Change the display and proofing language in Office

Display language and proofing language are separate

Office has two different languages. The display language is the language of the menus. The proofing language is the dictionary that checks spelling. You can have Hebrew menus and an English document, or the other way around.

These steps fit Microsoft 365 and Office 2016, 2019, and 2021 on Windows 10 and Windows 11. Office 2003 and 2007 use different screens, and those versions no longer receive security updates.

1. Open Word or Excel.
2. Choose File, Options, Language.
3. Under Office display languages, pick Hebrew or English and choose Set as Preferred. If the language is missing, choose Install additional display languages and download the language pack.
4. Under Office authoring languages and proofing, add the language you write in and set it as preferred.
5. Close every Office app, including Outlook if it is open in the tray, and open them again.

The document keeps its own language

Changing the display language does not translate an existing document. For one paragraph: select the text, open Review, Language, Set Proofing Language, and choose Hebrew or English. A red line under correct text usually means the paragraph is marked as the wrong language.

In Outlook the same setting covers the mail window. After you install a language pack you need a full restart, not only closing one message.

More guides

• A guide to Word
• Hebrew vowel points on a computer and in Word
• Add Jewish holidays to Outlook