How to Fix Word Online Changing Language and Font When Creating Tables
Question details
The user experiences unexpected changes to proofing language, font, and font size when inserting tables in Word Online.
- Product
- Word Online
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Creating a table within a Word Online document.
- Observed behavior
- The document's proofing language randomly changes (e.g., to Spanish), and the font or font size resets immediately after a table is inserted.
Verify whether the issue happens across all documents or only a specific file, and ensure your web browser is updated to its latest version.
Verify Device and Browser Regional Language Settings
Since Word Online operates in your browser, it may inherit the language preferences set by your device or web browser.
Web applications often rely on the underlying system's regional settings to determine default proofing languages. If your browser or operating system has a secondary language set with higher priority, Word Online may mistakenly revert to it when a new element like a table is generated.
Navigate to your computer's system settings (e.g., Settings > Time & Language in Windows, or System Preferences > Language & Region in macOS) and ensure your primary language is at the top of the preferred languages list.
Open your web browser's settings menu, search for 'Languages', and confirm that your preferred language is set as the default for displaying websites and apps.
Close your browser completely, reopen Word Online, and insert a new table to see if the language remains stable.
Create a New Document from a Clean Template
Document templates can retain corrupted style data. Testing with a fresh template helps isolate the issue.
Experience Stable Document Formatting with WPS Office
If Word Online continues to glitch and change your language or font settings when inserting tables, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a robust, locally installed desktop experience that handles tables, complex formatting, and multiple languages without unexpected disruptions.
- 1. Download and install WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website, download the free installation package for your operating system, and follow the on-screen instructions to install.
- 2. Open your existing documents: Launch WPS Writer and open your .docx files directly. Your tables and text formatting will remain intact.
- 3. Edit and format flawlessly: Insert tables, adjust fonts, and configure your proofing languages with reliable, persistent settings that do not change randomly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Word automatically change my proofing language?
Word features an 'Auto-detect language' setting that attempts to guess the language you are typing in. It can sometimes misinterpret short phrases or inherit incorrect regional data from a table style or browser setting, causing the language to switch abruptly.
How do I stop Word from automatically detecting languages?
To turn off this feature, go to the 'Review' tab, select 'Language', and click 'Set Proofing Language'. In the dialog box that appears, uncheck the box labeled 'Detect language automatically'.
Can a document template cause formatting bugs?
Yes. If the underlying template used to create the document has a specific language or font permanently linked to its 'Table Grid' style, it will force those settings onto any new table you generate, regardless of your current text font.
