How to Fix Proofing Tools Missing on Microsoft Word

Are your proofing tools missing on Microsoft Word?

Microsoft Word offers some of the best word processing features. With it, you can add illustrations to your document, make custom format paragraphs, highlight important words, and more. 

However, one of the most important functions in Microsoft Word is the proofing tools. These help you ensure that your sentences are grammatically correct so that they look more professional and proper. 

Sadly, the feature isn’t working as it should all the time. If you are here, we can assume that the proofing tools are missing on your copy of Microsoft Word. 

Depending on the situation, this issue can be due to faulty versions of Microsoft Word, corrupted file data, or improper configurations. On the other hand, third-party add-ins could also cause this problem. 

To help out, we’ve listed down the best solutions for fixing your proofing tools if they are missing on Microsoft Word. 

Let’s get started!

1. Restart Your Computer. 

Whenever you encounter issues with Microsoft Word, the first thing you should do is restart your computer. This way, you can ensure that the problem is not caused by temporary bugs or glitches. 

See the guide below to restart your computer: 

1. First, press the Windows key on your keyboard to open the Start Menu. 
2. After that, access the Power Options tab. 
3. Lastly, choose Restart and wait for your system to reboot. 

Go back to Microsoft Word afterward to see if your proofing tools are still missing. 

2. Select Language Manually. 

Microsoft Word automatically detects the language you are using for your document and makes the necessary suggestions to improve its quality. However, there are instances when the software struggles to identify the language you are using. 

If suggestions are not showing up on your document, try selecting your language manually. Here’s what you need to do: 

1. First, select the paragraph you want to proofread. 
2. After that, go to the Review tab and click on Language. 
3. Hover your cursor to the Language tab. 
4. Lastly, click on Set Proofing Language and select the language you are using. 

Once done, save the changes and head back to your document. 

3. Repair Your Document. 

Your document might have an underlying issue that causes some Microsoft Word features to malfunction. To rule this out, try repairing your document using the built-in tool to ensure that everything is in order. 

See the steps below to repair your document: 

1. First, launch Microsoft Word on your computer. 
2. After that, click on File > Open > Browse. 
3. Select the file you want to open and click the drop-down arrow next to the Open button. 
4. Lastly, click on Open and Repair. 

Relaunch Microsoft Word and check if the problem is solved. 

4. Update Microsoft Word. 

The version of MS Word you are using might have a problem that causes the proofing tools to disappear. If this is the case, we suggest updating your software to the latest version to patch bugs and errors. 

Here’s how you can update MS Word: 

1. First, go to File > Accounts. 
2. After that, click on Update Options. 
3. Lastly, choose Update Now and follow the prompts.

Go back to Microsoft Word and see if you can now access your proofing tools.

5. Disable Microsoft Word Add-Ins. 

Microsoft Word add-ins are third-party tools that provide additional functionalities to your system. If you are experiencing issues with Microsoft Word, try turning off your add-ins first. 

See the steps below: 

1. On MS Word, go to the File tab and click on Options. 
2. Now, access the Add-Ins tab. 
3. Finally, turn off all your add-ins or the ones you are not using. 

Restart your computer to apply the changes and see if the proofing tools are now showing. 

6. Reinstall Microsoft Word. 

If none of the solutions above worked, the last thing you can do is reinstall Microsoft Word on your computer. This way, we can ensure that the app is installed correctly and there are no missing resources. 

Here’s how you can uninstall Word: 

1. Access the Control Panel on your computer. 
2. Next, click on Uninstall a Program. 
3. Locate MS Word and right-click on it. 
4. Choose Uninstall and follow the prompts to remove the software. 

Reinstall the app afterward and check if the proofing tools are working. 

That ends our guide on how to fix proofing tools that are missing in Microsoft Word. If you have questions, please leave a comment below, and we’ll do our best to answer them. 

If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂