Spell Check is in the Review tab, and you can turn it on or off there

In Microsoft Word, spell check lives in the Review tab at the top of the window. Click Review, then look for the Spelling & Grammar button — it's usually near the left side of the ribbon. Click it to run a full check of your document, or let Word flag errors as you type by keeping the automatic spell check running in the background.

Word checks spelling automatically by default. Red squiggly lines under words mean Word doesn't recognize them. You can right-click any red-underlined word to see suggestions, or ignore it if it's spelled correctly. The Review tab gives you control over when to run a full scan and how to handle the errors Word finds.

Key Takeaways

  • The Spelling & Grammar button is in the Review tab, and clicking it scans your entire document at once.
  • Red squiggly lines appear under words Word doesn't recognize, and you can right-click them to see suggestions or mark them as correct.
  • Word checks spelling in the background by default, but you can turn automatic checking on or off in Word Options.
  • You can add words to Word's dictionary so they won't be flagged as errors in future documents.

Running a full spell check from the Review tab

Open your document in Word and click the Review tab at the top. Find Spelling & Grammar on the left side of the ribbon and click it. A panel will open on the right side of your screen showing any errors Word found, organized by type.

For each error, Word shows the word in question and suggests corrections. You can click a suggestion to replace the error, click Ignore to skip it this time, or click Ignore All to skip every instance of that word in the document. If you want to add a word to Word's dictionary so it won't be flagged again, click Add to Dictionary.

Understanding the red and blue squiggly lines

Red squiggly lines mark spelling errors — words Word doesn't recognize. Blue squiggly lines mark grammar issues, like incomplete sentences or subject-verb disagreements. Both appear as you type if automatic checking is on.

Right-click any underlined word to see a menu of suggestions. You can accept a suggestion, ignore the error, or add the word to your dictionary. If you see a line under a word that's actually spelled correctly — like a name or technical term — adding it to your dictionary stops Word from flagging it in any future document.

Turning automatic spell check on or off

Word checks spelling in the background by default, showing errors with red lines as you type. If you want to turn this off, click File in the top left, then Options. In the left menu, click Proofing.

Under "When correcting spelling and grammar in Word," you'll see a checkbox for Check spelling as you type. Uncheck it to turn off automatic spell check. You can still run a manual check anytime by going to Review and clicking Spelling & Grammar. The same Proofing menu lets you turn grammar checking on or off separately.

Adding words to your dictionary

When Word flags a word you use regularly — your name, a company name, or a technical term — you can add it to your dictionary so Word stops marking it as an error. Right-click the underlined word and select Add to Dictionary. That word will no longer be flagged in any document you open on this computer.

If you share documents with others or use Word on multiple devices, keep in mind that each computer has its own dictionary. Adding a word on your home computer won't prevent it from being flagged on your work computer. You can also remove words from your dictionary by going to File > Options > Proofing and clicking Custom Dictionaries, though this is rarely necessary.

Checking spelling in Outlook and other Office programs

Spell check works similarly in other Microsoft Office programs. In Outlook, the Review tab is in the same place, and you can click Spelling & Grammar to check an email before sending. In Excel and PowerPoint, the Review tab also contains the Spelling & Grammar button, though these programs flag fewer errors by default since they're not primarily text-based.

If you're using Word Online (the browser version), spell check is still available but looks slightly different. Click Review at the top, then Editor to see spelling and grammar suggestions. The Editor pane shows errors and suggestions in a similar way to the desktop version.

What spell check catches and what it misses

Word's spell check catches misspelled words and some grammar mistakes, but it's not perfect. It won't catch words that are spelled correctly but used in the wrong context — for example, "their" instead of "there," or "its" instead of "it's." It also won't catch missing words or awkward phrasing that's technically grammatical.

For these reasons, spell check is a useful first pass but not a replacement for reading your document yourself. After running spell check, skim your document to catch errors Word missed. If you're writing something important, reading it aloud can help you spot problems that your eyes skip over.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does spell check keep flagging a word I know is correct?

Word's dictionary doesn't include every word, especially names, technical terms, and newer words. Right-click the word and select Add to Dictionary to stop it from being flagged. After you add it, Word will recognize it in all your future documents on that computer.

Can I change the language spell check uses?

Yes. Select the text you want to check in a different language, then go to Review > Language > Set Proofing Language. Choose the language you want and click OK. Word will then check that text against the dictionary for that language.

How do I turn off spell check for just one document?

You can't disable spell check for a single document while keeping it on for others. You can turn automatic spell check off entirely in File > Options > Proofing, or you can ignore individual errors as they appear. If you need spell check off temporarily, turn it off in Options, then turn it back on when you're done.

What's the difference between the Spelling & Grammar button and the Editor button?

In Word Online and newer versions of Word, the Editor button is an expanded version of spell check that catches more grammar and style issues. The older Spelling & Grammar button is simpler and focuses mainly on spelling and basic grammar. Both do the same core job, but Editor provides more detailed feedback.