To turn off spell check in Outlook 2013, go to File > Options > Mail and untick Always check spelling before sending to stop the check when you click Send. To remove the red underlines as you type, click Spelling and Autocorrect on the same page and untick Check spelling as you type. Office 2013 reached end of support on April 11, 2023; the same steps work in classic Outlook for Microsoft 365.
Quick Answer
File > Options > Mail > untick Always check spelling before sending. Then Spelling and Autocorrect > untick Check spelling as you type > OK.
Steps to Turn Off Spell Check
- Open Outlook and click File > Options.
- Select Mail on the left.
- Under Compose messages, untick Always check spelling before sending.
- Click Spelling and Autocorrect.
- Under When correcting spelling in Outlook, untick Check spelling as you type and, if you like, Mark grammar errors as you type.
- Click OK twice.
Turn Off Spell Check for One Message
Select the text in a message you’re writing, then choose Review > Language > Set Proofing Language and tick Do not check spelling or grammar. Handy for code, product lists or another language.
Which Setting Does What
| Setting | Effect when off |
|---|---|
| Always check spelling before sending | No spelling check dialog when you click Send |
| Check spelling as you type | No red wavy underlines |
| Mark grammar errors as you type | No grammar underlines |
| Do not check spelling or grammar (per text) | Skips only the selected text |
Also in Outlook 2013: marking a message as high importance.
Troubleshooting
- Spell check still runs on Send: An add-in may be checking messages. Look in File > Options > Add-ins.
- Want it back on? See automatically spell checking emails in Outlook 2013.
- Doing the same in Word? See turning off the spell checker in Word 2013.
- Autocorrect changes words: That’s a separate setting under Spelling and Autocorrect > AutoCorrect Options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this affect Word?
No. Word has its own proofing options, even though they look similar.
Can I add words instead of turning spell check off?
Yes. Right-click an underlined word and choose Add to Dictionary.
Does turning it off change messages I receive?
No. It only affects messages you write.
Summary
- Open File > Options > Mail.
- Untick Always check spelling before sending.
- Open Spelling and Autocorrect and untick Check spelling as you type.
- Use Set Proofing Language to skip one message.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.