How to Stop Word for Mac from Changing Language to Scottish Gaelic
Question details
Microsoft Word for Mac unexpectedly switches the default document or typing language to Scottish Gaelic.
- Product
- Microsoft Word for Mac
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Typing text or opening new and existing documents in Microsoft Word.
- Observed behavior
- The language automatically defaults to Scottish Gaelic, often ignoring the user's intended primary language. This is frequently triggered by having the Irish Extended keyboard input source enabled in macOS.
Save your current work and close all active Microsoft Office applications before modifying macOS system preferences or resetting application containers.
Remove Conflicting macOS Keyboard Input Sources
Removing the Irish Extended input source from your Mac's system settings prevents Word from misinterpreting the keyboard layout as Scottish Gaelic.
macOS keyboard input sources directly communicate with Microsoft Word to set the proofing language. When 'Irish Extended' is enabled, Word frequently misidentifies the intended language as Scottish Gaelic.
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and select 'System Preferences' (or 'System Settings' on newer macOS versions).
Click on 'Keyboard' and then navigate to the 'Input Sources' tab.
Look for 'Irish Extended' in the list of active input sources. Select it, and click the minus (-) button at the bottom of the list to remove it.
Manually Set the Default Language in Word
Force Word for Mac to use your preferred language by updating the application's default dictionary settings.
Clear the Word Application Container Cache
Resetting Word's preference container clears corrupted cached data that might be forcing the language change across all files.
Switch to WPS Office for a Stable Mac Experience
If Microsoft Word for Mac continues to struggle with unexpected language switches and system conflicts, WPS Office provides a reliable, lightweight alternative. Enjoy seamless document editing without disruptive keyboard input bugs.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download and install the free Mac version.
- 2. Open Your Documents: Launch WPS Writer and open your existing Word (.docx) documents with perfect formatting preservation.
- 3. Enjoy Stable Editing: Resume writing and editing with a stable proofing language that does not change unexpectedly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the language only change to Scottish Gaelic in my existing documents?
If new documents are fine but existing ones are not, the Scottish Gaelic language setting may be hardcoded into the 'Normal' style of those specific files. You will need to open each affected document, modify the Normal style settings individually, and correct the language.
Does starting my Mac in Safe Mode fix the Word language bug permanently?
No, Safe Mode is a diagnostic tool used to determine if background software or corrupted system caches are causing the language shift. If Word functions correctly in Safe Mode, you may need to disable conflicting startup items or fonts on your standard user account.
Is it safe to move the Word Container folder to my Desktop?
Yes. Moving the container folder simply forces Word to reset its local preferences and cache upon the next launch. It will not delete your saved Word documents or uninstall the application. You can safely delete the folder from your Desktop once Word runs normally.
