Office Settings & Configuration

How to Fix Microsoft Word Using UK English Instead of US English

Nimra Malik Oct 7, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to stop Word from applying UK English spell check to documents written in American English.

How to Fix Microsoft Word Using UK English Instead of US English

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Writing or editing a Word document where US English spelling rules are required.
Observed behavior: Microsoft Word marks valid US English spellings like 'color' and 'center' as incorrect because it applies UK English proofing rules, despite US English being selected in some settings.

Before you start

Ensure that your Windows system language and keyboard layout are set to US English, as Word often tries to match the operating system's regional language settings by default.

Solution 1Recommended

Apply US English Proofing to All Existing Text

Because proofing language in Word acts as a text formatting property, you must explicitly select the existing text before applying the correct dictionary language.

Many users change the language setting but find that the existing text still gets flagged for errors. This is because Word applies the language to specific characters rather than the entire file as a whole unless text is selected.

Select all document text

Press Ctrl+A on your keyboard to highlight all the text inside your Word document.

Navigate to the Language menu

Go to the 'Review' tab on the ribbon at the top of the window and click on the 'Language' option.

Set the proofing language

Click 'Set Proofing Language' from the drop-down menu. In the dialog box that appears, scroll and select 'English (United States)'.

Disable automatic detection

Uncheck the box that says 'Detect language automatically' to prevent Word from overriding your choice in the future, then click 'OK'.

Apply US English Proofing to All Existing Text

Success Tip: After clicking OK, any red squiggly lines under valid US English words like 'color' or 'canceled' should immediately disappear.

Solution 2

Update Windows Preferred Language Settings

If Word continues to revert to UK English for newly typed text or new documents, your system language might be causing a continuous override.

Solution 3

Repair the Microsoft Office Installation

If the dictionary keeps resetting or behaving erratically despite changing the language, a quick Office repair can restore default proofing tools.

Easily Manage Proofing Languages in WPS Office

Avoid frustrating spell check overrides by switching to WPS Writer. It offers a straightforward approach to managing document languages and is fully compatible with Microsoft Word files.

1. Open your document in WPS: Launch WPS Writer and open the document you wish to spell check.
2. Access the Review tab: Click on the 'Review' tab located on the top ribbon menu.
3. Open Set Language settings: Click the 'Spell Check' drop-down arrow and select 'Set Language'.
4. Apply US English: Choose 'English (United States)' from the list and click 'Set as Default' to ensure all future typing uses American spelling rules.

Easily set and lock your default proofing language without unexpected overrides.Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formats.Free, lightweight, and fast document processing with a familiar interface.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word keep changing my proofing language automatically?

Word has a feature called 'Detect language automatically' which attempts to guess the language based on your phrasing or system region settings. If it incorrectly detects UK English phrasing, it silently switches the dictionary. Disabling this setting in the Review > Language menu prevents unwanted changes.

How do I make US English the default language for all new Word documents?

Go to Review > Language > Set Proofing Language, select 'English (United States)', and click the 'Set As Default' button. Confirm the prompt to apply this to the Normal template, which affects all future documents.

Can proofing language differ between paragraphs in the same document?

Yes. In Microsoft Word, the proofing language is applied as a text formatting property similar to bold or italics. This is why a single document can have both US and UK English sections, and why you must select all text (Ctrl+A) before changing the dictionary language for existing content.

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