Fix Arabic Text Incorrectly Recognized as English in Word
Question details
Users are experiencing an issue where Microsoft Word applies English proofing to Arabic text in existing documents, even though the paragraph direction is correct.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Editing existing Arabic documents after a system language change or a recent Microsoft 365 update.
- Observed behavior
- Arabic text is flagged as incorrect because Word treats it as English by default in the proofing tools.
Check whether this proofing issue occurs only in your older, existing documents or if it also affects newly created files, as this helps pinpoint if it's a document-specific style issue or a system-wide setting.
Update the Normal Style and Apply Proofing Manually
Because the issue often isolates to existing documents, the most reliable fix is to modify the default Normal style for that document and force the correct proofing language onto all existing text.
When Word applies the wrong proofing language, changing the system language alone might not fix documents that have already saved the English attribute in their base styles.
Open the affected document and press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to highlight all the content.
Go to the Review tab on the ribbon, click on Language, and select Set Proofing Language.
Scroll to select your preferred Arabic dialect. Uncheck the 'Detect language automatically' box to prevent Word from overriding your choice, then click OK.
Go to the Home tab. In the Styles gallery, right-click the 'Normal' style and select Modify. Click the Format button at the bottom left, select Language, choose Arabic, and click OK twice to save.
Align Windows System Language Settings
Word sometimes forces its default proofing language to match your Windows display language. Changing this system setting can resolve the issue for future documents.
Try WPS Office for Seamless Arabic Text Editing
If Microsoft Word continues to struggle with language recognition and formatting bugs after updates, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible alternative with robust multi-language support, ensuring your Arabic documents are formatted and proofed correctly without the hassle.
- 1. Download and install: Get WPS Office for free from the official website and install it on your PC.
- 2. Open your document: Right-click your existing .docx file and choose 'Open with WPS Office'.
- 3. Edit flawlessly: Continue editing your Arabic text with accurate language recognition and standard right-to-left formatting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Word suddenly think my Arabic text is English?
This usually happens after a Microsoft 365 update or when the Windows system language changes. Word attempts to sync the proofing language with the system display language, which can inadvertently overwrite the document's original language settings.
How do I stop Word from automatically changing my typing language?
Go to File > Options > Advanced. Under the Editing options section, uncheck 'Automatically switch keyboard to match language of surrounding text' to prevent Word from making unwanted language adjustments while you type.
Does changing the Normal style affect all my future documents?
If you only modify the Normal style within a specific document, it only applies to that single file. To apply it to all new documents, you must select the 'New documents based on this template' radio button when modifying the style.
