Office Settings & Configuration

How to Change Microsoft Word Spell Check from American to British English

Maira Mehtab Sep 21, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to change the default spell checking language in Microsoft Word from American English to British English to prevent British spellings from being marked as incorrect.

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Reviewing or typing a document where British English spelling is required, but the built-in dictionary defaults to American English.
Observed behavior: Microsoft Word uses American English for its proofing language, highlighting correct British English words as spelling errors.

Before you start

Check your current Windows system language settings in the bottom right corner of your taskbar to see which English version is currently active, as system settings can sometimes override Office preferences.

Solution 1Recommended

Change Office Authoring and Proofing Language in Word

Adjust the built-in language preferences within Microsoft Word to set British English as your default proofing language.

Microsoft Office allows you to set a specific default language for all your documents. Changing this setting will ensure that Word uses the British English dictionary for spell checking moving forward.

Open Language Preferences

Launch Microsoft Word. On the ribbon at the top, select the 'Review' tab, click on 'Language', and then choose 'Language Preferences' from the drop-down menu.

Select British English

Under the 'Office authoring languages and proofing' section, look for 'English (United Kingdom)'. If it is not listed, you may need to click 'Add a language' to install it.

Set as Default

Click on 'English (United Kingdom)' to select it, choose the 'Set as Default' button, and then select 'OK' to apply your changes.

Restart Required: You will need to restart Microsoft Word for the new default proofing language settings to take effect completely.

Solution 2

Update Windows Regional Language Settings

Use this solution if Word keeps reverting to American English despite changing the internal Office settings.

Efficient Word Processing

Change Spell Check Language Easily with WPS Writer

WPS Office provides a highly compatible, free alternative to Microsoft Word. You can easily switch your spell checking language to British English or any other preferred language directly within WPS Writer.

1. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Writer and open the document you wish to spell check.
2. Access Spell Check Settings: Navigate to the 'Review' tab on the top menu, click the 'Spell Check' icon, and select 'Set Language' from the drop-down menu.
3. Apply British English: Scroll through the language list, select 'English (United Kingdom)', click 'Set as Default', and hit 'OK'.

Seamlessly opens, edits, and saves Microsoft Word (.docx) formatsBuilt-in multi-language spell checker to easily toggle between UK and US EnglishLightweight installation and incredibly fast document loadingFamiliar user interface that requires zero learning curve

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Word spell check keep changing back to American English?

This commonly occurs if your Windows system regional language is set to American English, or if the 'Detect language automatically' feature is enabled in Word's language settings. Disabling the automatic detection and aligning your Windows settings with your Office settings usually resolves the issue.

Can I have both American and British English spell checking in the same document?

Yes. You can select specific paragraphs or text, go to Review > Language > Set Proofing Language, and apply a different language just to the highlighted section without altering the default language of the entire document.

Does changing the default language in Word affect Excel and PowerPoint?

Yes, changing the Office authoring and proofing language preferences in Microsoft Word applies the new default language settings universally across all installed Microsoft Office applications, including Excel and PowerPoint.

How do I install the British English proofing tools if they are missing?

Go to Review > Language > Language Preferences. Find English (United Kingdom) in the language list. If it says 'Proofing available' instead of 'Installed', click the link to download and install the necessary language accessory pack directly from Microsoft.

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