Reference number: CH000768

How do I spell check a document?

Question:

How do I spell check a document?

Answer:

Below are the different methods of spell checking a document in some of the major text editors.

Microsoft Word, FrontPage, and Outlook users
Microsoft Notepad and Wordpad
Corel WordPerfect
OpenOffice
Other text editors
Online solutions

Microsoft Word, FrontPage, and Outlook users

All versions of Microsoft Word have the ability to spell check a document. To spell check a document, follow the below steps.

1. Open Microsoft Word, FrontPage, or Outlook, and the document you wish to edit.
2. Press the F7 key.

or

1. Open Microsoft Word, FrontPage, or Outlook, and the document you wish to edit.
2. Click Tools
3. Click Spelling and Grammar

Following the above steps will start a spell check on the document you're viewing. Each spelling error that is found will have the option to be changed to available suggestions. If the word is spelled correctly, "Ignore" the word; if the word is misspelled and you believe that this spelling error is made throughout your document, "Change All"; and if you wish to simply change the word to an alternate spelling, click one of the suggestions from the suggestion list and click "Change". 

Microsoft Notepad and WordPad

Microsoft Notepad and Microsoft WordPad do not have any spell check solution. If you need to spell check a document that has been written in either of these programs, you will need to either use one of the online solutions to spell check your document, or open the document in another program such as Microsoft Word. 

Corel WordPerfect

All versions of Corel WordPerfect have the ability to spell check a document. To spell check a document, follow the below steps.

1. Open Corel WordPerfect and the document you wish to edit.
2. Press Ctrl + F1

or

1. Open Corel WordPerfect and the document you wish to edit.
2. Click Tools
3. Click Spell Checker

OpenOffice

You can spell check a document in OpenOffice writer by following the below steps.

1. Open OpenOffice writer and the document you wish to edit.
2. Press the F7 key.

or

1. Open OpenOffice writer and the document you wish to edit.
2. Click Tools
3. Click Spellcheck

Other text editors

If the text editor you're using is not listed above, try searching the program's online documentation for a spell check solution. You can open the online help for almost any program by pressing the F1 key. If searching the online help finds nothing relating to "spell check", it's likely the program you're using does not support the ability spell check and you should consider an alternate program.

Online solutions

There are several online solutions that users can use to spell check their documents online as well as add-ons that can be added to your web browser to enable you to spell check through your browser.

Click here to open an external search of spell check solutions.

Additional information:

• See our dictionary spell check definition for additional information about this term and related terms.