Office Settings & Configuration

Remove Incorrect Words from the Microsoft Word Built-in Dictionary

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to remove non-preferred spellings (such as "Apologize" versus "Apologise") from Microsoft Word's default Australian English dictionary.

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Proofreading documents in regional English where both preferred and non-preferred word variants are currently accepted by the system.
Observed behavior: Word's built-in dictionary accepts unwanted spelling variants as correct, and there is no direct interface to delete individual words from the default dictionary.

Before you start

Before modifying dictionary files, ensure Microsoft Word is completely closed. You will need to locate your user profile's Microsoft Office spelling directory to create or edit an exclusion dictionary file.

Solution 1Recommended

Create an Exclusion Dictionary to Flag Unwanted Words

Since Microsoft Word does not allow direct deletion of words from the default built-in dictionary, you must create an exclusion dictionary file to force Word to flag specific words as incorrect.

An exclusion dictionary tells Microsoft Word to treat specific, otherwise correctly spelled words as spelling errors. This is highly useful for regional variations, such as forcing Australian English to only accept 'Apologise' and flag 'Apologize' as a mistake.

Navigate to the UProof Folder

Open File Explorer and enter '%appdata%\Microsoft\UProof' into the address bar to open the user proofing directory.

Locate or Create the Lex File

Look for the exclusion dictionary file corresponding to your language code (e.g., ExcludeDictionaryEN0C09.lex for Australian English). If it doesn't exist, create a new text document and name it accordingly.

Edit the Dictionary File

Open the .lex file using Notepad or another plain text editor.

Add Unwanted Words

Type the words you want Word to flag as misspelled, entering exactly one word per line (e.g., type 'apologize' and press Enter).

Save and Restart

Save the text file and restart Microsoft Word for the new spelling exclusions to take effect.

Language Code Verification: Ensure you are editing the correct .lex file for your specific language setting. EN0C09 corresponds to Australian English, while EN0409 corresponds to US English.

Solution 2

Submit Feedback for Native Dictionary Improvements

Request official improvements to the built-in Australian English proofing tools directly from Microsoft.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word accept both 'apologize' and 'apologise' in Australian English?

Microsoft Word's default Australian English dictionary is designed to be inclusive of both traditional British-style spellings and widely used alternative variants. To enforce strict preferred spellings, you must use an exclusion dictionary.

Can I edit the default Microsoft Word dictionary file directly?

No, the built-in default dictionary in Microsoft Word is a compiled file that cannot be directly edited or have individual words removed by the user. You can only modify custom dictionaries or create exclusion dictionaries.

Where is the exclusion dictionary located in Windows?

Exclusion dictionaries are typically located in the user's AppData folder at %appdata%\Microsoft\UProof. The exact filename depends on the language code installed on your system.

Will adding words to an exclusion dictionary affect my custom dictionaries?

No, custom dictionaries (which tell Word to accept new words) and exclusion dictionaries (which tell Word to reject built-in words) function independently. Exclusion dictionaries will override the default dictionary behavior for the specified words.

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