How to Make Word Use UK English Spellcheck Instead of US English
Question details
The user wants to force Microsoft Word to strictly use UK English spellcheck, as the application continues to accept US spellings.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Authoring, editing, or pasting text into a document that requires strict adherence to UK English spelling conventions.
- Observed behavior
- Microsoft Word continues to accept US spellings (such as words ending in '-ize') even after UK English is selected as the authoring language, and text pasted from websites retains its original US English proofing formatting.
Ensure that the UK English language accessory pack is fully installed in your Microsoft Office settings before attempting to change the default proofing language.
Apply UK English Proofing to the Entire Document
Because proofing language in Word is a property applied directly to the text (similar to font style or size), you must manually apply the UK English setting to all existing text in the document.
Setting the default authoring language often only affects new documents or newly typed text. Text that is already in the document, or text pasted from external sources like websites, will retain its original language formatting unless explicitly changed.
Click anywhere inside your document and press 'Ctrl+A' on your keyboard to highlight all the text.
Navigate to the 'Review' tab on the top ribbon, click on 'Language', and then select 'Set Proofing Language'.
In the Language dialog box, scroll through the list and select 'English (United Kingdom)'.
Ensure that 'Do not check spelling or grammar' is unchecked, then click 'OK' to apply the UK English spellcheck to the entire document.
Use an Exclusion Dictionary to Flag '-ize' Spellings
UK English in Word natively accepts some US spellings (like words ending in '-ize') based on Oxford spelling standards. To force Word to flag these as incorrect, you must add them to a language-specific exclusion dictionary.
Easily Manage Spellcheck Languages in WPS Writer
WPS Writer offers an intuitive, streamlined way to manage proofing languages and spellcheck settings for your entire document, ensuring strict adherence to regional spelling rules.
- 1. Open your document: Launch WPS Writer and open the document you wish to proofread.
- 2. Select all text: Press 'Ctrl+A' on your keyboard to highlight all text, including pasted content.
- 3. Access spellcheck settings: Go to the 'Review' tab on the ribbon, click on 'Spell Check', and choose 'Set Language'.
- 4. Apply UK English: Select 'English (United Kingdom)' from the list and click 'Set as Default' or 'OK' to apply it to your text.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does pasted text change my spellcheck language back to US English?
In Microsoft Word, language is considered a text formatting property, much like font style or color. When you paste text from websites or other documents, it often retains its original language formatting (such as US English) unless you choose the 'Keep Text Only' paste option.
How can I quickly check the proofing language of my current text?
You can display the current proofing language on the status bar at the bottom of the Word window. Simply right-click anywhere on the status bar and select 'Language' from the customization menu. The language of the currently selected text will now be visible.
Why does Word's UK dictionary accept words ending in '-ize'?
The UK English dictionary in Word follows the Oxford English Dictionary standard, which accepts many '-ize' endings as valid standard UK spellings (known as Oxford spelling). If you prefer strictly '-ise' endings, you must add the '-ize' variants to a UK English exclusion dictionary.
