Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Editing While Spell-Checking.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated December 12, 2020)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
You already know that Word includes a powerful spell-checking utility. You may not know, however, that you can edit your document as you are spell-checking. I find this particularly useful, as I often recognize other, non-spelling errors as I am running the spell checker.
To do this, any time the spell-checker is prompting you to correct a word, press Ctrl+Tab. This changes the focus to your document and away from the spell-checker; you can now edit your document directly. If you prefer you can simply click the mouse pointer in your document, near the place where you want to make your edit.
When you are ready to resume spell-checking, simply click on Resume in the Spelling and Grammar dialog box (Word 2007 and Word 2010) or the Spelling task pane (later versions of Word).
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (6090) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Editing While Spell-Checking.
Do More in Less Time! An easy-to-understand guide to the more advanced features available in the Microsoft 365 version of Word. Enhance the quality of your documents and boost productivity in any field with this in-depth resource. Complete your Word-related tasks more efficiently as you unlock lesser-known tools and learn to quickly access the features you need. Check out Microsoft 365 Word For Professionals For Dummies today!
Adding special characters to otherwise normal words, such as a company name, may be necessary. However, this could affect ...
Discover MoreWhen you tell Word's spell checker to ignore all instances of a misspelling, you may expect that the misspelling will be ...
Discover MoreWord allows you to accept words as correctly spelled, even if they aren't. This tip explains how to track down those ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
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 © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here:
Comments