Proofing exception and spell checking

Question

Every time I create a new document in Word, it is automatically added under "Proofing Exception" despite the fact that I did not select the box "All New Documents". As seen from the screenshot, I tried renaming the document so it wouldn't be a proofing exception but that didn't work.

As well when I go under Review > Language > Set proofing Language, the "Do Not Check Spelling or Grammar" is selected so I uncheck the box. But even as I am in the middle of typing the box gets checked, as I can tell from the misspelled words that stop getting underlined.

Earlier, I had been working on a macro-enabled document and before I opened that document the spellcheck was fine so I believe it may have to do with that. I tried saving the Normal template as NOT macro-enabled but that didn't work since in my files it still shows it is macro-enabled.

How do I fix this?

Answer 1

Open the Normal template again and make sure that "Do not check" is not enabled and Hide Spelling/Grammar Errors is not turned on. Turning off "Detect language automatically" will also help. Then press the Spacebar and Backspace (to "dirty" the file so it will be saved) and save it. Then try again with a new document.

Answer 2

***

I tried saving the Normal template as NOT macro-enabled but that didn't work since in my files it still shows it is macro-enabled.

How do I fix this?

By its nature, the normal template must be macro-enabled .dotm.

You cannot save a different document or template as your normal.dotm. If you try to do this with Word closed, you will get a partially-functioning or non-functioning Word program.

Every time I create a new document in Word, it is automatically added under "Proofing Exception" despite the fact that I did not select the box "All New Documents". As seen from the screenshot, I tried renaming the document so it wouldn't be a proofing exception but that didn't work.

As well when I go under Review > Language > Set proofing Language, the "Do Not Check Spelling or Grammar" is selected so I uncheck the box. But even as I am in the middle of typing the box gets checked, as I can tell from the misspelled words that stop getting underlined.

***

How do I fix this?

I am assuming you mean that obviously misspelled words are not being flagged. This is most likely a proofing language problem.

·       Select (or create and select) a misspelled word.

·       Then under the Review tab, click on the "Language" button.

·       Pick "Select Proofing Language" from the short menu.

·       Look at the bottom of the dialog that appears.

·       If the checkbox that says "Do not check spelling or grammar" is not empty, click on it until it is clear.

·       Then OK.

Does this make a difference?

If it does make a difference, then Ctrl+A to select all text in your document and repeat the language selection.

For more about the Spelling Checker see: Mastering the Spelling Checker

If the problem occurs regularly, it is probably a problem with one or more Style definitions. If this is the problem, write back for more help.

Try clicking on a misspelled word and pressing Shift+F1. You may see something like this:

Under Font formatting does it say : Language: Do not check spelling or grammar?

The screenshot above is from a computer with only one language installed, with spelling and grammar installed and active. This is a character(font)-level formatting in Word.

Click on the above screenshot to go to Suzanne Barhill's article on this.

Here is a macro that may help.

Sub ProofingOn()

'   Written 21 November 2018

'   Charles Kenyon

'   Intended to set all styles to proofing

'

    Dim aStyle As Style

    On Error Resume Next ' Some styles have no language attribute and will give an error

    For Each aStyle In ActiveDocument.Styles

'        aStyle.AutomaticallyUpdate = False ' probably do not want this for TOC styles - future work

        aStyle.NoProofing = False   ' also turn on spelling and grammar checking

    Next 'aStyle

'    ActiveDocument.UpdateStylesOnOpen = False ' For information on using this line, see:

'       http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/sharing/willmyformatchange.html

    On Error GoTo 0

End Sub

How to use these macros: Installing Macros by Graham Mayor, MVP.