To change Word’s spell check to UK English, press Ctrl + A to select your text, go to Review > Language > Set Proofing Language, choose English (United Kingdom), and select OK. To use UK English in every new document, select Set As Default in the same box before you select OK.
Applies to: Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2024 and Word 2021 on Windows, plus Word for Mac. Older versions use the same Review tab steps, but their Options screens look different. Checked against Microsoft Support on October 9, 2026.
Word stores a proofing language on the text itself, not on the whole document. That’s why changing the language with nothing selected often seems to do nothing: only the spot where your cursor sits changes.
Change the spell check language for the current document
- Open the document and press Ctrl + A to select all of the text.
- Select the Review tab.
- Select Language, then Set Proofing Language.
- In the list, select English (United Kingdom).
- Clear Detect language automatically so Word doesn’t switch some paragraphs back to US English.
- Make sure Do not check spelling or grammar is cleared, then select OK.
Word rechecks the document. Words like “color” and “realize” are now underlined, and “colour” and “realise” aren’t.
Make UK English the default for new documents
- Open a blank document.
- Go to Review > Language > Set Proofing Language.
- Select English (United Kingdom), then select Set As Default.
- Select Yes when Word asks whether to change the default for the Normal template.
This only affects documents you create from now on. Older documents keep their own language, so use the steps above to change them.
Set UK English as Office’s preferred language
If Word keeps going back to US English, also change the language in Office’s own settings. This applies to Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel together.
- Select File > Options > Language.
- Under Office authoring languages and proofing, select Add a language.
- Select English (United Kingdom) and select Add.
- Select English (United Kingdom) in the list and select Set as Preferred.
- Close and reopen all Office apps.
Excel has the same Language settings; see how to change the language in Excel.
Change the spell check language in Word for Mac
- Press Command + A to select all of the text.
- Select Tools > Language.
- Select English (UK).
- Select OK, or select Default to use UK English for new documents.
If Word still uses US spelling
- Only some paragraphs changed: you didn’t select all the text first. Press Ctrl + A and set the language again.
- Pasted text is still in US English: text copied from websites and emails keeps its own language. Select it and set the proofing language again, or use Paste Options > Keep Text Only when you paste.
- A style keeps resetting the language: right-click the style on the Home tab, select Modify > Format > Language, and choose English (United Kingdom).
- Nothing is underlined at all: Do not check spelling or grammar may be ticked. Turn it off in the Set Proofing Language box, and check that spell check is turned on in Windows 10 and in Word.
- A grammar add-in overrides Word: add-ins have their own language setting. If you don’t need one, see how to turn off Grammarly in Word.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between UK and US spelling in Word?
Common examples are -our and -or (colour, color), -re and -er (centre, center), -ise and -ize (organise, organize), and doubled consonants (travelled, traveled). With English (United Kingdom) set, Word flags the US forms.
Will this change Word’s menus to UK English?
No. The proofing language only controls spelling and grammar checks. The language of Word’s menus and buttons is a separate setting under File > Options > Language > Office display language.
Can I change the language for just one section?
Yes. Select only that section, then use Set Proofing Language. The rest of the document keeps its language.
Does changing the language affect AutoCorrect?
Yes. AutoCorrect uses a separate list for each language. If it keeps changing your capital letters, you can turn off auto capitalization in Word.
How do I switch back to US English?
Repeat the same steps and choose English (United States). To hide the remaining marks in a document you’ve already reviewed, see how to ignore all errors in Word.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.