To check for spelling and grammar errors on your Mac, begin by opening your document and locate the “Edit” tab menu bar. Click on it to reveal the dropdown menu and then select the “Spelling and Grammar” tab. Finally, choose “Check Document Now” to initiate the process. Any errors will appear highlighted in red, so that you can manually fix them.
My name is Yana and I work as a copywriter and content editor. As someone who regularly works with written content, ensuring proper spelling and grammar is a crucial aspect of my daily routine. Having switched to a MacBook Pro last year, I have become well-acquainted with the process of performing spell checks on a Mac.
In this article, I will show you a few ways to check for mistakes on your Mac and how to turn on autocorrect. I will also cover some of the most popular questions about this topic, so let’s get started!
Contents
Key Takeaways
- You can spell check on a Mac computer using the built-in feature or with a third party editing software.
- Activate the Spelling Automatic by Language function to enable spell check in multiple languages.
- Auto spell check may miss errors so it’s still a good idea to manually review your work.
How to Do a Spell Check on a Mac
One of the things I appreciate about Mac is its abundance of built-in features that can streamline your work. Among these features, the spell-check function stands out as particularly useful.
Follow this step-by-step guide, to see how you can check your spelling and grammar on Mac.
Step 1. Open the document you want to review in TextEdit. Go to the Edit button in the menu and then click the Spelling and Grammar tab. Then click on Check Document Now.
Step 2. Now all the mistakes will be underlined in red for you to edit and fix.
Step 3. When you are done with your edits, go to file and save the results or press Command + S.
How to Turn On Auto Spell Check on Mac
If you want to consistently keep an eye on your spelling, you can turn on autocorrect on the Mac. With automatic spelling correction, the system will check your spelling and make suggestions to the text. Follow the steps below to turn on this feature.
Step 1. Click on the Apple icon in the top left corner and click the System Settings tab. On the left side menu click on Keyboard.
Step 2. Under the Keyboard tab and beside the Input Sources, click the Edit button to open the settings.
Step 3. Turn on the Correct spelling automatically function to enable it. Press the Done button to save the changes. Next, open any text editing document and type something to check if the autocorrect works. This function will work across social media, Google documents, and Word documents.
Spell Check on Mac Using Third-Party Apps
You can check the spelling on a Mac by using third-party apps such as Grammarly. Grammarly offers both free and premium versions.
The free version checks for grammar and spelling errors, while the premium version includes additional features such as vocabulary enhancement suggestions, genre-specific writing style checks, and plagiarism detection.
In addition to Grammarly, some other popular grammar editors include Linguix, ProWritingAd, LanguageTool, Quillbot, and more.
Many of these tools offer free versions or free trial periods, so you can try them out and see which one suits you best.
Why is Spell Check Not Working on Mac?
If the spell check on your Mac isn’t working, you may need to ensure that the autocorrect feature for grammar is enabled. After turning on auto correction, you may need to restart your computer to apply the new settings.
Another possible reason for spell check not working on your Mac could be related to the language settings. Make sure that you have selected “Automatic by Language” in the Keyboard settings.
If you change the language and the feature is not set to Automatic by Language, it may not correct the spelling correctly.
FAQs
Here are the answers to some of the most popular questions about checking the spelling on a Mac.
What Is the Shortcut for Spell Check on a Mac?
The keyboard shortcut for using spell check on a Mac is Command + ;. Alternatively, you can press Command + Shift + :. When you use the keyboard shortcut, a window will open where you can review and fix the mistakes in your document.
How Do You Spell Check Multiple Languages on a Mac?
To enable spell check in multiple languages, go to the System Settings and click on the Keyboard tab. Click the Edit button beside Input Sources. Then select Automatic by Language. Press the Done button to save the changes.
Final Thoughts
Checking the spelling and grammar of your document on a Mac is a simple task using the methods we discussed in the post. Simply turn on spell check to detect and correct spelling errors in your writing. Spell check can also be a helpful tool for individuals who are not native English speakers or who struggle with spelling.
How do you spell check on your Mac? Do you use any of the methods we discussed today and do you have other suggestions? Share your feedback in the comments below.
