Office for Mac Issues

How to Troubleshoot Custom .dic Dictionary Files in Word for Mac

Chanuka Geekiyanage Oct 21, 2026 871 views

Question details

Microsoft Word for Mac fails to recognize custom words saved in a user-created .dic dictionary file.

How to Troubleshoot Custom .dic Dictionary Files in Word for Mac

Product: Microsoft Word for Mac
Device & OS: Mac
Scenario: Using a customized dictionary file to spell-check specific industry terms or names in a document.
Observed behavior: Word for Mac flags the custom terms as misspelled despite them being present in the selected .dic file, often due to formatting, encoding, or hidden spaces within the file.

Before you start

Ensure that Microsoft Word is completely closed before modifying dictionary files, and make a backup copy of your original .dic file to prevent accidental data loss.

Solution 1Recommended

Remove Formatting and Hidden Spaces Using TextEdit

Use a plain-text editor to strip away rich text formatting and unintended spaces that prevent Word from reading the .dic file correctly.

Dictionary files must be strictly plain text. If the file was edited in a word processor, it might have acquired rich text formatting or leading spaces before each word, which breaks Word's ability to read the entries.

Open the file in TextEdit

Right-click your .dic file, select 'Open With', and choose 'TextEdit'. Do not open it in Microsoft Word.

Convert to Plain Text

In the Apple menu bar at the top, click 'Format' and select 'Make Plain Text' (if it says 'Make Rich Text', the file is already plain text).

Remove leading spaces

Press Command + F to open the find-and-replace tool. Check for any spaces before the words and remove them so each word sits flush against the left margin.

Save and test

Save the file with the .dic extension. Reopen Microsoft Word and type a few of the custom words to verify they are now recognized.

Remove Formatting and Hidden Spaces Using TextEdit

Testing Tip: Test the file with a small number of entries (e.g., 5-10 words) to confirm the dictionary works before adding hundreds of terms back into the file.

Solution 2

Create and Assign a New Plain-Text Dictionary

If the original file is corrupted beyond repair, creating a fresh plain-text dictionary ensures a clean structure.

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1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the Mac version.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my .dic file automatically save as a .txt file on Mac?

Mac's default text editor, TextEdit, often appends a .txt extension to plain text files. To prevent this, uncheck the box that says 'If no extension is provided, use .txt' in the Save dialog box, and manually type .dic at the end of your filename.

Where is the default custom dictionary located in Word for Mac?

By default, Word for Mac stores the custom dictionary in the Library folder. You can typically find it by navigating to ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/Custom Dictionary.

Can I share my custom .dic file with other Mac or Windows users?

Yes, .dic files are cross-platform compatible as long as they are saved in plain text with standard UTF-8 or ANSI encoding. You can email the file or share it via cloud storage, and other users can add it through their own Word Preferences menu.

How do I add a new word to the dictionary directly in Word?

When Word flags a word with a red squiggly line, right-click (or Control-click) the word and select 'Add to Dictionary'. This automatically appends the word to whichever .dic file is currently set as your default in Preferences.

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