How to Turn On or Off Highlight Misspelled Words in Windows 11
Here’s how to control Windows 11’s spell-checking feature, turning it on or off as you prefer. This feature highlights words you misspell as you type them.
Open Settings and navigate to Time & language, then Typing. Check or uncheck the box next to Highlight misspelled words to enable or disable the feature. This will add or remove red squiggly lines under misspelled words as you type.
Why Use This Feature?
Windows 11 has a built-in spell checker. When you turn it on, misspelled words get a red squiggly line. This helps you catch typing mistakes right away.
What Happens When You Use It?
When ‘Highlight misspelled words’ is turned on, any word you type that isn’t in your personal dictionary will show a red squiggly line. You can right-click on the word to see correction options.
Option 1Use Settings
Turn On or Off Highlight Misspelled Words in Settings
- Open Settings by pressing
Win+I. - Click Time & language on the left side.
- Click Typing on the right side. (see screenshot below)
Control the feature that highlights misspelled words in Windows 11 directly from the Settings app. Navigate to Typing settings and check or uncheck the box next to ‘Highlight misspelled words’.
- Check the box (on – default) or uncheck the box (off) next to Highlight misspelled words. (see screenshot below)
- You can now close Settings.
Option 2Use Registry
Turn On or Off Highlight Misspelled Words Using Registry
⚠️ Admin privileges required
Turn On Highlight Misspelled Words
This is the default setting:
reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\TabletTip\1.7" /v EnableSpellchecking /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
Turn Off Highlight Misspelled Words
reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\TabletTip\1.7" /v EnableSpellchecking /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
Summary
Windows 11 helps you catch typos by highlighting misspelled words with a red line, a feature you can control through Settings.
How do I turn off highlight misspelled words?
To disable 'Highlight misspelled words,' navigate to the setting and uncheck the box. It's a quick process that lets you choose your preferred behavior. Once you've made your selection, you're all set!
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About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard, a writer for Geek Rewind, is a tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex IT topics into simple, easy-to-understand ideas. With years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, he’s developed a knack for offering practical tips and solutions. Richard aims to make technology more accessible and actionable. He's deeply committed to the Geek Rewind community, always ready to answer questions and engage in discussions.
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