Spell check in Outlook is not automatically picking up spelling errors. How do I fix that?

Question

Spell check in Outlook is not automatically picking up obvious spelling errors - even with the 'check while typing' is turned on. Spell check works fine in Word - just not in Outlook.

Answer 1

Hi @HARKIN Mike (FRA-FL) 

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.  

Thank you for letting us know about the issue with spell check in Outlook. I understand how important it is to have this feature working properly, especially when you rely on it to keep your emails clear and professional. Since you mentioned that spell check works fine in Word but not in Outlook, it sounds like the settings in Outlook may need a quick review. 

Here are some things you can check: 

1/ Verify proofing settings in Outlook 

• Open Classic Outlook 
• Go to File > Options > Mail > Editor Options  
• At Proofing, scroll down and ensure Check spelling as you type is enabled. 
• Also check Mark grammar errors as you type if needed. 

2/ Confirm language settings 

• In a new email, select Review > Language > Set Proofing Language. 
• Make sure the correct language is selected and Do not check spelling or grammar is unchecked. 
• Select Set As Default (if needed)  
• Click on OK 

  3/ Check AutoCorrect options 

• Go to File > Options > Mail > Editor Options  
• Choose Proofing > AutoCorrect Options. 
• Ensure the relevant options are enabled. 

4/ Disable “Ignore original message text” 

If you’re replying to emails, Outlook might skip spell check in quoted text: 

• Go to File > Options > Mail 
• At Compose messages > check if Ignore original message text in reply or forward is enabled. If so, disable it. 

5/ Repair Office installation 

• If everything looks correct but still doesn’t work, you can try to repair Office Installation 
• You can follow the instruction in this link: Repair an Office application - Microsoft Support 

For more information, please refer to the following link: 

• Check spelling before sending a message 
• Troubleshoot checking spelling and grammar in multiple languages 
• Microsoft Editor checks grammar and more in documents, mail, and the web 
• Text predictions unexpectedly become unavailable and are missing in Outlook options 

 

I hope this information is helpful. Please follow these steps and let me know if it works for you. If not, we can work together to resolve this.    

Thank you for your patience and your understanding. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments on this post so I can continue to support you. 

I look forward to your thoughts on this. 

 

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Answer 2

To troubleshoot the issue of spell check not automatically picking up spelling errors in Outlook, you can try the following steps:

1. Check Proofing Options:
   • Go to File > Options > Mail > Spelling and Autocorrect.
   • Ensure that the option for "Check spelling as you type" is enabled.
2. Clear Exceptions:
   • In the same dialog, make sure that all check boxes in the Exceptions section are cleared.
3. Set the Correct Language:
   • Select the text in your email, go to the Review tab, click on Language, and ensure the correct language is selected and that "Do not check spelling or grammar" is unchecked.
4. Repair Office:
   • If the above steps do not work, consider repairing your Office installation. Go to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features, select your Office installation, and choose Change to repair it.
5. Update Outlook:
   • Ensure that your Outlook is up to date, as updates may fix bugs related to spell check functionality.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, it may be beneficial to consult further resources or support for Outlook specifically.