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How to Show Word for Mac Editing Suggestions Inline Without the Editor Pane
Question details
The user wants to view spelling, grammar, and word-choice editing suggestions directly inline within the document text without having to open the separate Editor pane.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Reviewing and editing a document containing comments, where side panels take up too much screen space.
- Observed behavior
- Word for Mac no longer displays spelling and grammar suggestions inline, requiring the user to open the Editor pane which obscures comments and other document content.
Ensure no specific text is highlighted when adjusting the global application preferences, so that your changes apply to all future typing.
Enable Spelling and Grammar Checking as You Type
Turning on the check-as-you-type preferences directly restores the inline squiggly lines and right-click suggestions.
If inline suggestions have suddenly disappeared, the primary cause is usually that the automatic background checking features have been toggled off in Word's main preferences.
Launch Microsoft Word on your Mac. In the Apple menu bar at the top of your screen, click on 'Word' and select 'Preferences'.
In the Preferences dialog box, locate and click on 'Spelling & Grammar' under the Authoring and Proofing Tools section.
Check the boxes next to 'Check spelling as you type' and 'Check grammar as you type'. Close the window to save your settings.
Clear the 'Do not check' Exception in Language Settings
Sometimes specific text blocks or whole documents are set to ignore spelling and grammar checks, overriding your global preferences.
Check Spelling and Grammar Inline with WPS Writer
If Microsoft Word's Editor pane continues to obscure your screen and interrupt your workflow, try editing your documents in WPS Writer. It provides seamless, non-intrusive inline spelling and grammar suggestions while maintaining perfect layout compatibility.
- 1. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Writer on your Mac and open your existing .docx document.
- 2. Navigate to the Review Tab: Click on the 'Review' tab located in the top ribbon menu.
- 3. Enable Spell Check: Click the 'Spell Check' button to activate inline squiggly underlines for errors.
- 4. Apply Inline Suggestions: Simply right-click any underlined word to view the context menu and apply corrections instantly without opening any side panes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Word suddenly stop showing inline spell check on my Mac?
This often happens after a software update or if the 'Check spelling as you type' preference is accidentally disabled. It can also occur if text is pasted from a source that has the 'Do not check spelling or grammar' language attribute applied.
Can I disable the Editor pane completely in Word for Mac?
You cannot completely remove or uninstall the Editor feature, but you can avoid using it by ensuring inline checking is active and resolving issues via the right-click context menu.
Does the 'Do not check spelling or grammar' setting apply to the whole document?
It applies only to the text that is currently selected. To ensure it is disabled for the entire file, you must press Cmd + A to select all text before checking the Language settings.
