The spell check shortcut in Excel is F7. Click any single cell and press it to check the whole sheet, or select a range first to check only those cells. The Spelling box suggests corrections one by one; press Enter to accept or choose Ignore.
Excel does not underline mistakes as you type the way Word does, so running F7 before sending a sheet is the only check. The same check is on the ribbon with Alt, then R, then S.
Quick facts
Spell check
F7Ribbon route
Alt, then R, then SThesaurus
Shift + F7All sheets
Select all tabs, then F7Laptop
Fn + F7Mac
Fn + F7
Spell check shortcut in Excel, step by step
- Click a single cell to check the whole sheet, or select a range to check only part.
- Press F7. The Spelling dialog opens at the first unknown word.
- Pick a suggestion and click Change, or Change All for every copy.
- For names and codes, skip them once, skip every copy, or save them to the dictionary.
- Excel says the check is complete when it reaches the end.
The check covers cell values, comments, chart titles and text boxes on the sheet. Ignore All skips a word for the rest of this session only, while Add to Dictionary remembers it for every future workbook on that computer. It does not check formulas, so a typed label inside a formula stays unchecked.
Excel spell check shortcut for every sheet at once
Spell check runs on the active sheet only. To check the whole workbook, right click a sheet tab, choose Select All Sheets, then press F7. Remember to ungroup afterwards by clicking a single tab, because anything you type while sheets are grouped goes into every sheet. The sheet tab keys are listed under switch sheets in Excel.
Spell check in Excel shortcut on laptops and Mac
| Keyboard | Press |
|---|---|
| Laptop with media keys | Fn + F7, or turn on Fn Lock |
| Excel for Mac | Fn + F7, or Review, Spelling |
| Any keyboard | Alt, then R, then S |
Function key behaviour on laptops is explained in function keys F1 to F12.
Language, AutoCorrect and the thesaurus
For Indian English spellings such as colour and organise, set the dictionary language in the Spelling dialog's Dictionary language list, or under File, Options, Proofing. AutoCorrect, also in Proofing, fixes common typos as you type, such as teh into the; add your own frequent mistakes there. Need a better word for a report heading? Select it, then Shift + F7 lists alternatives. For Word documents, the same F7 key runs a full spelling and grammar check; see spell check shortcut.
When spell check misses or stops
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Check stops at every name | Add names to the dictionary |
| Only part of the sheet checked | A range was selected; click one cell first |
| F7 does nothing | Use Fn + F7 or Alt, R, S |
| Words in capitals not checked | Turn off Ignore words in UPPERCASE in Proofing options |
Frequently asked questions
Which key checks spelling in an Excel sheet?
How do I spell check all sheets in Excel?
Select all sheet tabs, then press F7.
Does Excel underline spelling mistakes?
No. Run F7 to check.
My laptop ignores F7 in Excel. What now?
Press Fn + F7 or use Alt, R, S.
How do I add a word to the Excel dictionary?
Click Add to Dictionary in the Spelling box.