Spell Checking Your Worksheet

by Allen Wyatt
(last updated October 3, 2016)

Excel provides a built-in spelling checker you can use to proof (double-check) your worksheets. This tool works in much the same way as the spelling checker does in other Office applications. To run the spelling checker, follow these steps:

  1. Select the worksheet or worksheets that you want to be included in the spelling check.
  2. Choose Spelling from the Tools menu, or press F7. Word begins to check the spelling of your worksheet, displaying the Spelling dialog box as it discovers potential errors.
  3. Respond to the spelling suggestions as appropriate.

You don't have to spell check an entire worksheet; you can run the spelling checker on a range of cells, as well. To run the spelling checker on a range, do the following:

  1. Select the cells you want to be checked.
  2. Choose Spelling from the Tools menu, or press F7.
  3. Respond to the spelling suggestions as appropriate.

When the spelling check of the selection is complete, Excel displays a dialog box asking if you want to have the rest of your worksheet checked. Click on No to end the spelling check.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2007) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He  is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Using AutoText and AutoCorrect Effectively

AutoText and AutoCorrect are closely related tools that can help you improve the productivity of your typing. This tip ...

Discover More

Selecting Tabs in Dialog Boxes

Dialog boxes normally present information in a series of tabs. If you want to move from tab to tab without taking your hands ...

Discover More

Copying and Moving Footnotes and Endnotes

If you need to move footnotes or endnotes from one location to another in a document, you can use editing techniques you ...

Discover More

Program Successfully in Excel! John Walkenbach's name is synonymous with excellence in deciphering complex technical topics. With this comprehensive guide, "Mr. Spreadsheet" shows how to maximize your Excel experience using professional spreadsheet application development tips from his own personal bookshelf. Check out Excel 2013 Power Programming with VBA today!

More ExcelTips (menu)

Spell-Checking in a Protected Worksheet

When you protect a worksheet, you can't use some tools, including the spell-checker. If you want to use it, you must ...

Discover More

Adjusting Spell Check for Internet Addresses

When you check the spelling of worksheet data, you may want to spell checker to either ignore or check Internet addresses ...

Discover More

Allowing for Words that Contain Numbers

When Excel does a spell-check of the information in a worksheet, you may want it to ignore words that contain numbers. All it ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is seven minus 5?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.

Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR AUTHORS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2017 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.