Check spelling and grammar
In many macOS apps, spelling is checked while you type, and mistakes are automatically corrected. You can turn off these features, and use other options while typing emails, messages, or documents.
Use autocorrection
When your spelling is checked, misspelled words are underlined in red, and suggested corrections are shown.
Accept suggestions: If there’s only one suggestion, just keep typing to have the word autocorrected. If two or more suggestions are shown, choose one.
Ignore suggestions: Press the Escape key, then continue typing.
Undo autocorrections: An automatically corrected word is briefly underlined in blue. To revert to your original spelling, put the insertion point after the word to show your original spelling, then choose your spelling. You can also Control-click the word to show your spelling, then choose it.
Note: To have the first word of a sentence and proper nouns (such as, California or Tim) automatically capitalized as you type, select the “Capitalize words automatically” checkbox in the Text pane of Keyboard preferences.
Turn off autocorrection
For a specific app: In the app, choose Edit > Spelling and Grammar > Correct Spelling Automatically (it’s off when a checkmark isn’t shown).
For all apps: Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Keyboard, click Text, then deselect the “Correct spelling automatically” checkbox.
Check spelling and grammar
Check spelling: Choose Edit > Spelling and Grammar > Check Document Now. The first error is highlighted. To show the next error, press Command-semicolon (;). To see suggested spellings for a word, Control-click it.
Check grammar: Choose Edit > Spelling and Grammar > Check Grammar With Spelling (a checkmark shows it’s on). Grammar errors are underlined in green. Move the pointer over an underlined word to see a description of the problem.
Ignore misspellings: Control-click a word, then choose Ignore Spelling. The word is ignored if it occurs again in the document (it will be highlighted in other documents).
Add words to the spelling dictionary: Control-click a word, then choose Learn Spelling. The word won’t be flagged as misspelled in any document. To have the word flagged as misspelled again, Control-click it in a document, then choose Unlearn Spelling.
If you’re checking a long document, it may be easier to use the Spelling and Grammar window. Choose Edit > Spelling and Grammar > Show Spelling and Grammar.
Change which languages are spell checked automatically
By default, spelling is checked automatically no matter which language you’re using on your Mac. You can add more languages.
Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Keyboard, then click Text.
Do one of the following:
Check spelling for one language: Click the Spelling pop-up menu, then choose the language.
Check spelling for multiple languages: Click the Spelling pop-up menu, choose Set Up, select each language to check automatically, then click Done.
If an app’s Edit menu doesn’t include a spelling or grammar command, check its preferences or menus to see if it has its own spell checker.