Word checks your spelling automatically — here's how to use it

Microsoft Word underlines misspelled words with a red squiggle as you type. You do not have to turn anything on; the spell checker runs in the background by default. To fix a word, right-click the red underline and choose the correct spelling from the list, or ignore it if the word is correct. If you want to check your whole document at once instead of fixing errors one at a time, open the Review tab and click Spelling.

The spell checker catches common typos and words not in Word's dictionary. It does not catch words spelled correctly but used wrong — like "their" instead of "there" — so you still need to read your work. You can also add words to your dictionary so Word stops flagging them, and you can turn off the red underlines if they distract you while you write.

Key Takeaways

  • Red squiggles under words mean Word thinks they are misspelled; right-click to see suggestions or ignore the word.
  • The Review tab holds the Spelling button, which checks your entire document at once and shows all errors together.
  • You can add words to your dictionary so Word stops marking them as wrong, useful for names and technical terms.
  • Spell check does not catch words that are spelled right but used in the wrong context, so proofreading by eye is still necessary.

Right-click to fix individual misspelled words

When you see a red squiggle under a word, right-click it. A menu appears with suggested correct spellings at the top. Click the spelling you want, and Word replaces the misspelled word when ready.

If none of the suggestions are what you meant, click elsewhere to close the menu and type the correction yourself. If the word is correct — a name, a brand, or a technical term — right-click again and choose "Add to Dictionary." Word will stop marking that word as wrong in any document you write going forward.

Use the Review tab to check your whole document at once

Open the Review tab at the top of Word. Click the Spelling button (it looks like a checkmark with letters). Word opens a panel on the right side showing the first misspelled word it found, with suggestions listed below it.

Click the suggestion you want, and Word moves to the next error. If you want to skip a word without changing it, click Ignore Once. If you want Word to stop flagging a word throughout the document, click Ignore All. When Word reaches the end of the document, it tells you the check is complete.

This method is faster than right-clicking individual words if you have many errors, because you see all the mistakes in one place and fix them in order without scrolling back and forth.

Add words to your dictionary so they stop appearing as errors

Right-click a red-underlined word and select "Add to Dictionary." Word learns that word and will not mark it as misspelled in any document you create. This is useful for your name, your company name, or technical terms specific to your field.

Once you add a word, it stays in your dictionary. If you later want to remove it, you have to edit Word's dictionary file directly, which is more complicated. So only add words you are certain are correct and will use again.

Turn off the red underlines if they distract you

If the red squiggles bother you while you write, you can hide them. Click File, then Options. In the left menu, click Proofing. Under "When correcting spelling in Microsoft Office programs," uncheck the box that says "Check spelling as you type." Click OK.

The spell checker will no longer show red underlines while you work. You can still run a full check later by opening the Review tab and clicking Spelling. This approach works well if you prefer to focus on writing first and fix errors after you finish.

Understand what spell check catches and misses

Word's spell checker catches typos — letters in the wrong order or missing letters — and words not in its dictionary. It does not catch words spelled correctly but used wrong. For example, if you write "I went to the store to by milk," spell check will not flag "by" because it is a real word, even though you meant "buy."

This is why reading your document yourself is still important. Spell check is a tool that catches obvious mistakes, not a replacement for proofreading. If you want to catch more subtle errors, use the Grammar option in the Review tab, which flags some common mistakes in sentence structure and word choice.

Fix spelling errors before you share your document

Before you send a document to someone else, run a full spell check. Open the Review tab, click Spelling, and work through the list. Even if you have been fixing errors as you type, a final check catches anything you missed.

If you are sharing the document with someone who might edit it, consider whether to add words to your dictionary first. If you add a misspelling to your dictionary by mistake, it will stay there until you manually remove it, and it could cause problems if someone else opens your document on their computer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word underline a word I know is spelled correctly?

Word's dictionary does not include every word, especially names, brand names, and technical terms. Right-click the word and choose "Add to Dictionary" to stop Word from flagging it. After that, Word will recognize it in all your documents.

Can I change what language Word uses for spell check?

Yes. Click File, then Options, then Proofing. Under "When correcting spelling in Microsoft Office programs," click "Language Settings." Choose your language from the list. Word will then check spelling against that language's dictionary.

What is the difference between Spelling and Grammar in the Review tab?

Spelling checks for misspelled words. Grammar checks for sentence structure problems, like fragments or subject-verb disagreement, and some word choice issues. You can run both by clicking the Spelling button, which checks both at once in newer versions of Word.

Does spell check work the same way in Word Online as it does in the desktop version?

Word Online has spell check, but it is simpler than the desktop version. It shows red underlines and you can right-click to fix them, but the Review tab and full spell-check panel work differently. For detailed spell checking, the desktop version of Word is more powerful.

Can I undo changes I made during spell check?

Yes. Press Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac) to undo the last change. You can undo multiple times to go back through all your corrections. If you made many changes and want to start over, close the document without saving and reopen it.