How to Remove Red Lines in Word (Spell Check and Track Changes)

Red lines in Word usually mean one of two things: red squiggly underlines from the spell checker, or red underlined text and vertical lines in the margin from Track Changes. They’re removed in completely different ways. This guide helps you identify which you’re seeing, then shows how to hide them for one document, turn them off everywhere, or fix the underlying cause.

Quick Answer

Red squiggly lines (spelling): click File > Options > Proofing and uncheck Check spelling as you type, or check Hide spelling errors in this document only. Red underlined text or lines in the margin (Track Changes): on the Review tab, click Accept > Accept All Changes, then turn off Track Changes.

Which Red Lines Do You Have?

What you see	Cause	Fix
Wavy red underline under words	Spell check thinks the word is misspelled	Correct it, add it to the dictionary, or turn off spell check
Blue double underline	Grammar or style suggestion	Same Proofing settings (grammar options)
Solid colored underline, strikethrough text	Track Changes (insertions and deletions)	Accept or reject changes
Vertical line in the left margin	Track Changes marks a changed line	Accept or reject changes

Fix Individual Spelling Underlines

• Right-click the underlined word and pick the correct spelling.
• Choose Add to Dictionary for names, brands, or technical terms, so Word stops flagging them in every document.
• Choose Ignore All to skip that word in this document only.

Hide Red Lines in One Document

1. Click File > Options > Proofing (Mac: Word > Preferences > Spelling & Grammar).
2. Under Exceptions for, make sure the current document is selected.
3. Check Hide spelling errors in this document only (and grammar errors if you like).
4. Click OK.

The setting is saved with the document, so others who open it won’t see red lines either. Mistakes aren’t corrected, just hidden.

Turn Off Spell Check Everywhere

1. Go to File > Options > Proofing.
2. Under When correcting spelling and grammar in Word, uncheck Check spelling as you type (and Mark grammar errors as you type for the blue lines).
3. Click OK.

You can still run a check anytime with F7 or Review > Editor (or Spelling & Grammar).

Turn Off Spell Check for Selected Text

Useful for code, addresses, or foreign-language passages:

1. Select the text.
2. Go to Review > Language > Set Proofing Language.
3. Check Do not check spelling or grammar and click OK.

If a whole document is set to the wrong language (for example, US vs UK English), select all with Ctrl + A and choose the correct language here. Many “red lines everywhere” problems are caused by this.

Remove Track Changes Red Lines

1. Click the Review tab.
2. Click Accept > Accept All Changes (or Accept All Changes and Stop Tracking). Use Reject to undo edits instead.
3. Turn off Track Changes if it’s still highlighted.
4. Also delete comments with Delete > Delete All Comments in Document if needed.

To only hide the markup while you read, set the display to Simple Markup or No Markup in the Tracking group. The changes are still in the file until you accept or reject them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do red squiggly lines print?

No. Spelling and grammar underlines never print. Track Changes markup can print; choose No Markup or accept changes first.

Why does Word underline correct words?

The proofing language is wrong, the word isn’t in the dictionary, or it’s a name or technical term. Fix the language or add the word to the dictionary.

Can I turn off red lines in Word on the web?

Yes. Go to Review > Editor (or the Editor icon) and turn off spelling checks, or set the proofing language to Do not check spelling.

Summary

1. Right-click red squiggles to fix, add, or ignore words.
2. Hide them for one file in File > Options > Proofing > Exceptions.
3. Turn off Check spelling as you type to hide them everywhere.
4. For Track Changes lines, use Review > Accept All Changes.