Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated May 25, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365
Sara has a folder containing about 30 Word documents. She needs to reset and then re-run Spelling and Grammar checking on all the documents. Starting the check is quick and easy, but it's a pain to go to File, then Options, then Proofing, then Recheck on each document separately. She wonders if there is a way to reset the Spelling and Grammar checking on multiple files at once.
The only way that this can be done is through the use of a macro that will, essentially, go through the same steps that you would have done manually. (Since it is a macro, however, it can do those steps much faster than you could possibly do them.) The following macro is an example of one way to accomplish the task:
Sub ResetDocs() Dim sPath As String Dim sFile As String sPath = "c:\Path\To\Documents\" sFile = Dir(sPath & "*.doc*") Application.ScreenUpdating = False Do While sFile <> "" Documents.Open sPath & sFile With ActiveDocument .Range.NoProofing = False Application.ResetIgnoreAll .SpellingChecked = False .GrammarChecked = False .Close SaveChanges:=wdSaveChanges End With sFile = Dir() Loop Application.ScreenUpdating = True End Sub
In order to use the macro, all you need to do is change the path that is assigned to the sPath variable. This should be the path to the folder containing your documents, and you'll want to make sure that it ends with a backslash. The macro opens any document files in the folder and resets all the spelling- and grammar-checking-related settings in the document. Then, the document is saved. The next time you open the documents normally, you should notice that the checking should occur as normal.
Note:
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1930) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365.
The First and Last Word on Word! Bestselling For Dummies author Dan Gookin puts his usual fun and friendly candor back to work to show you how to navigate Word 2019. Spend more time working and less time trying to figure it all out! Check out Word 2019 For Dummies today!
If you ever need to check the spelling or grammar of a document from scratch, it can be confusing knowing the proper ...
Discover MoreAdding special characters to otherwise normal words, such as a company name, may be necessary. However, this could affect ...
Discover MoreSpelling errors can result from improperly ordering letters in a word, or from adding spaces where they shouldn't be. ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2024-05-29 09:56:37
Andrew
I find that in cases such as these it's better (and not hard) to select the files in a folder rather than automatically operating on all the files in a hard-coded folder or, even more simply, having the macro process all open documents.
Here is a skeletal macro of how I do it using the select-files method:
Andy.
Public Sub ProcessFiles()
Dim F As Variant
Dim PreviousDocCount as Long
Dim AlreadyOpen as Boolean
With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogOpen) ' Cf. Dialogs(wdDialogFileOpen) to have open-and-repair etc. via the dialog
.FilterIndex = 1 ' My way: Always start with "*.*"
If .Show <> -1 Then Exit Sub
For Each F In .SelectedItems
PreviousDocCount = Documents.Count
Documents.Open FileName:=F, AddToRecentFiles:=True
AlreadyOpen = Documents.Count = PreviousDocCount
' Process ActiveDocument here .
if not AlreadyOpen then ActiveDocument.Close wdSaveChanges
Next F
End With
End Sub
Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments