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Setting Spell Check Options in PowerPoint 2010

Author: Geetesh Bajaj

Product/Version: PowerPoint 2010
OS: Windows 7 / Vista / XP

Date Created: January 10th 2012
Last Updated: January 10th 2012

Excerpt/Capsule: Learn how to set spell check options in PowerPoint 2010.

Has it ever happened that you know that a particular word is misspelled, and PowerPoint's spell check doesn't seem to think so! That may be because your word may be in all CAPS, or it may contain some numbers -- in these cases, and in several other instances, PowerPoint just ignores any misspellings. Fortunately, you can turn off the options that instruct PowerPoint to ignore these misspellings. Remember though that changing these options will apply to all Microsoft Office applications you have installed on your computer -- including Word, Excel, and Outlook. Follow these step to set up spell check options in PowerPoint 2010:

1. Launch PowerPoint 2010, and choose File | Options, as shown in Figure 1.
   
   
   Figure 1: Choose Options within the File menu
   
   
2. This opens the PowerPoint Options dialog box -- click the Proofing option within the sidebar to view the interface that you see in Figure 2, below.
   
   
   Figure 2: Proofing section within the PowerPoint Options dialog box
   
   
   Tip: If you are already doing a spell check, just click the Options button within the Spelling dialog box. This gets you to the Proofing section of the PowerPoint Options dialog box, as shown above in Figure 2. Want to know more about the Spelling dialog box? Head to our Spell Check in PowerPoint 2010 tutorial.
   
   All the Proofing options within the PowerPoint Options dialog box are marked in Figure 2 above, and are explained below -- check (or uncheck) them as required:
   
   
   1. AutoCorrect Options: Clicking this button brings up the AutoCorrect dialog box -- learn more in our AutoCorrect options in PowerPoint 2010 tutorial.
      
      
   2. Ignore words in UPPERCASE: Prevents the spell checker from flagging acronyms or any other words typed in ALL CAPS.
      
      
   3. Ignore words that contain numbers: Ignores spelling errors for words that contain digits, such as license plate numbers or model numbers.
      
      
   4. Ignore Internet and file addresses: Prevents the spell checker from flagging web or e-mail addresses, network paths, and file paths.
      
      
   5. Flag repeated words: This flags second and subsequent instances of the same word in a row, for example preventing you from writing "the the".
      
      
   6. Enforce accented uppercase in French: This is option is only applicable when the editing language is French -- suggests accents for uppercase letters as appropriate.
      
      
   7. Suggest from main dictionary only: Ignores any custom spelling dictionaries.
      
      
   8. Custom Dictionaries: Clicking this button opens the Custom Dictionaries dialog box, where you can make changes to custom dictionaries. Learn more in our Edit Custom Dictionaries in PowerPoint 2010 tutorial.
      
      
   9. French modes: Use the drop-down list to fine-tune spell check options for French.
      
      
   10. Spanish modes: Use the drop-down lists to fine-tune spell check for Spanish.
       
       
   11. Check spelling as you type: Enables AutoCorrect to do an automatic spell check while you type.
       
       
   12. Use contextual spelling: Allows PowerPoint to flag possible errors in contextual language usage. For example, PowerPoint identifies "I will go their" as an error and suggests that you use "I will go there".
       
       
   13. Hide spelling errors: Disable the red squiggly underlines that automatically appear underneath misspelled words.
       
       
3. When done, click the OK button to close the PowerPoint Options dialog box. Any changes you made will be applicable immediately -- PowerPoint starts following these changed settings the minute you click the OK button, not only in the active presentation, but also in any presentation you create or edit henceforth -- in fact these changes will apply to all Microsoft Office programs installed on your computer.
   
   
4. Save your presentation often.