The fastest way to add Grammarly to Word

Open Microsoft Word, go to the Insert tab at the top, then click Get Add-ins (or Apps depending on your Word version). Search for "Grammarly" in the search box. Click the Grammarly result, then click Add or Install. Word will ask you to sign in or create a free Grammarly account. Once you do, Grammarly will appear as a sidebar on the right side of your document and start checking as you type.

If you are using Word on a Mac, the steps are the same: Insert > Get Add-ins > search for Grammarly > Add. If you are using Word on your phone or tablet, Grammarly is not available as an add-in through the app itself, but you can use Grammarly's web editor or copy text into the Grammarly website to check it.

Key Takeaways

  • Grammarly installs directly into Word through the Insert menu's Get Add-ins option, and the free version works when ready after you sign in.
  • The Grammarly sidebar shows up on the right side of Word and flags spelling, grammar, clarity, and tone issues as you write.
  • You can click any flagged issue to see Grammarly's suggestion and accept or reject the change without leaving your document.
  • Grammarly's free version covers basic grammar and spelling; the paid version adds tone detection, plagiarism checking, and advanced clarity suggestions.

What Grammarly checks in Word

Once Grammarly is running in Word, it watches for spelling mistakes, grammar errors, punctuation problems, and sentence clarity issues. The sidebar shows each issue with a color-coded dot: red for critical errors like misspelled words, yellow for grammar and punctuation, blue for clarity and style, and purple for tone. You do not have to fix everything Grammarly suggests — you can read the explanation and decide whether the change fits what you are trying to say.

The free version catches the most common problems. The paid version (Grammarly Premium) adds features like detecting whether your tone sounds confident or uncertain, checking for plagiarism against billions of web pages and academic databases, and offering more detailed suggestions for making sentences clearer and more concise. For most people writing emails, reports, or documents at work or school, the free version handles the bulk of what you need.

Accepting or rejecting Grammarly's suggestions

When Grammarly flags something, click on the underlined word or phrase in your document. The sidebar will show you the issue and one or more suggestions. Click the suggestion you want to use, or click the X to ignore it. If you want to ignore all instances of the same issue in that document, look for an option like "Ignore all" or "Ignore in document" — this saves you from clicking the same correction over and over.

You can also right-click directly on the underlined text in Word and choose from Grammarly's suggestions in the context menu, which is faster if you prefer not to look at the sidebar. Either way, the choice is yours: Grammarly suggests, but you decide what stays and what goes.

Turning Grammarly on and off in Word

Grammarly runs automatically once you install it, but you can pause it if you want to write without seeing suggestions. Click the Grammarly icon in the sidebar (it looks like a "G") and toggle the switch to turn checking off. You can turn it back on the same way. Some people pause Grammarly while brainstorming or drafting, then turn it back on when they are ready to edit.

If you want to uninstall Grammarly completely, go to Insert > Get Add-ins > My Add-ins, find Grammarly in the list, click the three dots next to it, and select Remove. Your Word documents will not be affected — Grammarly only checks text while it is running.

Signing in and choosing between free and paid

When you first install Grammarly, you will need to create an account or sign in with an existing one. You can use your email address, Google account, or Apple ID. The free account gives you access to Grammarly's core checking features in Word and everywhere else you use it. If you want the paid features (tone detection, plagiarism checking, advanced suggestions), you can upgrade from within the sidebar or on Grammarly's website.

Your Grammarly account syncs across devices, so if you sign in on your work computer and your home laptop, your settings and writing history appear on both. You can also see your writing stats — how many words you have written, what kinds of errors you make most often — in your Grammarly dashboard on the website.

Troubleshooting when Grammarly does not show up

If you install Grammarly but it does not appear in Word, try closing Word completely and opening it again. Sometimes the add-in needs Word to restart before it loads. If that does not work, go to Insert > Get Add-ins > My Add-ins and look for Grammarly in the list. If it is there but grayed out, click it and select Install again.

If Grammarly still does not show up, check that you are using a recent version of Word (Office 2016 or later on Windows, Office 2016 or later on Mac). Older versions do not support add-ins. You can also try signing out of your Microsoft account and signing back in, or uninstalling and reinstalling Grammarly. If none of that works, Grammarly's website has a support page with more detailed troubleshooting steps.

Using Grammarly alongside Word's built-in tools

Word has its own spelling and grammar checker built in. When you install Grammarly, both run at the same time, and they sometimes flag the same issues. This is not a problem — you can ignore Word's suggestions and use only Grammarly's, or vice versa. Some people find that Grammarly catches things Word misses, especially tone and clarity issues, so having both is actually helpful.

If you find Word's red and blue squiggles distracting when Grammarly is also running, you can turn off Word's checker. Go to File > Options > Proofing and uncheck Check spelling as you type and Mark grammar errors as you type. Then Grammarly will be your only checker in that document.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Grammarly work in all versions of Microsoft Word?

Grammarly works in Word 2016 and later on Windows, and Word 2016 and later on Mac. It does not work in older versions or in Word Online through a browser — though you can copy text into Grammarly's web editor to check it there. If you use Word on your phone or tablet, Grammarly is not available as an add-in, but the Grammarly keyboard app works in some mobile apps.

Is Grammarly free, or do I have to pay?

Grammarly's free version is fully functional in Word and covers spelling, grammar, punctuation, and basic clarity. You pay only if you want premium features like plagiarism checking, tone detection, and advanced suggestions. The free version is enough for most writing tasks.

Can I use Grammarly in Google Docs or other programs?

Yes. Grammarly has a browser extension that works in Google Docs, Gmail, and most websites where you type. It also has a web editor at grammarly.com where you can paste or type text to check it. The add-in method described here is specific to Microsoft Word, but Grammarly works across many platforms.

What if Grammarly's suggestion is wrong?

Click the X next to the suggestion to reject it. You can also click "Ignore" to skip that instance or "Ignore in document" to skip all instances of the same issue in that file. Grammarly learns from your choices over time, so if you consistently reject a certain type of suggestion, it will bother you less often.

Does Grammarly save my documents or read my private writing?

Grammarly stores your writing on its servers so it can check it and show you your writing stats. If you are concerned about privacy, you can read Grammarly's privacy policy on their website. For highly sensitive documents, some people prefer to use Word's built-in checker only, or to check sensitive text outside of Grammarly.