The Red Squiggle Distraction
Google Docs features a powerful, built-in spell checker. As you type, Docs constantly analyzes your words against its internal dictionary. If it detects a word it doesn’t recognize, it automatically places a jagged red squiggly line underneath it. While essential for proofreading formal documents, this feature is incredibly distracting if you are writing fantasy fiction (filled with made-up names), technical documentation (filled with acronyms and code snippets), or taking rapid notes in a dual-language environment. The screen quickly becomes a sea of red ink, making it difficult to focus on the actual content.
Silencing the Spell Checker
To maintain a clean writing environment and stop Google Docs from automatically underlining spelling errors, you must disable the real-time spelling suggestions.
Open your Google Doc. Navigate to the top menu bar and click on Tools. In the drop-down menu, hover your mouse over Spelling and grammar to open a secondary side-menu. Look for the option labelled Show spelling suggestions. If there is a checkmark next to it, the feature is active. Click on Show spelling suggestions to remove the checkmark. Instantly, all the red squiggly lines in your document will vanish. (You can repeat this process for “Show grammar suggestions” to remove the blue squiggly lines as well). Note that Docs will still remember the misspelled words; you can manually run a spell check later by clicking Tools > Spelling and grammar > Spelling and grammar check.