We’ve all been there – after diligently typing an email and hitting the send button with a sigh of satisfaction, we spot it.
That glaring spelling error somehow slipped past unnoticed. An error that Microsoft Outlook’s spell check, the supposed guardian against such blunders, failed to catch.
Frustration quickly replaces satisfaction, leaving you questioning, “Why didn’t Outlook detect my spelling error?“
If you’re nodding along to this scenario, rest assured, you’re not alone.
Many Outlook users find themselves puzzled when the usually reliable spell-check feature doesn’t perform as expected.
It’s not just about overlooking a misplaced ‘i’ or an extra ‘s’, but about the professional image that can potentially be tarnished due to such errors.
In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the common reasons why you might experience the “Outlook spell check not working” problem and offer solutions to rectify the issue.
By understanding how to effectively utilize and troubleshoot the spell check feature in Outlook, you can ensure that your future email communications are error-free and professional.
For instance: The example underscores a few misspelled words, which you can visually identify by the red underline that appears beneath each incorrect word.
Most users simply right-click on the misspelled word, and the system automatically presents a list of correctly spelled words that closely match the misspelled one.
All you need to do is select the appropriate word from this list, and your spelling error is rectified.
Imagine having created an email presentation, only to realize, after sending it to your client, that a glaring spelling error has made its way into your message.
Despite all the hard work you put into it, a single mistake can potentially undermine your credibility.
Apart from Grammarly and Microsoft Editor extensions, Outlook itself holds Spell Check which needs a few steps to enable.
Identifying the Problem with Spell Check in Outlook
While Microsoft Outlook usually works flawlessly when it comes to spell-checking, there can occasionally be hiccups.
These issues can result from various factors, ranging from basic settings to more complex system or software conflicts. Let’s take a look at some common problems and potential solutions.
1. Spell Check is Disabled: The most common reason for the spell check not working is that it is not enabled. Go to File >> Options >> Mail, and under the Compose messages section, ensure the Always check spelling before sending the checkbox is ticked.
2. Language Settings: Outlook’s spell check might not work correctly if you’re typing in a language that doesn’t match the one set in your Language Preferences. To check or change your language preferences, go to File >> Options >> Language.
3. The Email is Marked as Correct: In some cases, the email or specific parts of it might be marked to ignore spelling or grammar errors. Check by selecting the text and then going to Review >> Language >> Set Proofing Language >> and ensure Do not check spelling or grammar is unchecked.
4. AutoCorrect Entries: If certain words are being misspelled and not being caught by spell check, they might have been added to your AutoCorrect entries. Check this by going to File >> Options >> Mail >> Spelling and Autocorrect >> AutoCorrect Options.
5. Corruption in Outlook Files: Sometimes, the issue might be due to corruption in Outlook files. This could be resolved by using the Office Repair utility (Control Panel >> Programs >> Programs and Features >> Right-click Microsoft Office >> Change >> Quick Repair).
6. Third-Party Interference: Certain add-ins or third-party programs can conflict with Outlook’s spell-check feature. Try running Outlook in safe mode (Outlook /safe in the Run dialog) to see if the issue persists. If the problem is resolved, it might be an add-in causing the issue, which you can manage in File >> Options >> Add-ins.
Remember, always keep your software updated to the latest version. If none of these solutions work, you may need to contact Microsoft Support for further assistance.
How To Find Spell Check in Outlook?
You can find Spellcheck under the Review Tab in Outlook.
Step by Step guide of Spell checking in Outlook, many outlook users have issues with “Outlook spell check not working“
There are a couple of ways that will help you fix the problem of spelling and grammar checkers.
Once you created your new mail message (New, Reply, or Forward) and your content is ready there is two option to find spelling errors.
Step 1: Click the Review Tab
Step 2: Click Spelling and Grammer
Step 3: Spelling and Grammer Dialog Box appears
There are a few options available in the dialog box (Spelling and grammar) above.
Understanding the Spell Check Dialogue Box
Let’s quickly understand the different options available in the spell-check dialogue box:
- Ignore once – Spell check encounters due to their mythology and according to it there must be some spelling error, but you need to keep it that way. You can click Ignore ones and the system except for the mistake for once.
- Ignore all – Ignore all works for all the errors that occurred on the sheet, you can ignore all by clicking Ignore all at once.
- Add to Dictionary – If you find a word or a couple of words an error but still that word maybe it’s a name or abbreviation that you use in your company, then you need to treat that word correctly you need to add the word to the dictionary. Now that word become the part of dictionary you will never get the error for that word in the future. This option allows the user to add the spelling to the Outlook dictionary.
- Change – When you hit the spelling error, Outlook suggests a couple of suggestion words (for example it suggests School in place of School), Select the suggestion which fits with the sentence section and click change to apply.
- Change All – That button activates and applies to all the observation errors that occur at once.
- Autocorrect – Autocorrect in Outlook functionality works to correct the misspelled word with the selected suggestion. This means, that the next time you type the same misspelled word, Outlook autocorrect would automatically convert it into the suggestion that you selected.
- By default, you will get English (United States) in Outlook spell check language, which you can change according to your requirement.
Once you are done with all the corrections, you can easily click the send button.
How to Turn on Spell Check in Outlook?
Click File >> Options >> Mail >> under Compose Message, select Always check spelling before sending >> click OK
Finally, it is recommended to restart the outlook for proper resetting of changes.
Keyboard Shortcut to Run Spell Check in Outlook
To quickly run the Spell Check function in Outlook, you can use a keyboard shortcut. Press the F7 key on your keyboard while you have your email draft open.
This will initiate the spell-check process, highlighting any spelling errors in your text and offering suggested corrections.
Remember that this feature works for the content in the main body of your email. For subject lines, you might need to manually right-click misspelled words to see suggested corrections.
Final Words
In conclusion, several factors can lead to Microsoft Outlook not detecting spelling errors, from simple settings misconfigurations to more complex issues such as conflicts with third-party software.
However, by knowing where to look and what to adjust, you can ensure that Outlook’s spell-check feature operates effectively.
If the spell check is still not working despite your best efforts, don’t hesitate to reach out to Microsoft Support or consult online forums for more specific guidance.
The key is to remember that spell check is a tool designed to assist and improve your written communication, ensuring the professional quality of your emails.
In the end, while it can be frustrating when the spell check feature in Outlook doesn’t perform as expected, with the right knowledge and understanding, you can troubleshoot and resolve these issues to maintain your professional image and credibility in your email communications.
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