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Office 365 (Thunderbird) - Check spelling and/or grammar

Best Effort Support Only

This document contains instructions on using a non-Microsoft email client, such as Apple Mail or Thunderbird. Microsoft does not recommend these clients for use with Office 365, and there are often significant limitations in client functionality as a result.

Because of this, the DoIT Help Desk is only able to offer best effort support for these clients, and certain issues may require the use of a Microsoft client in order to be resolved. For more information on Office 365 client support, please see: Office 365 - Which clients/protocols will be supported?.

Thunderbird automatically checks your spelling as you type. Incorrectly spelled words are indicated with red (dots in OSX and waves in Windows.) Thunderbird does not have a native grammar check though there are several available as add ons, none have been vetted for their Office 365 compatibility.

Check spelling as you type
  1. Open Thunderbird
  2. Create a new email
  3. Begin typing
  4. When you see a misspelled word as indicated by red dots/waves, right click and choose the correctly spelled word from the drop down list

    misspelled word correction

  5. Continue typing until the email is complete
Check spelling after composing an email
  1. Open Thunderbird
  2. Create a new email
  3. Compose your email
  4. From the top menu choose Options then Check Spelling

    check spelling sub-menu selection from within Options

  5. Choose the correct word from the list in the pop up box then click:

    misspelled word action screen

    • Replace to use the new word
    • Ignore if the word being checked is correct already
    • Add Word if you wish not to have this word spell checked in the future
  6. Repeat for each misspelled word
  7. When finished choose Close
Turn off automatic spell check (for one message)
  1. Open Thunderbird
  2. Create a new message
  3. From the top menu choose Options
  4. Unselect Spell Check As You Type

    spell check as you type sub-menu selection from within Options

  5. Compose your message
Turn off automatic spell check permanently
Note This feature is ON by default
  1. Open Thunderbird
  2. Select the Thunderbird drop down menu from the top bar

    Dropdown menu selection

  3. Select Options
  4. Choose the Composition Tab
  5. Uncheck Enable spell check as you type

    enable spellcheck check box

  6. Close the pop up box
Turn on/off Check Spelling before sending 
Note This feature is off by default
  1. Open Thunderbird
  2. Select the Thunderbird drop down menu from the top bar

    Dropdown

  3. Select Options
  4. Choose the Composition Tab
  5. Check the Check spelling before sending box

    5-UncheckCheckSpelling

  6. Close the pop up box



Keywords:microsoft office365 o365 thunderbird spell checker words misspelled   Doc ID:39418
Owner:Help Desk KB Team .Group:DoIT Help Desk
Created:2014-04-23 10:55 CSTUpdated:2020-08-13 17:22 CST
Sites:DoIT Help Desk, Office 365
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