Office Settings & Configuration

How to Remove Red Underlines from Misspelled Words in Office

WPS Content Manager Oct 10, 2026 874 views

Question details

The user wants to hide or remove the red squiggly underlines that appear under text in Microsoft Office applications like Word and OneNote.

How to Remove Red Underlines from Misspelled Words in Office

Product: Microsoft Office
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Editing a document or taking notes where the automatic spell checker highlights unrecognized text with red underlines, causing visual distraction.
Observed behavior: Red underlines persist under words, either due to active spell check proofing settings or residual text formatting.

Before you start

Ensure you are not attempting to remove underlines that were intentionally added as text formatting. If you want to keep spelling checks active but hide the visual marks, make sure you know which language dictionary is currently applied to your text.

Solution 1Recommended

Hide Spelling Errors via Proofing Options

Use the built-in Office options to hide spelling indicators across your document, which is the standard way to remove spell check red lines.

This method disables the visual red squiggly lines without permanently turning off the spell checker engine, allowing you to review errors later if needed.

Open Word Options

Click on 'File' in the top-left corner, then select 'Options' at the bottom of the menu.

Navigate to Proofing

In the Word Options dialog box, click on 'Proofing' in the left-hand sidebar.

Hide Spelling Errors

Scroll down to the 'Exceptions for' section. Check the box that says 'Hide spelling errors in this document only'.

Save Changes

Click 'OK' to apply the changes. The red underlines should immediately disappear from your document.

Hide Spelling Errors via Proofing Options

Document Specific: Checking 'Exceptions for this document only' ensures your spell check settings remain active for other new files.

Solution 2

Clear Text Formatting

Sometimes red underlines are applied manually or pasted as text formatting rather than spelling errors.

Solution 3

Disable Spell Check in OneNote

If you are using OneNote for Windows 10, consider using OneNote 2016 for more advanced proofing controls.

Disable Spell Check Easily in WPS

Easily Manage Spell Check and Formatting in WPS Office

WPS Office Writer provides a straightforward, user-friendly way to toggle spell check indicators on or off. You can effortlessly manage document proofing without navigating through complex settings menus.

1. Open your Document: Launch WPS Writer and open the document containing the red underlines.
2. Navigate to the Review Tab: Click on the 'Review' tab located on the top ribbon menu.
3. Toggle Spell Check: Click on the 'Spell Check' button drop-down arrow and uncheck 'Check Spelling as You Type' to instantly remove red underlines.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formats.One-click toggle for spell check right on the Review toolbar.Clear formatting tools are easily accessible for cleaning up messy pasted text.Free, lightweight, and fast document processing.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do red underlines reappear after I delete them?

If the underlying cause is the automatic spell checker, the application will re-evaluate the text as you type and apply the red line again. To fix this, you must either disable the spell check feature or right-click the word and add it to your dictionary.

Can I remove red underlines for just a specific word?

Yes, simply right-click the word with the red underline and select 'Add to Dictionary' or 'Ignore All'. This tells the program that the specific word is correct and should no longer be marked.

Does disabling spell check affect grammar checks?

Hiding spelling errors only removes the red squiggly lines. Grammar errors, which are typically indicated by blue or green double underlines, are controlled by a separate setting under the Proofing menu named 'Check grammar with spelling' or 'Mark grammar errors as you type'.

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