If you use Word daily, you've probably heard of that situation where the spell checker decides to change the language on its own in the middle of what you're writing. It is especially striking when you use a US International keyboard to write in Spanish And yet, the spell checker insists on switching to English every time you type.
Many users try disabling automatic language detection and setting Spanish as the default, but the change doesn't work: when they type, Word reverts to English without asking permission. The good news is that there are several possible causes and, therefore, several solutions that you can combine. to leave the corrector stuck in the language you choose. If you can't get it, consult How to change the Office language.
Why Word changes the spell checker language
There are several factors that influence the proofing language: what Word detects in the text, Word's own settings, the editing languages in Office, and the language and keyboard settings in Windows. An imbalance in any of these parts can cause the spell checker to jump between languages. without you asking.
Automatic detection attempts to guess the language based on words and context. If the text is mixed or contains English terms, it can become confused and force a switch. Even if you disable detection, language tags embedded in styles, templates, or pasted text can still be sent. on what you manually select.
The keyboard and input method also play a role. With a US International keyboard, you can type accents without changing the layout, but Windows associates each input method with a language. If the system interprets that you are using an English-linked method, Word may inherit that clue and change the spell checker. to English when you start writing.
Another common factor is the source of the document: many files come with styles or templates that already have a defined language, or they drag and drop pasted fragments from web pages or emails with their own language markup. These labels travel with the text and, if you don't neutralize them, they cause constant changes..
Finally, there are versions and updates. Office receives improvements and fixes for language support and proofing tools. If you don't have Office up to date, you may experience strange behavior from the spell checker. that have already been resolved in newer versions.
Set Word to set the proofing language
The first step is to get your house in order within Word. Start by going to Review > Language > Set Proofing Language. Select Spanish and uncheck the Automatically detect language option.. Check the Set as default box to apply it to new documents based on the standard template.
Check the authoring languages in File > Options > Language. There you'll see the editing languages and their correction tools. Set Spanish as the preferred editing language and make sure that the correction tools are enabledIf they don't appear as installed, add the language or update the installation.
Check the Normal style and, if you're using custom styles, its language. Open the Styles panel, edit the Normal style, and go to Format > Language to set it to Spanish. This prevents the document from reapplying another language to each new paragraph. by using that base style.
If you frequently paste content from the web or email, change the default paste: File > Options > Advanced and, in the Cut, copy, and paste section, select Keep only text for pastes from other programs. This way you avoid hidden language tags arriving along with the format.
Wipe over documents that already have problems. Select everything with Ctrl+A, go to Review > Language > Set Proofing Language, select Spanish, uncheck Automatically detect language, and confirm. If the change doesn't stick, clear the formatting with Ctrl+Space or Paste Special as plain text. and reapply the language at the end.
Don't forget to keep Office up to date. From File > Account > Update Options, check for updates and install them. Office updates fix bugs with languages and proofing tools, as recommended by Microsoft community advisors in similar threads.
Adjust Windows: Display and Keyboard Language
Although the proofing language is set in Word, Windows also influences it. In Settings > Time & Language > Language & Region, add Spanish to Preferred Languages if it isn't already. Placing it at the top of the list helps applications prioritize Spanish.. If it suits you, you can also set the system display language in Spanish, although it is not mandatory.
Under Keyboard, check the input methods. You can keep your US International keyboard to type in Spanish without any problems. The important thing is that the distribution you use does not force Windows to label the input as English. when you launch Word. If you have multiple sorting methods, set the default to Spanish.
In Advanced Keyboard Settings, review two key options: the default input method preference and whether a different input method is allowed per window. Use Override for the default input method with Spanish or disable switching per app if it causes unwanted jumps.This prevents Word from inheriting a keyboard assigned as English when it opens.
There's one option that some users confuse with the spell checker's behavior: the automatic keyboard layout change based on the app's language. If you've already disabled it, that's great; confirm that it doesn't re-enable after updates.The goal is to decouple the language input method from Word's spell checker.
If you share a computer or frequently switch between languages, consider creating shortcuts to switch input methods consciously, rather than automatically. Controlling keyboard switching yourself prevents false clues that confuse Word. when he starts checking what you write.
Solve problems in specific documents
When a file is already skewed, it's best to work on several layers. Start by cleaning up the text: select everything, set the language to Spanish, and if there's resistance, clean up direct formatting with Ctrl+Space. This removes language tags attached to specific chunks that ignore the general configuration.
Review tables, headers, footers, and text boxes. In each, select the content and apply the language. It is common for the main document to be in Spanish, but a header inherited from a template is still in English., and each new page reactivates the change.
Check the styles: Title, Heading 1, Body Text, Footnote, etc. Edit the styles you use and set their language in Format > Language. If a style is kept in English, every time you use it it will force the spell checker to change, even if Normal is set correctly.
Avoid pasting formatted content from external sources. Use Paste and choose Keep Text Only or Paste Special > Unformatted Text. If you need to preserve some formatting, paste as text and then apply the document style. to keep a clean format and the correct language.
If your document is based on a custom template, open it directly, correct the language of its styles, and save it. Otherwise, every new document that depends on that template will inherit the wrong language. and the problem will reappear again and again.
Another option to check is the Normal template. Close Word, rename it Normal.dotm so it regenerates when you open Word, and then reset the language and styles in the new document. A corrupted or misconfigured Normal.dotm causes language problems in all files. that you believe.
If you collaborate with others, check if the control changes (Change control) enabled have an influence. Sometimes, inserts made by users with Word in English are marked with that language. Once you have accepted the changes, reselect the affected text and re-apply the language. to normalize it.
With very old files or conversions from other formats, exporting to a clean DOCX helps. Save a copy as DOCX, open it, select everything, set the language, and save. The conversion removes legacy metadata and tags that still cause jumps in the corrector.
And a note of context: you'll see forum responses where independent consultants recommend confirming the Windows display language, adding Spanish to your preferred languages, and updating Office from File > Account. These recommendations are valid and should be applied before entering into advanced solutions.Please note that sometimes some answers are machine-translated and may have strange twists.
If you get to the root of the problem and find that typing on your US International keyboard immediately returns to English, check that the editing language in Word is set to Spanish and that the default input method in Windows isn't being forced to English. The key is to separate the keyboard from the correction language.: You can type with US International and still check in Spanish without interference.
One last side note: in some threads hosted or linked from social media, you'll see privacy and cookie notices displayed before you read. They do not affect the technical solution, but they explain why it is sometimes difficult to access the thread content. if you do not accept the initial banner.
With all of the above aligned, Word stops switching languages on its own. The balance between Word editing language, document styles, detection options, Office updates, and the Windows keyboard It is what sets the behavior of the corrector and avoids scares in the middle of the paragraph.
It's worth taking a few minutes to review the key pieces: in Word, disable automatic detection and set Spanish as the default; in Office, keep proofing tools up to date; in Windows, organize languages and keyboards so they don't give contradictory signals; and, in stubborn documents, clean up styles and pasted formatting. When each layer pushes in the same direction, Word's spell checker stays where you tell it to. and you can focus on writing without struggling with the language.
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