# Why is spell check not working in Outlook? Possible causes

If your Microsoft Outlook spell checker is not working, it could mean that your spelling mistakes are not being found or that correctly spelled words are being marked as incorrect. With this guide, you can find out why Outlook is not spell checking and how to fix the problem.

## What are possible reasons why Outlook spell check isn’t working?

When the Microsoft Outlook spell checker stops working, in most cases, one of the following reasons is the culprit:

1. AutoCorrect and the spell checker **aren’t activated**.
2. The **language settings are incorrect**, and Outlook is spell checking your text in the wrong language.
3. Outlook **hasn’t been installed properly**, and this may be causing errors.

The following sections will guide you through different troubleshooting approaches to identify and solve common spell-checking errors in Outlook.

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## How to repair Outlook’s spell checker step by step

If Microsoft Outlook spell check isn’t working, you can identify and repair the error in a few simple steps. The following troubleshooting instructions are suitable for Outlook 2019, Outlook 2016 and Outlook for Microsoft 365.

### Solution 1: Restart Outlook

If you’ve recently **made some changes to your Outlook settings**, they might not take effect until you restart the application. Before restarting, make sure you first save all open drafts and documents.

Note Restarting Outlook is a good idea whenever you make changes to your Outlook settings. For example, if you go with solution 2 or 4 below, it’s best to restart Outlook after you’ve made the changes.

### Solution 2: Check if the spell checker is enabled

Once you’ve restarted Outlook, it’s a good idea to check the settings for Outlook AutoCorrect. You can open the menu by following the steps below:

1. Go to the **File** tab.
2. Click on **Options** in the left-hand menu.
3. Switch to **Mail** in the pop-up window.
4. Select **Proofing**.

From the options listed in the **When correcting spelling in Outlook** section, tick the box next to **Check spelling as you type** and **Mark grammar errors as you type**.

[![Image: Outlook: Proofing menu](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/4/f/csm_outlook-menu-editing-options_0558c61547.webp "Outlook: Proofing menu")](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2024/outlook-menu-editing-options.png) If the options to ‘Check spelling as you type’ and ‘Mark grammar errors as you type’ aren’t activated, spell check will not work in Outlook.  Note Check out our article ‘[Outlook: How to turn spell check on and off](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/e-mail/technical-matters/outlook-spell-check/)’ to find out more about Outlook AutoCorrect, including detailed instructions on how to use the practical feature.

### Solution 3: Verify that automatic checking of outgoing emails is activated

If you prefer working with auto-check for outgoing emails instead of the standard spelling and grammar checker, it makes sense to **check the current settings for this feature**. To do so, you need to open the menu. Here’s how:

1. Click on the **File** tab.
2. Launch the **Options** menu.
3. Select the **Mail** tab.

Now, tick the box **Always check spelling before sending** (below **Compose messages**). You should also deselect the **Ignore original message text in reply or when forwarding** option, if there is a tick here. If it is not deselected, the program may ignore parts of your message during the check.

[![Image: Outlook: Automatic spell check before sending](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/8/0/csm_outlook-automatically-check-spelling_ca7e13e3ee.webp "Outlook: Automatic spell check before sending")](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2024/outlook-automatically-check-spelling.png) In the Mail section of the Outlook Options menu, activate automatic spell checking for emails before they are sent. ### Solution 4: Change language for spell check

Start writing a new email the way you normally would. Open the **Review** tab and click the **Language** button. Select **Set Proofing Language** to view current language settings for spell and grammar checks.

[![Image: Outlook: Language settings in Mail](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/f/b/csm_outlook-language-settings-email_133e647f7e.webp "Outlook: Language settings in Mail")](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2024/outlook-language-settings-email.png) Outlook: Language settings in Mail Once you’ve set the desired language, test the spell check manually by pressing the **Spelling & Grammar** button in the **Review** tab. The spell checker will launch a small dialog window that should display the correct language. If there is a tick next to **Detect language automatically**, you should remove it. Having a tick next to this option can lead to issues, especially if you tend to use words from different languages in your emails.

[![Image: Outlook: Spell checker language overview](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/c/c/csm_spell-check-overview_6d0fdf2c38.webp "Outlook: Spell checker language overview")](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2024/spell-check-overview.png) Outlook: Spell checker language overview  Tip Since Outlook relies on **Microsoft Word** when composing texts, you should also make sure that [spell check is turned on in Word](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/online-marketing/online-sales/how-to-turn-on-spell-check-in-word/) and that there aren’t any issues causing [spell check not to work in Word](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/online-marketing/online-sales/spell-check-not-working-in-word/).

### Solution 5: Check installation and update status

Make sure your operating system is up to date and all **the latest updates are installed**. Also check to see if your Microsoft Office package, including Outlook, is installed correctly and up to date. If these are all up to date and steps 1 to 4 didn’t work, it may be time to reinstall Outlook.

## How to set up and repair spell check in Outlook on the web

Are you using the browser version of Outlook for your email communications? By default, [Outlook’s web version](https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/microsoft-365/outlook/email-and-calendar-software-microsoft-outlook/ "Outlook – Email and calendar software from Microsoft") **doesn’t have automatic spell and grammar checking activated**. You can either activate the spell checker in your browser or enable your operating system’s spell checker for all applications.

### Activate Outlook spell check in the browser (using Google Chrome)

Spell checking can be activated in most browsers, including Microsoft Edge, Chrome, Firefox and Safari. This takes just a few minutes. In **Google Chrome**, you can turn on this practical feature by following the steps below:

1. Click on the three-dot icon next to your profile picture in the upper right corner. Select **Settings** from the drop-down menu.

[![Image: Three-dot menu in Google Chrome](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/d/9/csm_menu-chrome_a7877cf11b.webp "Three-dot menu in Google Chrome")](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2024/menu-chrome.png) Three-dot menu in Google Chrome 2. Click on **Languages** in the settings menu.
3. Activate **Basic spell check**.

[![Image: Activate basic spell check in Google Chrome](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/3/d/csm_chrome-activate-spelling-check_bdcd8a949d.webp "Activate basic spell check in Google Chrome")](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2024/chrome-activate-spelling-check.png) Activate basic spell check in Google Chrome **Errors will now be automatically highlighted in red** when you compose emails in Chrome.

[![Image: Email errors highlighted in the Chrome browser](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/8/b/csm_outlook-spelling-mistakes-chrome_67fd96978e.webp "Email errors highlighted in the Chrome browser")](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2024/outlook-spelling-mistakes-chrome.png) Email errors highlighted in the Chrome browser ### Allow the operating system to check spelling for all applications

Alternatively, you can use your operating system’s spell checker in your browser. In **Windows 11**, you’ll need to enable spell checking for all applications. This can be done as follows:

1. Launch the **start menu** from the Windows icon.
2. Open **Settings** in the same menu.
3. Select **Time and language**.
4. In the **Typing** section, tick the box **Highlight misspelled words**. If you also want to enable automatic error correction, tick the option **Autocorrect misspelled words**.


This is a markdown version of: [https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/e-mail/technical-matters/spell-check-not-working-in-outlook/](https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/e-mail/technical-matters/spell-check-not-working-in-outlook/) for AI/LLM consumption.