Office Settings & Configuration

Fix Microsoft Word Marking Correctly Spelled Words as Incorrect

Emma Brown Oct 12, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user needs to resolve an issue where Microsoft Word identifies correctly spelled words as spelling errors due to incorrect language settings.

Fix Microsoft Word Marking Correctly Spelled Words as Incorrect

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Reviewing or editing a document, particularly after pasting content from an external source or when automatic language detection is enabled.
Observed behavior: Word displays red squiggly lines under correctly spelled words, indicating false spelling errors because the wrong proofing dictionary is being applied.

Before you start

Before changing your settings, verify the intended primary language of your document. Also, glance at the language displayed in Word's bottom status bar to see if it unexpectedly switched from your native language.

Solution 1Recommended

Set the Correct Proofing Language and Disable Auto-Detect

This method forces Word to use the correct dictionary for the entire document and stops it from automatically switching languages.

Microsoft Word often flags correct words if the proofing language gets changed to another dialect or a completely different language. This frequently happens when pasting text from the internet or other documents.

Select all text

Press Ctrl+A (Windows) or Cmd+A (Mac) to select the entire contents of your document.

Open Language settings

Navigate to the 'Review' tab on the top ribbon, click on 'Language', and select 'Set Proofing Language' from the dropdown menu.

Choose the correct language

Scroll through the list in the dialog box and select your desired language, such as English (United States) or English (United Kingdom).

Disable automatic detection

Uncheck the box labeled 'Detect language automatically'. This stops Word from guessing and changing the language when you type or paste new text.

Set as default

Click the 'Set As Default' button to apply this dictionary choice to all future documents, then click 'OK' to save your changes.

Set the Correct Proofing Language and Disable Auto-Detect

Quick Status Bar Check: You can quickly view and change the proofing language of any selected text by clicking directly on the language name displayed in Word's status bar at the bottom of the screen.

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1. Open WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and open your text document.
2. Access Spell Check: Go to the 'Review' tab on the ribbon and click on the 'Spell Check' icon.
3. Set Language: Click on 'Set Language' within the Review tab to easily lock in your preferred dictionary for accurate proofing.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word suddenly change the spell check language on its own?

Word typically changes the proofing language if the 'Detect language automatically' setting is enabled, or if you paste text from a source that was formatted with a different language setting.

Can the proofing language vary within the same Word document?

Yes, proofing language operates at the character level in Word. This means different paragraphs, sentences, or even single words can be assigned entirely different proofing languages within the same file.

How do I add a new dictionary language to Microsoft Word?

You can add a new dictionary by going to File > Options > Language. Under the 'Office authoring languages and proofing' section, click 'Add a Language', select your desired language, and click Add.

Why isn't the 'Set As Default' language button working for new documents?

If 'Set As Default' doesn't stick for new documents, Word might lack the necessary permissions to overwrite the Normal.dotm template, or a third-party add-in might be overriding your default settings upon startup.

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