How to Fix Word Editor Not Showing Readability Statistics
Question details
Readability statistics fail to display in Microsoft Word after completing the Spelling & Grammar or Editor check.
- Product
- Microsoft Word (Microsoft 365)
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Checking a document's readability and grammar metrics using the built-in Editor tool.
- Observed behavior
- The readability statistics window does not populate or appear, even though the 'Show readability statistics' option is enabled and the proofing language is correctly set to English (US).
Ensure your document contains a sufficient amount of prose (multiple sentences or paragraphs). Word requires enough text context to accurately calculate readability scores like the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level.
Verify Proofing Settings and Complete the Check
Double-check your Word options to ensure both grammar and readability features are actively checked, and let the Editor finish scanning the entire document.
Readability statistics will only generate if the grammar check is running alongside the spell check. Furthermore, the statistics popup is triggered only after the entire document check reaches 100% completion.
In Microsoft Word, click on 'File' in the top-left corner, select 'Options' at the bottom, and then click on 'Proofing' from the left-hand menu.
Scroll down to the 'When correcting spelling and grammar in Word' section. Ensure that both the 'Check grammar with spelling' and 'Show readability statistics' boxes are checked. Click 'OK' to save.
Go to the 'Review' tab and click on 'Spelling & Grammar' or 'Editor'. Proceed through all the suggestions. You must finish or ignore all prompts until you see the final completion message for the readability dialog to appear.
Test Readability in a Fresh Document
Sometimes document corruption or background formatting glitches prevent statistics from generating. Testing a fresh file helps isolate whether the issue is document-specific.
Update or Repair Microsoft Office
If the feature remains blank across all documents despite correct settings, your Microsoft 365 installation might be out of date or experiencing corrupted system files.
Try WPS Office for Seamless Document Proofing
If Microsoft Word continues to experience feature glitches or requires lengthy application repairs, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a highly compatible, lightweight environment for your document creation, editing, and proofreading needs without the heavy resource usage.
- 1. Download and Install: Visit the official WPS website to download the free installation package and install it on your device.
- 2. Open Your Documents: Launch WPS Writer and directly open your existing .docx files. No conversion is needed.
- 3. Proofread with Ease: Navigate to the 'Review' tab to immediately access powerful Spell Check and Word Count tools to perfectly polish your prose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Word Editor say 100% checked but shows no readability popup?
This commonly happens if the 'Check grammar with spelling' option is disabled in your Proofing settings. Word requires the grammar check to run simultaneously with the spell check to properly calculate and trigger the readability statistics.
Do readability statistics work for all languages in Word?
No, readability scores in Microsoft Word are optimized for specific languages, primarily English. If your document text is set to an unsupported language, or contains a mix of multiple languages, the statistics may remain blank or calculate inaccurately.
How is the Flesch-Kincaid readability score calculated in Word?
The Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level formulas base their scores on the average number of syllables per word and the average number of words per sentence found during the grammar scan.
What should I do if my proofing language keeps changing automatically?
You can disable automatic language detection to prevent errors during proofing. Highlight your text, go to Review > Language > Set Proofing Language, uncheck the 'Detect language automatically' box, and click OK.
