How to Turn Spellcheck On or Off in Windows 11
Windows 11 can check your spelling while you type and show a red wavy line under words it thinks are misspelled. This is called spellcheck. It helps catch mistakes so you can fix them quickly.
If you find the red lines helpful, you can keep this feature turned on. But if it bothers you, or if Windows marks words that are actually correct (like names or words in another language), you can easily turn spellcheck off.
Navigate to Settings, then Time & language, and select Typing. Toggle the “Highlight misspelled words” option to On or Off to control spellcheck.
Turn Spellcheck On or Off Using Windows Settings
Follow these simple steps to enable or disable the spellcheck feature:
- Open Settings: Click the Start button (the Windows logo) at the bottom-left corner, then choose Settings. Or press Windows key + I on your keyboard.
- In the Settings window, click Time & language from the left menu.
- On the right, click Typing.
- Look for the option Highlight misspelled words.
- Toggle the switch to On to turn spellcheck on, or Off to turn it off.
Here are some pictures to help you find the right settings:
Bonus: Change Spellcheck Using the Windows Registry (Advanced)
If you’re comfortable with more advanced tools, you can also turn spellcheck on or off using the Windows Registry Editor. Be careful — making wrong changes can cause problems. Here’s how:
- Open the Registry Editor: Press Windows key + R, type
regedit, and press Enter. - Navigate to this folder (you can copy and paste it into the address bar at the top):
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\TabletTip\1.7 - If you don’t see the
1.7folder, right-click onTabletTip, choose New > Key, and name it1.7. - Click the
1.7folder. In the right pane, right-click and choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. - Name the new value
EnableSpellchecking. - Double-click
EnableSpellcheckingand set its value to:- 1 to turn spellcheck ON
- 0 to turn spellcheck OFF
- Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
Summary
- Spellcheck helps by showing red lines under misspelled words.
- You can easily turn it on or off in Settings > Time & language > Typing.
- Advanced users can also change this setting in the Windows Registry.
- Turning spellcheck off can reduce distractions if it marks correct words incorrectly.
For more tips on customizing Windows 11, check out how to change your display language or how to reset the Settings app.
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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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