Spell check not working reliably across multiple languages on Mac

Question

I use a Mac for writing Word documents, PowerPoint presentations and emails in several different languages every day. My operating system is set to English.

 

The core issue is that spell checking no longer works reliably across languages within Microsoft 365 applications.

 

Previously in Outlook, I could select text in an email, manually set the proofing language, and then run spell check. Although I had to do this frequently, it worked. Since an update a few months ago, this option appears to have been removed or no longer functions.

 

The suggested workaround has been to add additional languages in System Settings > Keyboard and switch between them using Control + Space. However, this does not resolve the issue. Spell check does not consistently recognise or switch languages within Microsoft applications.

 

As a result, I now have to:

 

• Draft emails, PowerPoint content and chat messages in Word

• Apply a Normal style defined for the relevant language

• Run spell check

• Copy and paste the text into Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams, or other applications

 

This is extremely inefficient. The issue affects all Office applications.

 

In Word, I have created different Normal styles assigned to different languages, which helps to some extent. However, this approach is not available in the other applications, meaning I must draft and proof text in Word before transferring it elsewhere.

 

In PowerPoint, even when language specific styles are defined in templates, they are not applied consistently. The application sometimes changes the language automatically or fails to run spell check at all. It is not reliable.

 

The Control + Space method is also inconsistent. Languages switch unpredictably and frequently revert without warning, so this is not a viable long term solution.

 

I am an experienced user and have worked with Microsoft products for decades. I have raised this issue previously and contacted Microsoft support several times over the years. The problem has worsened, and I am losing a significant amount of time every day.

 

Could someone please clarify:

• How to reliably switch the proofing language within Outlook, PowerPoint and Teams on Mac

• How to manage multilingual spell checking consistently across these applications

• Whether there is a configuration setting I may have overlooked

 

Thank you in advance for your assistance.

 

Answer 1

In Word (the desktop version for Windows and macOS), setting up multiple styles, one per language, is the recommended approach. This ensures that proofing works properly.

Unfortunately, as you have noticed, the other apps are less flexible when it comes to using multiple languages in one and the same file.

The classic Outlook has functionality comparable to Word, but new Outlook does not (note that I am a lot more familiar with Outlook for Windows than Outlook for Mac). The new Outlook seems to assume that you only need one proofing language. You can send feedback to Microsoft via the portal at https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback .

Answer 2

Hello and thank you. The “detect language automatically” doesn’t work in my experience, unfortunately. I have (since long) had the languages I use installed, but the applications more or less consistently fail to recognise the correct language. Sometimes the “don’t check speeling” is enabled, seemingly randomly. I guess I just have to accept the limited features for this in Office. Unfortunately, this creates considerable frustration and inefficiency in daily work. I had assumed that many users work across multiple languages in Office and that there would therefore be a more reliable solution, but that does not seem to be the case. Thank you again for your response.

Answer 3

Hi, Fredrik Ljungberg

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.

Sorry for this unwanted experience that you're facing. On Mac, Microsoft 365 spell check only behaves “multilingual” when the right proofing tools are installed and the text itself is tagged with the right language, keyboard switching (Control + Space) does not reliably do that across all apps.

Here are some suggestions you can try:

In any Office app, go to Review > Language > Language preferences, add each language and make sure it shows proofing installed (or install proofing tools), otherwise spell check will silently fall back to English.

In Outlook (Classic or Legacy), enable Edit > Language > Language > Detect language automatically, then restart Outlook so it actually remembers it.

If you’re on New Outlook and the above is missing or unreliable, switch to Legacy Outlook for now, multiple users report auto language detection works there while New Outlook regressed.

In Teams, use Settings > General > Editor Spellcheck > Manage to add your spellcheck languages (Teams only checks what’s in that list).

In PowerPoint, use Tools > Language > Set As Default, PowerPoint does not support Detect language automatically, so a fixed default is usually more stable.

Hope this helps. Feel free to get back if you need further assistance.

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