Some people prefer the Spelling and Grammar check dialog from previous versions of Word to the Editor introduced with Word 2016. See the bottom of this post if on a Mac.
Three reasons given are:
They want to check selected text rather than the entire document.
They want the button to change all, which is not present in the Editor.
When checking grammar, they want the option to check next sentence.
Here is a macro that checks spelling and grammar using the classic dialog box.
I am not sure what the effect of options in the Proofing Options will have on it.
It checks selected text or entire document. When done with selected text, asks about rest of document.
I include an IF to check on the version. I do not know how the ActiveDocument.CheckGrammar would work in earlier versions. Probably will be OK.
The new Editor, as of this writing, will not check just selected text nor check from the current location to the end. The classic dialog will.
According to this blog and the release notes for March 30, 2022, this has been corrected. I checked version 2206 on July 14, 20222 after applying this update, and the full document continues to be checked.
Word Version 2212 (Word 2016/2019/2021/365)
Sub ToolsProofing() 'Intercepts F7 keyboard shortcut
'Charles Kenyon 26 February 2019 checked 24 October 2022
If Application.Version < "16.0" Then
Dialogs(wdDialogToolsSpellingAndGrammar).Show
Else
ActiveDocument.CheckGrammar
End If
End Sub
The following (simply launching the dialog) did not work in versions 1901-1903. It is working again using later versions.
Sub ToolsProofing() ' SpellCheckDisplayClassicSpellCheckDialog only one macro should have the name
'Macro created by Stefan Blom, MVP, September 2018
'https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/msoffice_word-mso_win10-mso_o365b/word-2016-how-to-enable-old-style-spell-check/095bf6ce-7adb-4ac9-94c4-dcfe6cfb34af
'
On Error Resume Next
Dialogs(wdDialogToolsSpellingAndGrammar).Show
End Sub
Instructions for Installing Macros from Forums or Websites by Graham Mayor, MVP
See Using the Classic Spell Check Dialog Instead of Editor (my web page covering this material)
Naming the macro ToolsProofing intercepts the F7 keyboard shortcut for spell-checking but does not change what happens when you right-click on a misspelled word. Thus, pressing the F7 key with selected text gets you the classic dialog while right-clicking on a word with a red underline gets you the new Editor.
Intercepting events like Save and Print
The Mac has now incorporated the Editor. Apparently the macros still give the Editor.
However MVP Bob Jones (aka Cybertaz) informs me that the [Spelling...] command can be added to the QAT and will give the legacy dialog box.
I have created a free Add-In with the first macro.
It contains a .dotm file that has instructions for use and an installation macro.
I posted feedback. You can vote and comment here.
https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback/idea/4451a904-ae9e-ed11-a81b-000d3a0450e3
I am sometimes critical of Microsoft. However, I recognize that Microsoft is a huge company and the left hand often does not know what the right hand is doing.
There is tremendous pressure to get improvements and fixes into the hands of users, but they do need to stay in business. These problems for users are not, I am sure, deliberate. The employees there really do want users to have a pleasant experience and to be able to use the truly amazing powers of their software. The priorities can be changed by feedback, which is why I encourage use of those mechanisms. The squeaky wheel gets attention.
