Office for Mac Issues

How to Fix Mac Word Spell Check Not Suggesting Corrections

Huma Ashraf Ch Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users are unable to see spelling correction suggestions when right-clicking a misspelled word in Microsoft Word for Mac.

How to Fix Mac Word Spell Check Not Suggesting Corrections

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: macOS
Scenario: Attempting to correct a typographical error using the right-click context menu.
Observed behavior: Right-clicking a word marked as misspelled does not display the expected drop-down list of suggested spelling corrections.

Before you start

Verify that your Mac operating system and Microsoft Word are updated to their latest versions, as pending updates can sometimes cause background proofing tools to malfunction.

Solution 1Recommended

Enable 'Check Spelling As You Type' in Word Preferences

Reactivating the active background spelling checker in Word's settings usually restores the right-click suggestion functionality.

Microsoft Word relies on its background proofing tools to generate spelling suggestions on the fly. If this feature is disabled globally or overridden by your current document's language settings, the context menu will not populate with corrections.

Access Word Preferences

Open Microsoft Word on your Mac. Click on 'Word' in the top-left corner of the macOS menu bar, and select 'Settings' (or 'Preferences' on older macOS versions).

Open Spelling & Grammar Options

In the Preferences window, locate the 'Authoring and Proofing Tools' section and click on 'Spelling & Grammar'.

Enable Live Spell Checking

Under the Spelling section, ensure the box next to 'Check spelling as you type' is checked.

Verify Document Language

Close the preferences window. Go to 'Tools' in the top menu bar, select 'Language', and confirm that the correct dictionary language is selected for your document.

Restart and Test

Quit Microsoft Word completely and reopen your document. Type a known misspelled word and right-click it to verify that suggestions now appear.

Enable 'Check Spelling As You Type' in Word Preferences

Document Specific Settings: If this issue only occurs in one specific document, select all text (Cmd + A), go to Tools > Language, and make sure 'Do not check spelling or grammar' is unchecked.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for a Seamless Mac Writing Experience

If you continue experiencing frustrating bugs with Microsoft Word's spell checker on your Mac, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a highly compatible, feature-rich, and completely free alternative with a highly reliable built-in spell-checking system.

1. Download the Mac Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installation package specifically optimized for macOS.
2. Install and Open Your Documents: Install the app, launch WPS Writer, and open your existing Word (.docx) documents seamlessly.
3. Enjoy Reliable Spell Checking: Start typing. WPS Writer will automatically highlight misspelled words, and a simple right-click will bring up accurate corrections immediately.

Built-in, accurate spell check that highlights errors and offers instant right-click suggestionsFully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx, .doc) and other standard formatsLightweight application that runs fast and smoothly on macOS without draining batteryFree to use with a familiar, intuitive interface that requires zero learning curve

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Mac Word spell check work in some documents but not others?

Spell checking in Word can be disabled on a per-document or even per-paragraph basis. If text was pasted from another source, it might carry a hidden 'Do not check spelling or grammar' format. You can fix this by selecting all text, navigating to Tools > Language, and unchecking that specific option.

How do I add a new language to my Mac Word spell check dictionary?

To check spelling in a different language, highlight your text, click 'Tools' in the top menu bar, and select 'Language'. Choose your desired language from the list and click 'OK'. Word will now use that language's dictionary for suggestions.

Does WPS Office on Mac have an automatic spell checker?

Yes, WPS Office for Mac includes a robust, automatic spell checker. It functions similarly to Word by underlining unrecognized words in red and providing a list of correct spelling options when you right-click the word.

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