Outlook fails to spell check my messages without any warning/solution. F'ing embarrassing and unacceptable.

Dear Dr. Pavel Yakovlev, 

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A Forum!

Have a good day and I hope you're doing well!

First and foremost, I want to sincerely apologize for the frustration and inconvenience you’ve experienced with Outlook not checking your spelling and grammar as expected. I completely understand how disappointing and embarrassing it can be to send important emails without the support of these essential features. Your concern is absolutely valid, and I truly appreciate your patience and determination in seeking a solution. 

To ensure I could provide you with the most accurate guidance, I personally tested these steps in a virtual environment using the latest version of Outlook for Mac. The instructions below are up-to-date and should help you enable the spell check, grammar check, and auto-correct features you need: 

Step 1: Open Outlook Settings 

• Open Outlook on your Mac. 
• Click on Outlook in the top menu bar, then select Settings.   

Step 2: Enable Spelling & Grammar Check 

• In the Settings window, click on Spelling and Grammar. 
• Please make sure to check the following options:  
  • Check spelling as you type (this will underline misspelled words as you type) 
    • Check grammar as you type (this will check grammar issues along with spelling)   

Step 3: Set Writing Style for Best Results 

• In the same Spelling and Grammar window, look for Writing Style. 
• Select Grammar & Refinements (or Grammar & Style), which will help you catch not only spelling and grammar mistakes but also improve your writing style for clarity and professionalism. 

Step 4: Enable AutoCorrect 

• In the Settings window, click on AutoCorrect. 
• Make sure Replace text as you type is checked. This will automatically fix common typos as you write. 
• You can also add or remove custom auto-correct entries as needed. 

Step 5: (Optional) Check Mac System Settings 

• Go to your Mac’s System Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources > Edit (or Keyboard Layout). 
• Make sure the following options are enabled:  
  • Correct spelling automatically 
  • Capitalise words automatically 
  • Show inline predictive text 
  • Add full stop with double-space 
  • Use smart quotes and dashes 
• For Spelling, select Automatic by Language to let your Mac detect and check spelling based on the language you are using. 

Step 6: Test the Features 

• Compose a new email and intentionally type a misspelled word  
• If everything is set up correctly, the word should be underlined or automatically corrected.

If you are using Outlook Legacy (Classic Outlook), you will also find the Spelling and Grammar and AutoCorrect options available, and you can follow similar steps to enable these features. 

Once again, I am truly sorry for the trouble this has caused you. I genuinely appreciate your perseverance and the time you’ve spent trying to resolve this. Your feedback is invaluable, and I am here to support you every step of the way. If you have any further questions or need additional assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out. 

Thank you so much for your patience, understanding, and continued effort.

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Hi, Nghĩa. The instructions provided do not match my Outlook menu at all. I finally figured out how to check the spell check settings on my own when opening the message window and typing purposefully a misspelled word then hovering over it with a mouse and then clicking on the "Editor" link. Why wasn't this "Editor" or spell check button available somewhere else in the menu? Why is it so hard to find? And by the way, my spelling check was turned on, but it works so badly that it never underlines misspelled words and rarely autocorrects my spelling. I have to hover over every word with a mouse to see if it's misspelled. Why and who designed this god awful system?