Office Settings & Configuration

How to Remove an Incorrect Word from a Spelling Dictionary in Word and Chrome

Huma Ashraf Ch Sep 25, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to remove a misspelled word that was accidentally added to a custom spelling dictionary so that the spell checker correctly flags it as an error.

How to Remove an Incorrect Word from a Spelling Dictionary

Product: Microsoft Word / Web Browsers
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Typing a document or email where a known misspelled word is being ignored by the spell checker due to being saved in a custom dictionary or affected by language settings.
Observed behavior: The spell checker fails to flag an incorrect word (e.g., "teh") because it is stored in a browser dictionary, a custom Word dictionary, or bypassed by proofing language rules.

Before you start

Determine whether you are typing in a desktop application (like Word) or a web browser (like Chrome), as each program manages its own separate custom dictionary.

Solution 1Recommended

Edit Custom Dictionaries in Microsoft Word

Remove the mistakenly added word directly from Word's custom dictionary settings to restore proper spell checking.

Microsoft Word maintains its own list of custom dictionaries. If you accidentally clicked 'Add to Dictionary' on a misspelled word, you will need to manually remove it from the CUSTOM.DIC file through Word's proofing options.

Access Word Options

Open Microsoft Word, click on the 'File' tab in the top-left corner, and select 'Options' at the bottom of the menu.

Navigate to Proofing Settings

In the Word Options dialog box, click on 'Proofing' in the left sidebar. Scroll down to the 'When correcting spelling in Microsoft Office programs' section and click the 'Custom Dictionaries...' button.

Edit the Word List

Select 'CUSTOM.DIC' (or the relevant custom dictionary) from the list and click 'Edit Word List...'. Locate the incorrect word (like 'teh'), select it, and click 'Delete', then click 'OK' to save your changes.

Edit Custom Dictionaries in Microsoft Word

Apply Across Office: Changes made to the custom dictionary in Word will also apply to other Microsoft Office applications like Outlook and PowerPoint.

Solution 2

Remove Words from Chrome's Spelling Dictionary

Clear incorrectly saved words from Google Chrome's built-in dictionary if the issue occurs while typing online.

Solution 3

Verify Proofing Language Settings

Ensure the correct language is applied to your text and that spell check isn't accidentally disabled for specific sections.

Easily Manage Your Custom Dictionaries in WPS Office

WPS Office provides an intuitive, built-in spell check tool that makes adding, editing, or removing words from your custom dictionary incredibly simple, ensuring perfectly proofread documents.

1. Open WPS Writer Settings: Launch WPS Writer, click the 'Menu' button in the top-left corner, and select 'Options'.
2. Access the Spell Check Menu: In the Options window, click on 'Spell Check' in the left-hand navigation pane, then click the 'Custom Dictionaries' button.
3. Modify Your Dictionary: Select your custom dictionary, click 'Modify', locate the incorrectly spelled word in your list, delete it, and confirm your changes.

Highly compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formats and proofing standardsEasily manage custom spell check dictionaries across all documentsLightweight and fast, offering robust editing tools for freeMulti-language spell check support for seamless international writing

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is a misspelled word not showing a red squiggly line?

The word may have been accidentally added to your custom dictionary, or the specific text block might be set to 'Do not check spelling or grammar' in your document's language settings.

Does deleting a word from Chrome's dictionary fix it in my desktop word processor?

No. Web browsers and desktop word processors maintain separate custom dictionaries. You must edit the dictionary in the specific application where you are typing.

Where are custom dictionaries stored on my computer?

In Microsoft Office on Windows, custom dictionaries are typically saved as a .dic file in your AppData folder, usually located at C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\UProof.

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