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: Spell Checking when Closing Documents.

Spell Checking when Closing Documents

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated December 25, 2023)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021


Carolyn is looking for a way to make sure her documents are spell-checked before they are closed. She wants to use this as a final check of the document.

There is no way to do this without using a macro but using a macro to do this is relatively easy. Word includes some special macros that are executed at specific times. One of those macros is executed whenever a document is closed. All you need to do is make sure that the macro has the name AutoClose, and it is run whenever the document is closed.

The following provides an example of how you could construct such a macro.

Sub AutoClose()
    If Options.CheckGrammarWithSpelling Then
        ActiveDocument.CheckGrammar
    Else
        ActiveDocument.CheckSpelling
    End If
End Sub

The macro first checks to see if Word is configured to check grammar every time spelling is checked. If it is, then the CheckGrammar method is invoked; if it isn't, then the CheckSpelling method is invoked.

Recognizing that you might not want a spelling check done on every single document that you close, you could modify the macro slightly so that the user is asked if a spell-check should be done. This version of the macro provides a way for the user to provide the feedback:

Sub AutoClose()
    Dim iAnswer As Integer
    iAnswer = MsgBox("Run spell check?", _
      vbYesNo, "Spell check on closing")

    If iAnswer <> 7 Then
        If Options.CheckGrammarWithSpelling Then
            ActiveDocument.CheckGrammar
        Else
            ActiveDocument.CheckSpelling
        End If
    End If
End Sub

The only difference in this macro is that it asks the user whether to run the spell check. If the user does anything other than to answer "yes," then the spell check is skipped, and the document continues closing.

Note:

If you would like to know how to use the macros described on this page (or on any other page on the WordTips sites), I've prepared a special page that includes helpful information. Click here to open that special page in a new browser tab.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (6164) 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: Spell Checking when Closing Documents.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Keep Your Headings in View

Headings on a table are very important when it comes to understanding what is in the table. This tip explains an easy way ...

Discover More

Merging Cells to a Single Sum

One way to make your worksheets less complex is to get rid of detail and keep only the summary of that detail. Here's how ...

Discover More

Finding the Address of the Lowest Value in a Range

Uncovering the lowest value in a range is relatively easy; you can just use the MIN worksheet function. Discovering the ...

Discover More

Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2013. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word 2013 Step by Step today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Ignore Setting on Misspelled Words not Persistent

When Word flags a word as misspelled, you have some options of how to handle it. This tip explains those options and ...

Discover More

Spell Check Misses Misspelled Words

If you do a spelling check and notice that Word doesn't catch a word that you know is misspelled, it is easy to get ...

Discover More

Merging Custom Dictionaries

It is possible to develop a custom dictionary on your computer that reflects the types of documents with which you work ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is nine minus 1?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

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.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.