In our increasingly globalized world, it is incredibly common to write documents in multiple languages. If you are drafting an email in French but your Microsoft Word application is configured for English, you will immediately encounter a sea of frustrating red squiggly lines. The software will incorrectly assume every single word you type is a catastrophic spelling error.
To fix this, you must change the language settings within Microsoft Word. However, it is crucial to understand that Word actually has two completely separate language settings: the Display Language (the language used for the menus and buttons) and the Proofing Language (the language used for the spellchecker and grammar tools).
How to Change the Proofing Language (The Spellchecker)
If you just want to stop the red squiggly lines from appearing when you type in a different language, you only need to change the Proofing Language. This will leave all your menus and buttons in your native language.
- Open your document in Microsoft Word.
- Highlight the text: If you have already typed the foreign language text, highlight it with your mouse. If you are about to start typing, just leave your cursor where it is.
- Look at the Ribbon at the top of the screen and click on the Review tab.
- In the “Language” section of the ribbon, click the Language button.
- From the drop-down menu, select Set Proofing Language…
- A dialogue box will appear containing a massive list of global languages. Scroll through the list and click on the specific language you are typing in (e.g., French (France)).
- Crucial Step: Ensure the box labelled “Do not check spelling or grammar” is unchecked. (If this is checked, Word will simply ignore the text entirely, rather than checking it against the French dictionary).
- Click OK.
The red squiggly lines will immediately disappear, and Word will now accurately check your spelling and grammar against the rules of your newly selected language.
Pro Tip: If you frequently switch between two languages, you can check the “Detect language automatically” box in the same menu. However, this feature is notoriously unreliable if your sentences are very short.
How to Change the Display Language (The Menus)
If you are sharing a computer with a family member who speaks a different language, or if you are using a computer in a foreign office, you might want to change the entire user interface—translating the “File,” “Home,” and “Insert” buttons into a different language.
- Open Microsoft Word.
- Click on File in the top left corner of the screen.
- Look at the very bottom of the blue sidebar on the left and click on Options. (If your screen is small, you may need to click “More…” first, then click Options).
- A large “Word Options” window will appear. In the left-hand navigation pane, click on Language.
- Look at the top section, labelled Office display language.
- If the language you want is already listed in the box, click it to highlight it, then click the Set as Preferred button.
- If the language you want is not listed, click the Add a language… button, select it from the list, and click Install. (This will briefly close Word while it downloads the new language pack from Microsoft’s servers).
- Once you have set your preferred language, click OK at the bottom of the window.
You must completely close Microsoft Word and reopen it for the new Display Language to take effect.
Why Did the Language Revert Back to English?
One of the most common complaints among Word users is that they change the Proofing Language, but the very next time they open a new blank document, it has reverted back to English. This is because setting the Proofing language via the Review tab only applies to the specific document you currently have open.
If you want to permanently change your default typing language for all future documents:
- Go to Review > Language > Set Proofing Language…
- Select your new desired language.
- Click the Set As Default button at the bottom of the window.
- Click Yes when Word asks you to confirm the change to the Normal template.