Office Settings & Configuration

How to Exclude a Word from the Default Spelling Dictionary

Aamir Naveed Akram Oct 13, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to remove a valid word from the default spelling lexicon so that the word processor flags it as a misspelled word.

How to Exclude a Word from the Default Spelling Dictionary

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Proofreading a document where a technically valid word needs to be flagged as incorrect because it is frequently misused in the current context.
Observed behavior: The built-in default spelling dictionary automatically accepts the word as correct, and there is no direct interface option to remove or edit words in the default lexicon.

Before you start

Ensure you have administrator privileges on your computer and enable the setting to view hidden system files, as exclusion dictionaries are typically located in hidden AppData folders.

Solution 1Recommended

Create and Edit an Exclusion Dictionary

Since the default spelling dictionary cannot be modified directly, you must use an exclusion dictionary to force the spell checker to flag specific accepted words as errors.

Microsoft Word does not provide a supported method to delete words from its compiled built-in dictionary. Instead, it supports exclusion dictionaries (.lex files) which tell the spell checker to treat specific words as incorrect, even if they exist in the main lexicon.

Locate the UProof folder

Open File Explorer and navigate to your user application data directory. The typical path is C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\UProof. You may need to replace [YourUsername] with your actual computer profile name.

Identify the correct language dictionary

Look for a file named ExcludeDictionary[LanguageCode].lex. The language code is a 4-digit hexadecimal Locale ID (LCID). For example, 0409 is for US English, and 0408 is for Malay.

Open the exclusion dictionary

Right-click the corresponding .lex file, select 'Open with', and choose a plain text editor like Notepad.

Add the word to exclude

Type the word you want to flag as a misspelling (e.g., 'ammonia') entirely in lowercase letters. If you have multiple words, press Enter to put each word on its own new line.

Save and restart

Save the file and close Notepad. Completely close out of Microsoft Word and relaunch it for the new spelling exclusions to take effect.

Missing Exclusion Dictionary: If you do not see an exclusion dictionary for your language in the UProof folder, you can manually create a new text document and name it with the correct LCID format (e.g., ExcludeDictionaryEN0409.lex), ensuring the .txt extension is removed.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I just delete a word from the default dictionary in Word?

The default spelling dictionary in Microsoft Word is a compiled, hard-coded lexicon file. It is designed this way to ensure the core spelling engine remains intact and functions quickly, which is why user edits must be done via custom or exclusion dictionaries.

Will an exclusion dictionary affect all my Word documents?

Yes, once an exclusion dictionary is updated and saved for a specific language code, it will apply to all documents proofed under that language on your computer.

How do I reverse a word exclusion later?

To reverse the process, simply open the same exclusion dictionary (.lex) file in Notepad, delete the specific word from the list, save the file, and restart your word processor.

What if the excluded word is still not marked as misspelled?

Ensure that the word was typed entirely in lowercase in the .lex file, that the correct language profile is active in your document's text, and that you have fully restarted the Word application after saving the changes.

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