Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. 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-Check Won't Work.
One of the powerful tools provided with Word is the spell checker. As you are creating your documents, you may notice that Word doesn't always find spelling errors. There are two things you can check if this is the case.
First, if the misspelled words are in uppercase, you may have spell checking turned off for words that are all in uppercase. To turn on this capability, follow these steps:
Figure 1. The proofing options of the Word Options dialog box.
Next, if entire paragraphs are being ignored, it could be because proofing has been turned off for the paragraph. Follow these steps to correct this problem:
Figure 2. The Language dialog box.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (6278) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Spell-Check Won't Work.
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2017-06-14 16:52:24
Farshid Tafazoli
To fix it simply press CTRL+A and then SHIFT+F1. In the opened bar on the right side of the document, under the fonts section click on LANGUAGE and from the opened windows choose English (United States) as the default font, make sure that the 'DO NOT CHECK SPELLING OR GRAMMAR' is UNCHECKED, then click on set as default. You can now browse the entire document and look for spelling errors as it will be back working.
2017-02-27 02:58:48
Ken Endacott
Here is a few more things to check.
1. “Spell checking as you type” must be checked. It is a specific to the user’s Word installation. The title is misleading, if unchecked spell checking continues but spelling errors are not flagged.
File > Options > Proofing > Check Spelling as you type
2. “Hide spelling errors in this document” must be unchecked. It is specific to the document.
File > Options > Proofing > Hide spelling errors in this document
3. The word is not in the default language dictionary.
Review tab > Language > Set Proofing Language
4. The word is not in a custom dictionary.
File > Options > Proofing > Custom Dictionaries
5. The word is not in a foreign language dictionary that is applied to all or part of the text.
Review tab > Language > Language Preferences
6. The word is otherwise valid but is in the Exclude Dictionary.
Edit exclusion words in the .lex file for the default dictionary, with a text editor
7. There must be fewer than 1400 spelling plus grammar errors in the document.
Review tab > Spelling & Grammar. Step through spelling errors one by one
8. The individual word is not flagged to be ignored.
Right click word and chose Ignore. Also see Review tab > Spelling & Grammar
9. The word is not in a block of text flagged with NoProofing.
Review tab > Language > Set Proofing Language > Do not check Spelling or Grammar
10 The paragraph’s style does not have ‘Do not check spelling or grammar’ set.
Style > Modify > Format > Language > Do not check Spelling or Grammar
2017-02-26 19:13:18
Danielle
Unfortunately none of these tips worked. I have had this problem for a year now. Very frustrating especially when I am studying and have papers to write! It will work when I open a document that was created on another computer i.e. at tech, but nothing created on my laptop. I use Office 360, have a feeling it was from when I installed that. Any further suggestions?
2017-02-24 13:09:08
Lydia
Thanks. Been getting your tips for years. This is the only one that worked for spell check not working.
What an annoying feature in Word 2013.
Lydia
2016-11-03 11:23:52
Mark
Had same problem and could not see why Word was not highlighting spelling errors. The noticed under 'When correcting spelling and grammar in word' in 'Proofing' section that 'Exceptions for' had my file listed?? NO idea why but unchecked 'Hide spelling..' and 'Hide grammar ..' and all is well !
2016-10-31 13:32:11
Craig
This doesnt appea to sold the problem when you have merge fields i still find it wont speall check the text within a mergefield, can you explain why?
2016-10-24 06:59:55
PHughes
Thank you! I've been trying to find out why this is happening for weeks now and this has solved it.
2016-09-28 04:36:03
Bianca
Thank you so much!! I was struggling with this so much and I have a major paper due next week. This was very helpful.
2016-08-07 12:26:32
Christine
Is there a way you can use spellcheck when all your text is within a table?
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. 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: 
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