Across the main Office programs, the spell check shortcut key is F7. It checks spelling, and in Word grammar too, from the cursor onward, stopping at each mistake with suggestions. Press Enter to accept a suggestion or use the buttons to ignore or add a word.
On laptops where F7 controls media or brightness, press Fn + F7. Word adds two more useful keys: Alt + F7 jumps to the next marked error, and Shift + F7 opens the thesaurus for the selected word.
Quick facts
Spelling and grammar
F7Laptop
Fn + F7Next error (Word)
Alt + F7Thesaurus
Shift + F7Ribbon
Alt, then R, then C, then 1Mac Word
Option + Command + L
Spell check shortcut key in Office programs
| Program | Keys | Checks |
|---|---|---|
| Word | F7 | Spelling and grammar, with the Editor pane |
| Excel | F7 | Spelling only, sheet or selection |
| PowerPoint | F7 | Spelling on all slides |
| Outlook message | F7 | Spelling and grammar in the email |
| Word, next mistake only | Alt + F7 | Jumps to the next wavy underline |
Shortcut key to check spelling and grammar in MS Word
- Press Ctrl + Home to start from the top of the document.
- Press F7. The Editor pane opens on the right with the first issue.
- Choose a suggestion, Ignore Once, Ignore All, or Add to Dictionary.
- Word moves to the next issue automatically and tells you when it is finished.
Names of people, places and products often get flagged. Add the ones you use often to the dictionary so they stop being marked.
Thesaurus and word count
Select a word and press Shift + F7 to see synonyms, which helps avoid repeating the same word in an essay. In Word, the status bar shows the word count; Ctrl + Shift + G opens the full count with characters and lines. Both sit on the Review tab with spelling.
Spell check in Excel
In Excel, F7 checks the whole sheet starting from the active cell, or only the selected cells if several are selected. It does not check grammar and skips formulas. Run it before printing invoices and reports, because there is no wavy underline in Excel to warn you while typing. The spell check in Excel page has more detail.
When spell check does not run
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| F7 changes volume | Use Fn + F7 |
| Nothing is checked | Text is marked Do not check spelling; select it and change Language settings |
| Correct words marked wrong | Proofing language is wrong; set English (India) |
| Hindi text not checked | Install Hindi proofing tools in Office language settings |
Turn off automatic marking while typing
Red and blue wavy lines appear as you type in Word. They help, but some people find them distracting while drafting. Turn them off for one document under File, Options, Proofing, then Exceptions for this document, and run F7 once at the end instead. Writers in Hindi or Hinglish often prefer this, because mixed language text produces many false marks. Remember to run the full check before printing or sending.
On a Mac and more keys
Word for Mac uses Option + Command + L for spelling and grammar. Replacing a wrong word throughout is faster with find and replace, and other Word keys are in MS Word shortcut keys. The function keys page explains Fn lock.
Frequently asked questions
What is the spell check shortcut key?
What is the shortcut key to check spelling and grammar in MS Word?
What is the thesaurus shortcut key?
Why does F7 not work on my laptop?
F7 is a media key; press Fn + F7.
Does Excel check grammar?
No, Excel checks spelling only.