How to Fix Spell Check Not Working in Pages App on Mac

Don’t know why you’re experiencing Spell Check not working in Pages app on Mac?

Pages is like Mac’s Microsoft Word, which features multiple templates for all types of documents, including letters, reports, resumes, lists, and so on. 

The application also uses in-built tools like Spell Check to save you from embarrassing and silly grammar mistakes. 

But unfortunately, the Spell Check feature suddenly stops working in the Pages app on Mac. 

This calls for manually ensuring your spellings are correct, which may take from hours to days, depending on the length of the document. 

That’s why you need to look for a solution as soon as possible.

Read through this guide to learn how you can tackle the issue effectively and quickly. Let’s begin!

1. Enable Auto-Correction In Pages App.

The Auto-Correction feature identifies any spelling error and fixes it automatically. If Spell Check is not working in the Pages app, then the first solution to opt for is to ensure that this feature is enabled. So that all the errors in your documents are detected.

Follow the steps below to enable Auto-Correction in the Pages app:

  1. To get started, access Spotlight Search by pressing the Command key + Spacebar from your keyboard.
  2. Type ‘pages’ and hit the Enter key. Then choose the app from the results.
  3. Now, click Pages on the left corner of the menu bar to view the app’s menu and choose Settings.
  4. In the next window, go to the Auto-Correction tab.
  5. Ensure the Correct spelling automatically option is checked. If so, uncheck the option, restart your Mac, and recheck the option.
auto-correction settings on mac

Quit the window and check whether the issue persists. If so, continue to the next method.

2. Turn on Check Spelling While Typing.

Another effective feature of the Pages app is the Check Spelling While Typing feature, which fixes any error in your typing as you type along the document. 

By enabling this feature, you can ensure no errors are detected in your typing by the end of your document, and there is no need for rechecking.

To turn on Check Spelling While Typing:

  1. Firstly, press the Command key + Spacebar from your keyboard to access Spotlight Search.
  2. Type ‘pages’ and hit Enter, then select the app from the results below.
  3. From the menu bar, click on Edit and select Spelling and Grammar.
  4. From further options, ensure the options Check Spelling While Typing and Check Grammar While Spelling are checked.
Spell Check Not Working in Pages App on Mac

Now quit the menu and check if the Pages app is checking spellings automatically again.

3. Check Input Keyboard Settings.

If you’ve tried the above methods but still Spell Check is not working in the Pages app on your Mac, we recommend checking the input keyboard settings. As the system provides spelling error correction according to the input keyboard language selected, it may be the reason behind this issue. 

  1. To begin, go to System Preferences from the dock or the Apple menu at the top left corner.
  2. When the window opens, click on Keyboard.
  3. There, click on Edit next to Input Sources.
  4. Now add a new keyboard language by clicking on the + icon at the bottom left corner of the window.
  5. Scroll through the list and choose the language and click Add.
mac keyboard settings
  1. Ensure it is added by checking the All Input Sources on the left pane.
  2. Also, enable the Correct Spelling Automatically feature and click Done.

Go to the Pages app now to see if the problem has been resolved.

4. Restart Pages App.

If the Pages app is running on your Mac for quite some time in the background, it may be the reason behind Spell Check not working effectively. If that’s the case, it’s best to force quit the app and give it a fresh restart to boost its performance and smooth working. 

Here’s how to restart the Pages app:

  1. Start by clicking on the Apple menu at the top left corner of the screen.
  2. From the drop-down options, select Force Quit.
  3. This will open a pop-up window. Choose Pages from the list of running apps actively or in the background.
  4. Finally, click on Force Quit at the bottom right corner of the window.
force quit pages application on mac
  1. On the confirmation prompt, choose Force Quit again.

Now relaunch the Pages app, and the spell check not working issue should be gone.

5. Update Pages App.

Sometimes, software bugs and errors in the current app version can also lead to various issues, such as the Spell Check not working on Mac. 

To avoid such problems, keep your Pages app updated to the latest available version. This will provide you with new features and any fixes for the previous bugs.

Follow the steps mentioned below to update the Pages app:

  1. Begin by launching the App Store from the dock or via Spotlight Search.
  2. When it launches, go to the Updates tab from the left sidebar.
  3. If a new version is available for the Pages app, click on the Update button.
update pages app on mac

This will begin the process. Once the installation is finished, relaunch the Pages app to check if the Spell Check is working again.

6. Boot Into Safe Mode.

Another promising fix, if Spell Check fails to work by the methods mentioned above, is to restart your device in Safe Mode. If any interference with the macOS is the cause of this issue, then restarting in Safe Mode will resolve the problem as it boots macOS into a basic state.

To find out what chipset you have in your Mac, follow these steps:

  1. Click on the Apple menu and choose About This Mac.
  2. Now, go to the Overview tab to check your chipset.
Spell Check Not Working in Pages App on Mac

Afterward, refer to the specified instructions below to enter Safe mode on your Mac. 

For Macs with Intel chips:

  1. To start, shut down your Mac.
  2. Once it’s completely off, turn it back on and immediately press and hold the Shift key from your keyboard.
  3. Let go of the Shift key only when you see the login screen.
mac safe mode

Log in to your Mac, and you should be in Safe mode. For Macs with Apple silicon chips:

  1. Firstly, shut down your Mac.
  2. Now long press the Power button and release when the startup options screen appears.
  3. Choose your startup disk. Then press and hold the Shift key and click on Continue in Safe mode.
Spell Check Not Working in Pages App on Mac

Now login to your account, and you should be in Safe mode.

7. Uninstall Problematic Third-Party App.

If you have any third-party apps downloaded on your Mac to detect spelling or grammar mistakes, it is likely that they interfere with the workings of the macOS. This can lead to the Spell Check not working in the Pages app. To get rid of this issue, simply uninstall such problematic third-party apps.

Here’s how to do so:

  1. To begin, open Launchpad from the dock.
  2. Locate the application you wish to remove. You can also use the search bar for this purpose.
  3. Click and hold on to the application until all the applications in the Launchpad start to jiggle.
  4. Then, click on the x icon at the top of the app to delete it.
mac home screen

In case, any app doesn’t show the icon, it means it wasn’t downloaded from the App Store. But don’t worry. You can remove such applications from Finder. Continue to the steps below to do so:

  1. First, launch Finder from the dock.
  2. When the window opens, go to the Applications tab from the left pane.
  3. Locate the app you wish to remove. Right-click on it and select Move to Trash from the context menu or use the Command key + Delete shortcut.
Spell Check Not Working in Pages App on Mac
  1. In case, the application is in a folder, open it and check for an uninstaller. If you find it, run it to delete the app.

This should resolve the Spell Check not working in Pages app on Mac issue.

This ends our guide on how to fix Spell Check not working in Pages app on Mac. Hopefully, you were able to eliminate the issue with our listed methods. For more queries, head over to the comment section below.

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Author

  • Aimen Choudhry

    Aimen Choudhry is an architecture student who has always been fascinated by science. She now finds her therapy researching and writing about the latest technology and the issues that come alongside. Otherwise, you’ll find her playing video games, listening to music, or watching fantasy/sci-fi movies.

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