How to Stop PowerPoint from Automatically Changing the Language Based on Your Keyboard Layout

If you are bilingual and frequently switch between different language keyboard layouts in Windows (for example, switching from an English QWERTY keyboard to a Spanish or French layout), Microsoft PowerPoint will attempt to be “helpful.” The moment you switch your keyboard layout via the Windows taskbar, PowerPoint will automatically detect the change and instantly switch the proofing language for whatever text box you are currently editing.

While this sounds like a smart feature, it often backfires. If you simply switched to a Spanish keyboard to type a single letter with an accent mark (like “ñ”), PowerPoint will suddenly start underlining the rest of your perfectly valid English paragraph with angry red squiggles, claiming the entire sentence is misspelled because it is now checking it against a Spanish dictionary.

To prevent this erratic behavior, you can sever the link between your Windows keyboard layout and PowerPoint’s internal proofing dictionary.

How to Turn Off Automatic Language Switching

This setting is buried deep within the global Office options and will apply to all your future presentations once disabled.

1. Open Microsoft PowerPoint.
2. Click on File in the top-left corner of the ribbon.
3. Click Options at the bottom of the left sidebar. (If you don’t see it, you may need to click “More…” first).
4. In the PowerPoint Options window, select Language from the left-hand navigation pane.
5. Look in the section labeled “Choose Editing Languages” (or “Office authoring languages and proofing” depending on your version of Office).
6. Below the list of installed languages, look for a checkbox labeled Automatically switch keyboard to match language of surrounding text (or Detect language automatically in some regional builds).

Wait, Microsoft actually moved this specific setting to the Advanced tab in newer versions of Office to better align with Microsoft Word.

The Correct Method (Office 365 / PowerPoint 2021)

1. In the PowerPoint Options window, select Advanced on the left.
2. Under the “Editing options” section, look for the checkbox labeled Automatically switch keyboard to match language of surrounding text.
3. Uncheck this box.
4. Click OK.

Now, your proofing language is locked to whatever language is specified for that specific text box. Changing your physical keyboard layout in Windows will allow you to type foreign characters, but PowerPoint will continue proofreading the slide in the original language.