Office Settings & Configuration

How to Fix Office Spell Check Using Italian Instead of English

Amos Gikunda Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

Microsoft Office spell check is incorrectly applying Italian proofing to English text.

How to Fix Office Spell Check Using Italian Instead of English

Product: Microsoft Office
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Typing, editing, or proofreading a document written in English.
Observed behavior: Common English words are marked as misspelled, and the spell checker provides Italian suggestions even though English is selected as the preferred authoring language.

Before you start

Before adjusting your language settings, keep in mind that Office can apply proofing languages to individual words or paragraphs, so you must select the entire text to apply a global fix.

Solution 1Recommended

Set the Proofing Language for the Entire Document

Manually apply the English proofing language to all text in the document to override any hidden Italian formatting.

Office sometimes assigns a different proofing language to specific paragraphs. By selecting the entire document, you can force the spell checker to evaluate all text in English.

Select all text

Click anywhere inside your document and press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to highlight all the text.

Open Language Settings

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

Choose English

Scroll through the language list and select your preferred English variant (such as English (United States) or English (United Kingdom)).

Adjust spell check options

Uncheck the box that says 'Do not check spelling or grammar' to ensure the spell checker is active, then click OK to apply the changes.

Set the Proofing Language for the Entire Document

Automatic Language Detection: While in the Language dialog box, it is often helpful to uncheck 'Detect language automatically' to prevent the issue from returning.

Solution 2

Remove the Italian Language Package from Windows

Uninstalling the Microsoft 365 Italian language pack from Windows Settings prevents Office from switching to Italian entirely.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for Seamless Multilingual Document Editing

If background language packs and unexpected proofing changes in Microsoft Office are causing frustration, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible alternative with easy-to-manage spell check settings.

1. Open your document in WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and open your existing Word document.
2. Access Spell Check: Go to the Review tab on the ribbon and click the Spell Check icon.
3. Set Proofing Language: Click on the Set Language dropdown within the Spell Check panel to easily lock in your preferred English variant.

Free and lightweight Office suite without complex background conflictsFully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) file formatsIntuitive built-in spell checker with simple language switchingFamiliar user interface for a seamless transition

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Word document suddenly change to another language?

Word has a feature called 'Detect language automatically' that analyzes your typing. If you type certain words, names, or phrases that resemble another language, Word may automatically switch the proofing language for that specific section of text.

How do I turn off automatic language detection in Office?

To disable this feature, go to the Review tab, click on Language, select Set Proofing Language, and clear the checkbox next to 'Detect language automatically'. Click OK to save your preferences.

Can I have multiple proofing languages in one document?

Yes. Proofing languages can be applied on a per-word or per-paragraph basis. You can highlight a specific paragraph, go to Review > Language > Set Proofing Language, and assign a different language to just that section without affecting the rest of your document.

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