Office Settings & Configuration

How to Fix Microsoft 365 Editor Not Checking Spelling or Grammar

Aamir Naveed Akram Oct 9, 2026 869 views

Question details

The Microsoft 365 Editor fails to identify spelling and grammar errors in Word and Outlook.

How to Fix Microsoft 365 Editor Not Checking Spelling or Grammar

Product: Microsoft 365 (Word and Outlook)
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Writing and editing text in documents or emails where automated proofreading is expected to catch mistakes.
Observed behavior: Intentional spelling and grammar errors are completely ignored by the Editor, even after checking basic settings, restarting, updating, and reinstalling add-ins.

Before you start

Ensure you have the correct text selected before checking proofing settings, and verify whether the issue is happening in a specific document or across all new files.

Solution 1Recommended

Verify Proofing Language and Spell Check Settings in Word

Incorrect language settings or a disabled proofing option can prevent the Editor from catching errors in your Word documents.

In Microsoft Word, the spell checker relies on the language applied to the specific text. If the text is set to a language you don't have installed, or if error checking is explicitly disabled for that selection, the Editor will ignore all typos.

Select all text

Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select the entire document.

Open language settings

Navigate to the Review tab on the ribbon, click on Language, and then select Set Proofing Language.

Adjust proofing options

Ensure the correct language (e.g., English) is highlighted. Uncheck the box that says 'Do not check spelling or grammar', then click OK.

Enable automatic checking

Go to File > Options > Proofing. Make sure 'Check spelling as you type' and 'Mark grammar errors as you type' are both checked.

Verify Proofing Language and Spell Check Settings in Word

Apply to Default: If you want these language settings to apply to all future documents, click the 'Set As Default' button in the Language dialog box before clicking OK.

Solution 2

Enable Automatic Spell Checking in Classic Outlook

If Outlook is ignoring typos, the 'Check spelling as you type' feature might be disabled in your Mail options.

Solution 3

Test Spell Check in the Main Message Body

Outlook does not spell-check email signatures, which can make it seem like the Editor is failing if you are testing it there.

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Experience Seamless Editing with WPS Office

If Microsoft 365 Editor continues to cause troubleshooting headaches, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a highly compatible, lightweight, and free alternative with robust built-in spelling and grammar checking tools that work reliably out of the box.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free installer.
2. Install and Open: Run the installer and open WPS Writer, the reliable alternative to Microsoft Word.
3. Enable Spell Check: Go to the Review tab and click Spell Check to instantly verify your document for errors.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the Editor ignore errors in my Outlook signature?

By design, Outlook does not perform spelling or grammar checks on text located within signature blocks. To accurately test if your Editor is working, always type your text directly into the main message body.

What does the 'Do not check spelling or grammar' option do in Word?

When this option is enabled in the proofing language settings, Word completely disables error checking for the highlighted text. You must highlight the text and uncheck this option to restore Editor functionality.

Does the Editor behave differently in New Outlook compared to Classic Outlook?

Yes, New Outlook and Outlook on the web handle proofing largely through browser settings or modern app configurations, whereas Classic Outlook relies on the traditional File > Options > Mail > Spelling and Autocorrect menu.

Why is spell check working in new documents but not my current one?

Document-specific settings can override global settings. The text in your current document might have the 'Do not check spelling or grammar' attribute applied, or the document might be set to hide spelling errors under File > Options > Proofing > Exceptions for.

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