Despite Microsoft Excel being mostly used with numbers, text is also used, especially in labeling graphs or creating tables. Therefore, correct spelling is important, as it can affect data processing and analysis, and even likely the credibility of the overall document. Excel comes with easy-to-use and versatile tools that will manage spelling errors for you.
Check spelling in an entire worksheet
To check for spelling errors on an entire worksheet, go to the Review tab, and under the Proofing section, click on Spelling.
- Alternatively, you can just press the F7 key.
Note: if you select just one cell, Excel will check spelling for the entire worksheet, not just that cell.
Check spelling on selected cells
If you want to check for spelling errors on some cells in a worksheet, select multiple cells that need correction. Then go to Review > Spelling (or press F7). a dialogue box will appear, with correction suggestions given.
Select the suggestion of your choice, then click the Change button (otherwise, you can select Ignore Once so that Excel ignores the error only once). Or to change all instances of that word, select Change All. If you want Excel to not change, but keep all instances of the word, click on Ignore All.
However, if you think that the word is not an error, you can have Excel remember it by clicking on Add to Dictionary, so that Excel will not flag it as an error.
- The Dictionary language drop down menu allows you to select a language and apply changes to that language’s dictionary.
AutoCorrect allows Excel to automatically correct as you type. Selecting that option will add the word to Excel’s AutoCorrect list, and allows Excel to automatically correct your spelling errors.
Check spelling on the Formula Bar
You can also check for spelling on the Formula Bar by selecting a word, and clicking on Review > Spelling (or by pressing F7). The same dialogue box as above will appear.
Note: Excel does not check for spelling in cells that contain formulas.
