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Outlook no longer autodetects spellcheck language

Anonymous
2024-05-29T08:40:37+00:00

One of our users has configured her Outlook to automatically identify the language for spellchecking:

She had been using the feature without any issues until a few weeks ago. Now, it’s incorrectly marking words as misspelled because it can’t identify the language being used.

I tested this feature on my computer and experienced the same issue. I found that both our systems had several languages installed that we weren’t using, like Finnish and French. I thought these extra languages might be causing confusion, so I decided to remove them. Here’s what I did:

1. Click "new email"
2. Open the "review" tab
3. Click "Language" followed by "Language preferences"
4. Under "Office authoring languages and proofing", select an unused language and click "Remove"
5. Do this until only the needed languages remain (English and Danish in our case)
6. Click OK and restart Outlook + other Office applications

After restarting Outlook, the language detection started working perfectly on my computer.

I shared these steps with the user, but sadly, they didn’t fix her problem.

Next, I suggested she use the Office repair tool for an online repair. Unfortunately, this didn’t help either.

I’ve been searching online for a solution. Many responses in the Microsoft Community and elsewhere suggest that the language detection feature is broken and shouldn’t be used. However, our user has successfully used this feature before. I’m also using it on my computer, and I can confirm that it's able to switch between Danish and English automatically. I don’t accept that it’s broken, and I’m determined to find more settings to adjust.

I’m open to any suggestions :)

-Mikael

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For home

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-06-26T08:13:39+00:00

    I managed to find a solution for this problem.

    I will write it here for those who may come across this post in the future.

    What solved it for me was changing the preferred language used for spell checking. Here is how:

    1. Click "new email" Image
    2. Open the "review" tab Image
    3. Click "Language" followed by "Language preferences" Image
    4. When looking at the language list, you will find that one of them is marked as "Preferred"
    5. Change the preferred language by selecting one that is not marked as "preferred" and clicking "Set as preferred"

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-08-30T06:01:19+00:00

    Finally a solution that's works for me - and simple on top! Thanks a ton!

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-06-12T08:09:23+00:00

    Hi Eben,

    Thank you for responding!

    Step 3 in your response -- where you recommend that I disable automatic language checking -- shows that you have misunderstood my question.

    This feature used to work flawlessly. Now it doesn't. Disabling it is not something I consider a solution :P

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-05-29T15:42:06+00:00

    Hello Michael_RH,

    Good morning!

    Thank you for publishing in Microsoft Community. We are happy to help you. Thank you for sharing the steps you have taken to resolve the issue with the language detection feature in Outlook. Since the online repair tool did not work,  If your Outlook isn’t spell checking, grammar and spelling mistakes won’t be flagged, or correctly spelled words may come up as incorrect. We need to check some information.It's important to know the type of account you're using, because each account has a different process and a different support category.What type of account is affected? is outlook.com account, Hotmail account, or professional/educational account.However, to better understand the problem and provide a solution, we need more details from you, please provide us with the following information. Thank you.1-Please can you share with us the affected outlook version screenshot as below picture:

    2-Please Check if the spell checker is correctly activated

    Once you’ve restarted Outlook, it’s a good idea to check the settings for outlookautocorrect. You can open the menu as follows:

    1. Go to the “File” tab.
    2. Click on “Options” in the left-hand menu.
    3. Switch to “Mail” in the pop-up window.
    4. Select “Spelling and AutoCorrect”.

    From the options that are listed below “When correcting spelling in Outlook” check the box next to “Check spelling as you type” and “Mark grammar errors as you type”.

    From the options that are listed below “When correcting spelling in Outlook” check the box next to “Check spelling as you type” and “Mark grammar errors as you type”.

    When the options to “Check spelling as you type” and “Mark grammar errors as you type” aren’t activated, spell check will not be working in Outlook. Close and Restart Outlook

    3-Please, Start composing a new email in the usual way. Open the “Review” tab and click the “Language” button. Select “Set proofing language” to view current language settings for spell and grammar checks.

    Once you’ve set the desired language, test the spell check manually by pressing the “Spelling & Grammar” button in the “Review” tab. The spell checker launches a small dialog window that should display the correct language. Remove the checkmark next to “Detect language automatically” (if there is one), as this can lead to issues, for example, if you tend to use foreign words in your emails.

     4-Please can you install the office app in the affected Pc and reinstall. Then check the issue We look forward to your reply. This requested information will help us narrow down the scenario and find the right troubleshooting. We will continue to assist you based on the information you provide. I sincerely appreciate your patience and cooperation.SincerelyEben Ezer Tres | Microsoft Community Moderator

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  5. Anonymous
    2024-05-29T09:44:25+00:00

    Dear Michael_RH,
     
    I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to provide you with an update regarding the issue you have reported to us. We are currently reproduce the issue from our end and find some possible resolution as quickly as possible. 
     
    Please be assured that we are giving this matter our full attention, and I will get back to you as soon as possible.  
     
    I appreciate your patience and understanding during this investigation process. If you have additional information or details that may assist us in our investigation Please feel free to share  with me. 
     
    Thank you for your continued cooperation. I will get back to you shortly with more information.  Sincerely,Eben Ezer Tres | Microsoft Community Moderator

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