Fix Microsoft Word Editor or Spelling Corrections Not Showing
Question details
The user needs to restore spelling and grammar corrections that are missing from the Microsoft Word Editor pane.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Reviewing a typed document to identify and fix spelling or grammar errors.
- Observed behavior
- The Editor pane fails to open, or spelling and grammar corrections do not appear, leaving misspelled words without the standard squiggly underlines.
Make sure your document contains actual text with deliberate misspellings to test the feature, and ensure you are not currently editing a locked or read-only file.
Manually Open the Editor Pane via the Review Tab
Use this solution if the Editor pane simply hasn't been triggered or was accidentally closed during your editing session.
Microsoft Word does not always display the Editor pane automatically. You can manually prompt Word to run a full spelling and grammar check, which forces the Editor pane to open and display any found corrections.
Open your Microsoft Word document and click on the 'Review' tab located in the top menu ribbon.
Click on the 'Spelling & Grammar' or 'Editor' button found on the far left side of the Review ribbon.
The Editor pane will now appear on the right side of your screen, categorizing and displaying all spelling and grammar suggestions.
Configure Document Language and Enable Proofing Tools
Apply this fix if the Editor pane is blank or if red squiggly lines are not appearing, which indicates missing proofing tools or incorrect language settings.
Easily Check Spelling and Grammar with WPS Writer
WPS Office provides a fast, lightweight word processor with a highly intuitive built-in Spell Check tool. You can effortlessly find and correct spelling errors without dealing with complicated language pack installations or missing features.
- 1. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Office and open your text document in the WPS Writer application.
- 2. Access the Spell Check Tool: Navigate to the 'Review' tab on the top menu ribbon and click on the 'Spell Check' icon.
- 3. Enable Check As You Type: Click the drop-down arrow directly under the 'Spell Check' button and ensure 'Check Spelling As You Type' is activated.
- 4. Review and Correct Errors: A sidebar will appear displaying misspelled words along with suggested corrections. Simply click 'Change' to apply a fix to your document.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are there no red squiggly lines under misspelled words in my Word document?
This usually happens if 'Check spelling as you type' is disabled in Word's Proofing options, or if the specific text in your document is set to 'Do not check spelling or grammar' within the Language settings.
Is the Word Editor pane only available for Microsoft 365 subscribers?
While basic spelling and grammar checking is available in all standalone versions of Word, the advanced Editor pane—which includes style, clarity, and conciseness suggestions—is a premium feature exclusive to Microsoft 365 subscribers.
Can a specific text style hide spelling and grammar errors?
Yes. If a specific style applied to your text is configured to skip proofing, words formatted with that style will not show spelling errors. You can fix this by modifying the style and unchecking the 'Do not check spelling or grammar' option in its language formatting settings.
How do I fix the 'Missing Proofing Tools' error in Microsoft Word?
Go to File > Options > Language. Look for your primary authoring language and check its proofing status. If it says 'Proofing available', it is installed. If it prompts you to install them, click the link to download the language accessory pack from Microsoft, then restart Word.
