The Outlook spell checker makes it easy to check your emails for typos and grammatical errors and auto-correct them before sending. If your Outlook isn’t spell checking, grammar and spelling mistakes won’t be flagged, or correctly spelled words may come up as incorrect. Our guide helps you identify why Microsoft Outlook spell check isn’t working and guides you through the troubleshooting options – so that you can get back to sending error-free emails quickly. Show
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Outlook spell check isn’t working: possible errorsWhen the Outlook spell checker stops working, in most cases, one of the following reasons is the culprit:
The following sections guide you through different troubleshooting approaches to identify and solve common spell-checking errors in Outlook. Tip Mobile working has never been more comfortable. Thanks to the Hosted Microsoft Exchange by IONOS you can securely access your favorite Microsoft email and calendar applications – anywhere and anytime! Instructions: how to repair the Outlook spell checkerIf your Microsoft Outlook spell check isn’t working, you can identify and repair the error in a few simple steps. The following troubleshooting guide is suitable for Outlook 2019, Outlook 2016, and Outlook for Microsoft 365. Professional Email Address & Personal Domain Name Get an email address as professional and unique as you are including a free matching domain! Address bookCalendarVirus protectionSolution 1: Restart OutlookIf you’ve recently made some changes to your Outlook settings, they may not take effect until you restart the application. Before restarting, first save all open documents and drafts. Note Restarting Outlook is also good idea after you’ve made changes to the settings. Find out more in solutions 2 and 4. Solution 2: Check if the spell checker is correctly activatedOnce you’ve restarted Outlook, it’s a good idea to check the settings for Outlook AutoCorrect. You can open the menu as follows:
From the options that are listed below “When correcting spelling in Outlook” check the box next to “Check spelling as you type” and “Mark grammar errors as you type”. When the options to “Check spelling as you type” and “Mark grammar errors as you type” aren’t activated, spell check will not be working in Outlook.Solution 3: Verify that automatic checking of outgoing emails is activatedIf you tend to work without the spell and grammar checker and prefer to work with the auto-check for outgoing emails, you can verify the current settings for this function. First access the appropriate menu:
Now, check the box “Always check spelling before sending” (below “Compose messages”). You should also deselect the “Ignore original message text in reply or forward” option, provided a checkmark is already set here. Otherwise, the program may ignore parts of your current message during the check and your Outlook won’t be spell checking as intended. In the Outlook Options “Mail” section, activate automatic spell checking before sending.Solution 4: Change language for spell checkStart composing a new email in the usual way. Open the “Review” tab and click the “Language” button. Select “Set proofing language” to view current language settings for spell and grammar checks. Outlook: Language settings in MailOnce you’ve set the desired language, test the spell check manually by pressing the “Spelling & Grammar” button in the “Review” tab. The spell checker launches a small dialog window that should display the correct language. Remove the checkmark next to “Detect language automatically” (if there is one), as this can lead to issues, for example, if you tend to use foreign words in your emails. Outlook: Spell checker language overviewSolution 5: Check installation and update statusIs your operating system up-to-date and you’ve installed the latest updates? Is your Microsoft Office package, including Outlook, installed correctly and up to date? If you couldn’t find an error in Outlook and steps 1 to 4 didn’t work, it may be time to reinstall Outlook. Tip With Microsoft 365 by IONOS, your Office applications are always up to date! Set up or repair outlook.com spell checkUsing the browser version of Outlook for your email communications? By default, Outlook’s web version 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 as an example)Spell checking can be activated in most browsers, including Microsoft Edge, Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. This takes just a few minutes. In Google Chrome, for example, you can turn on the practical feature as follows: Click on the three-dot icon next to your profile picture in the upper right corner. Select “Settings” from the drop-down menu. Three-dot menu in Google ChromeExpand the settings menu using the “Advanced” button and then click on the “Languages” entry: Settings in Google ChromeIn the final step, simple activate the basic spell check. Activate basic spell check in Google ChromeErrors will now be automatically highlighted in red when composing emails in Chrome. Email error detection in Chrome browserAllow the operating system to check spelling for all applicationsAlternatively, you can apply your operating system’s spell checker to your browser. In Windows 10, you’ll need to enable spell checking for all applications. This is done as follows:
Microsoft 365 with IONOS! Experience powerful Exchange email and the latest versions of your favorite Office apps including Word, Excel and PowerPoint on any device! Office OnlineOneDrive with 1TB24/7 supportHow to set up out of office in Outlook Automatic out-of-office replies are a great way to let your contacts know when you’re not available. You can easily send automatic out-of-office replies from Outlook. Moreover, with Outlook you can set up numerous special rules, for example for cases when important e-mails need forwarding. We will show you how to use the Outlook out-of-office assistant, including the tool to set special rules. How to set up out of office in Outlook
Outlook emoticons: Fill your emails with emotions and more A picture says more than a thousand words – this proverb also explains the immense popularity of emojis. Smileys, in particular, have long shaped digital communication. They play an important role not only in text messengers, but also in email services like Outlook. But the question arises as to how to insert smileys in Outlook. We show you how to do it step by step. Outlook emoticons: Fill your emails with emotions and moreOutlook shortcuts you should know about Outlook shortcuts speed up how you work and simplify processes in the Microsoft email client. Whether you’re creating a new email, are looking for a specific contact, or want to set up a new calendar appointment – the right Outlook shortcut keys will have you crushing your to-do list. Here, we’ll introduce you to some of the most important Outlook hotkeys and some other useful functions. Outlook shortcuts you should know aboutWhich are the best grammar checkers? Whether you’re drafting emails, blog posts, articles, or other texts, you’ll want to make a good impression with your writing. And correct grammar matters. However, spelling errors can creep in and are easily overlooked. Luckily there are plenty of handy grammar checkers available online to help you out. Grammar tools take the hassle out of proofreading by automatically checking your writing for... Which are the best grammar checkers? |