To ignore all errors in a Word document, go to File > Options > Proofing, and under Exceptions for tick Hide spelling errors in this document only and Hide grammar errors in this document only. The red and blue underlines disappear from that document but stay on in others. To ignore one word everywhere it appears, right-click it and choose Ignore All.
Applies to: Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2024, 2021, 2019 and 2016 on Windows and Mac. Last reviewed October 8, 2026.
Ignore one word or phrase throughout the document
- Right-click a word with a red or blue underline.
- Choose Ignore All. In newer versions, open the suggestion card’s … menu and choose Ignore All, or Ignore Once for just that instance.
Every occurrence of that word in this document is ignored. If the word is correct and you use it often, such as a name or product, choose Add to Dictionary instead so Word stops flagging it in every document.
Ignore all errors in this document
- Go to File > Options > Proofing.
- At the bottom, check that Exceptions for shows the current document.
- Tick Hide spelling errors in this document only and Hide grammar errors in this document only.
- Select OK.
The setting is saved in the file, so other people opening it won’t see the underlines either.
Ignore errors in part of the document
Useful for code, quotations in another language, addresses or lists of names.
- Select the text.
- Go to Review > Language > Set Proofing Language.
- Tick Do not check spelling or grammar and select OK.
Ignore whole types of words
In File > Options > Proofing, under When correcting spelling in Microsoft Office programs, you can tell Word to skip:
- Ignore words in UPPERCASE: acronyms such as NASA or SKU codes.
- Ignore words that contain numbers: part numbers, model names and passwords like A320 or Win11.
- Ignore Internet and file addresses: web links, email addresses and file paths.
These settings apply to Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook together, and are a good fix for technical documents full of codes.
Turn off spelling and grammar checking everywhere
- Go to File > Options > Proofing.
- Under When correcting spelling and grammar in Word, untick Check spelling as you type and Mark grammar errors as you type.
- Select OK.
You can still run a full check any time with Review > Editor or F7.
Ignore errors in the Editor pane
When you run Review > Editor, select each suggestion and choose Ignore All or Ignore Once. To skip a whole category, such as passive voice or punctuation, open Editor > Settings under Refinements and untick it.
On a Mac
Go to Word > Preferences (or Settings) > Spelling & Grammar. Untick Check spelling as you type and Check grammar as you type, or tick Hide spelling errors in this document and Hide grammar errors in this document. Right-click a word for Ignore All.
Bring the underlines back
Untick the Hide options, then go to File > Options > Proofing and select Recheck Document. This also clears every Ignore All you’ve chosen, so Word checks the whole document from scratch.
Troubleshooting
Words are flagged that are spelled correctly
The proofing language is probably wrong, for example US English for a British document. See how to change Word spell check to UK English.
Underlines still appear after hiding errors
They may come from an add-in such as Grammarly, not Word. See how to turn off Grammarly in Word.
Ignore All doesn’t stick
Ignored words are reset when someone selects Recheck Document. Use Add to Dictionary for words you want ignored permanently.
Frequently asked questions
Do the underlines print?
No. Spelling and grammar underlines only appear on screen.
Will hiding errors affect other documents?
Not with the “this document only” options. Turning off “Check spelling as you type” affects every document.
Can I remove a word I added to the dictionary?
Yes. Go to File > Options > Proofing > Custom Dictionaries > Edit Word List, select it and choose Delete.
Related: How to Turn Off Auto Capitalization 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.