click Disabled Items
5. Look for any disabled add-ins related to spell check or proofing
6. Select any disabled items and click Enable
7. Restart Word

Step 5: Check AutoCorrect Settings

Sometimes AutoCorrect settings interfere with spell check:

1. Go to File > Options > Proofing
2. Click AutoCorrect Options
3. In the AutoCorrect tab, ensure options like “Replace text as you type” are configured as you prefer
4. In the Exceptions tab, verify no words are listed that should be checked
5. Click OK

Why This Happens

Common causes include:

1. Spell check is disabled in settings - The feature must be explicitly enabled in Options
2. Document language is wrong - If set to a foreign language or “No Proofing,” spell check won’t run
3. Add-in conflicts - Third-party grammar or spelling tools can disable Word’s built-in spell check
4. Corrupted document - Rarely, the document itself may need to be recovered
5. Office updates - Sometimes updates reset spell check settings to defaults
6. Multiple proofing tools installed - Grammarly, ProWritingAid, or similar tools can override Word’s spell check

How to Prevent It

1. Check your settings regularly - Periodically verify spell check is enabled in Options > Proofing
2. Verify document language - Always set the correct language when starting a new document
3. Keep Office updated - Updates include proofing tool improvements
4. Manage add-ins carefully - Uninstall or disable add-ins that cause conflicts
5. Create a template with correct settings - If you frequently use specific spell check settings, save them in a template
6. Disable “Do not check spelling or grammar” for sections - This setting can accidentally be applied to entire documents

Still Not Working? Alternative Solutions

Try these additional troubleshooting steps:

1. Close and reopen Word - Sometimes a simple restart resolves spell check issues
2. Repair Office - Go to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features > Microsoft Office > Change > Quick Repair, then try Online Repair if Quick Repair doesn’t work
3. Create a new document - Copy your text into a brand new Word document and set the language again
4. Use the Spelling & Grammar tool manually - Press F7 to open the Spelling & Grammar dialog even if automatic checking isn’t working
5. Check for document protection - If the document is protected, spell check may be disabled. Go to Review > Protect Document to check
6. Update your dictionary - Go to File > Options > Proofing > Custom Dictionaries and verify your dictionary files are accessible
7. Disable Grammar checking - Sometimes grammar checking interferes. Try disabling it in Proofing options and enabling only spelling

Key Takeaways

• Spell check must be explicitly enabled in File > Options > Proofing
• Your document language must be set correctly for spell check to work
• Add-ins and third-party tools can disable Word’s spell check feature
• Restarting Word or creating a new document often resolves temporary spell check issues
• Use the Spelling & Grammar tool (F7) to manually check if automatic checking fails