How to Use Google Docs Spell Check

This article covers how to turn on Google's spelling and grammar checker on the Google Docs desktop site for all operating systems and the mobile app for Android.

The app for iOS and iPadOS can’t check for grammatical errors or misspellings, but you will get basic suggestions if you set up your iPad keyboard correctly.

How to Use the Desktop Google Docs Spell Check

Google Docs uses colored squiggly lines when something is misspelled (red) or needs an edit for grammar (blue).

One way to use the spelling and grammar checker is to get suggestions automatically as you type.

Automatic Spell Check

Here's how to turn on automatic spell check and grammar check.

1. Go to Tools > Spelling and grammar.

2. Select Show spelling suggestions and/or Show grammar suggestions.

    

3. Return to the document and select one of the red or blue words or phrases to see what Google Docs recommends as a fix, and then select it to accept the suggestion.

Click-Through Wizard

The other method is to use a click-through wizard, a better way to use the Google Docs spell checker if you’re working in a multi-page document.

1. Put the cursor wherever you want to start the spell check. If you’re looking through the whole document, make sure you’ve selected the very top left position before any words.

2. Go to Tools > Spelling and grammar > Spelling and grammar check.

3. Choose Accept or Ignore for the first suggestion to move to the next one, or use the arrows to jump to a different instance.

   As handy as spelling and grammar checks are, they're not flawless. If several words are missing in a sentence, for example, and Google Docs can’t suggest a fix, it might not tell you that something is wrong even though it’s an incoherent sentence.

4. Continue until you’ve corrected or ignored all of the suggested changes.

How to Spell Check Google Docs in the Mobile App

Grammar and spell checks are available through the Google Docs app for Android as well:

1. Tap the edit/pencil icon.

2. Select where you want the spell check to start.

3. Use the three-dotted menu at the top right to choose Spellcheck. Note that this includes the grammar check tool as well.

4. The new window at the bottom of the screen is used to Change or Ignore the suggestions.

5. Select the checkmark at the top left to save and exit the editing mode.

Use Your Personal Dictionary to Edit How Spell Check Works

Spell check can quickly become annoying if it repeatedly reports a bad spelling for a word that you’re intentionally spelling that way. Equally, there may be words that you’re sure are spelled wrong, but Google Docs doesn’t tell you about them.

The solution here, in both cases, is to make the necessary change to your dictionary. It's available through the desktop site only.

1. Go to Tools > Spelling and grammar > Spelling and grammar check.

2. Select the three-dotted menu button on the bottom right.

3. Choose Add “[word]” to the dictionary to force Google Docs to quit marking it as misspelled. To remove words from this list so that they’ll once again be seen as wrong, select View personal dictionary and then choose the trash icon next to the word.