Spell Check not working

Try these Word-specific checks in order, focusing on proofing settings and language, since the word is marked but no suggestions appear.

1. Confirm proofing tools are installed
   1. Close Word.
   2. In Windows, open Add or remove programs (Windows 10) or Programs and Features (Windows 7/8.1).
   3. Select Microsoft Office <Edition> > Change/Modify.
   4. Choose Add or Remove Features > Continue.
   5. Expand Office Shared Features.
   6. For Proofing Tools, choose Run all from My Computer.
   7. Complete setup, then restart Word.
2. Re‑enable the speller add‑in (if disabled)
   1. In Word, go to File > Options.
   2. Select Add‑Ins.
   3. At the bottom, next to Manage, choose Disabled Items and click Go.
   4. If Speller EN‑US (nlsdata0009.dll) appears, select it and click Enable.
   5. Click Close, then OK, and restart Word.
3. Turn on “Check spelling as you type” and clear exceptions
   1. Go to File > Options > Proofing.
   2. Under When correcting spelling and grammar in Word, ensure Check spelling as you type is checked.
   3. In the Exceptions for section, clear all check boxes so the document is not excluded from checking.
   4. Click OK.
4. Fix document language and “Do not check spelling or grammar”
   1. Press Ctrl+A to select the entire document.
   2. Go to Review > Language > Set Proofing Language.
   3. Select the correct language (for example, English (United States)).
   4. Make sure Do not check spelling or grammar is unchecked.
   5. Click OK.
   6. If this resolves the issue, repeat the steps and click Set As Default so new documents use the correct language and checking.
5. Run a manual spelling & grammar check
   1. On the Review tab, click Spelling & Grammar.
   2. Use the dialog to see if Word now offers suggestions for the misspelled word.
6. (Advanced) Remove the Proofing Tools override registry key Only if comfortable editing the registry and after backing it up:
   1. Close Word.
   2. Press Windows+R, type regedit, press Enter.
   3. Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Proofing Tools\1.0\Override
   4. Right‑click the Override key and remove it.
   5. Close Registry Editor and restart Word.

If none of these steps restore suggestions, reinstalling Office with proofing tools selected is the next supported action.

References:

• Spell Check does not work in Word 2010
• Check spelling and grammar in Office
• Spell check is not working properly. Misspelled words are not underlined and not found when running spell check. Ideas?
• Spell Check not working. - Microsoft Q&A