Download the new Switched app for your iPhone

Skip to Content

Free Switched iPhone app - try it now!
AOL Tech

Filed under: Mac 101

Mac 101: Enabling Built-in Spell Check

Mac OS X offers a system-wide built-in spell checker. Many OS X applications including Mail, Pages, TextEdit, Safari and iChat AV (among others) allow you to take advantage of this feature to find and correct spelling mistakes. To enable spell checking in an application, control-click (or right-click on a two-button mouse) a text field or text entry area. Choose Spelling from the contextual pop-up menu and then make sure that Check Spelling as You Type is checked. If it is not checked, just select it to check it. Selecting it again disables the feature.

More after the jump...

When enabled, the spell checker marks words that it does not recognize with a dashed red underline. You may sometimes encounter a slight delay between typing words and seeing them get flagged. Make a habit of looking back at material you've already typed to see whether the underline appears.

To correct a flagged word that you recognize is wrong, control-click (right-click) the word. A list of possible corrections appears at the top of the contextual pop-up. To replace a word, just select it from the pop-up menu.

Here are a few spell checking tips:

  • You must enable spell check separately for each application. Enabling spell checking in TextEdit will not enable spell checking in Safari.
  • To open an interactive spell checking box, choose Spelling -> Spelling... from the contextual pop-up menu. You can use this dialog whether or not you have enabled spell checking for your application.
  • To spell check in a different language, use the Spelling dialog's Dictionary pop-up.
  • You can teach the dictionary new words. Enter a word in the field to the left of Correct and click Learn.

Thanks, Callum.

jobs & resumes
Mac Support Technician

Kerdan - Cambridge, MA (2 weeks ago)

See More Relevant Jobs ›

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Tip of the Day

Want to drag a file to another folder and copy it instead of moving it? Press the Option key when you drag that file and it'll be duplicated rather than moved entirely.

Follow us on Twitter!

TUAW [Cafepress] 

Featured Galleries

DNC Macs
Macworld 2008 Keynote
Macworld 2008 Build-up
Google Earth for iPhone
Podcaster
Storyist 2.0
AT&T Navigator Road Test
Bento for iPhone 1.0
Scrabble for iPhone
Tom Bihn Checkpoint Flyer Briefcase
Apple Vanity Plates
Apple booth Macworld 07
WorldVoice Radio
Quickoffice for iPhone 1.1.1
Daylite 3.9 Review
DiscPainter
Mariner Calc for iPhone
2009CupertinoBus
Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D
MLB.com At Bat 2009
Macworld Expo 2007 show floor

 

Our Writers

Victor Agreda, Jr.

Programming Manager, AOL Tech

RSS Feed

View more Writers

More Apple Analysis

AOL Radio TUAW on Stitcher