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You can manage the language or languages that check your spelling and grammar. 

Add more languages and change the default proofing language

You can add more languages and change the default proofing language, by completing these procedures:

  1. Add a language pack

  2. Add a keyboard language

  3. Switch on Detect Language Automatically

    Notes: 

    • When you complete these actions, the proofing tools automatically detect your language.

    • You don't need to complete these procedures in order, but we recommend it.

Add a language pack

You need to add a language pack for any languages you want used for spelling and grammar checks.

Note: Before you can add a language pack, you need to make sure the language pack is already installed. You can tell that a language pack is installed when you see that Proofing installed displays next to the language name. 

  1. Go to Review > Language > Language preferences.

    Note: In Outlook, you need to be editing or writing an email to access the Review tab.

  2. Complete one of the following:

  • If the desired language is installed but not added, select Proofing available next to the displayed name of the language on the list.

  • If the desired language is not installed, follow these steps:

    1. Select Add a language.

    2. Choose the desired language.

    3. Check Get proofing tools.

    4. Select Add.

Note: To set a language as the default, select Preferred language > OK.

Note: Changes made to the Office Authoring Language and Proofing list are applied to other Microsoft products in your account.

Add a keyboard language

 After adding a language pack, you need to add the keyboard language. For information on adding a keyboard language in Windows 11 and Windows 10, select Windows 11 or Windows 10 and follow the instructions.

Note: The Microsoft Word proofing language changes to match the default Windows keyboard language. This can be switched on the Windows task bar.

Adding an input language lets you set a language-preference order for websites and apps, as well as change your keyboard language.

  1. Select Start > Settings > Time & language > Language & region.

  2. Select the language that has the keyboard you want, then select Options.

  3. Select Add a keyboard and choose the keyboard you want to add.

    Note: If you don't see the keyboard you want, you may have to add a new language to get additional options. If this is the case, go to Add a language pack.

Adding an input language lets you set a language-preference order for websites and apps, as well as change your keyboard language.

  1. Select Start > Settings Time & Language > Language.

  2. Under Preferred languages, select the language that contains the keyboard you want, and then select Options.

  3. Select Add a keyboard and choose the keyboard you want to add.

Note: If you don't see the keyboard you want, you may have to add a new language to get additional options. If this is the case, go to Add a language pack.

Switch on Detect Language Automatically

Notes: 

  • If you only use one language, this step is not necessary.

  • This option is not available in PowerPoint.

If you write documents in more than one language, complete these steps.

  1. Go to Review > Language > Set Proofing Language.

  2. Check the Detect Language Automatically box.

Change the language for selected text

When you write sentences that contain words in different languages, the Detect Language Automatically function may not recognize a language other than the default. You can add words to the dictionary or use the language dialog to choose a language for the selected text.

  1. Go to Review > Language > Set Proofing Language.

    Note: Languages in use in the document display at the top. Languages with downloaded proofing tools have a checkmark symbol.

  2. If you don't want Word, PowerPoint, or Outlook to mark errors in the selected text, select Do not check spelling or grammar.

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