#Requires -Version 5.1 <# JbTecWiz Support Centre -- generated fix script Fault : Spell check does nothing, or checks in the wrong language Fix : Rebuild the Normal template Source: https://jbtecwiz.com/support/win-office-spellcheck Run as : PowerShell as the affected user Expect : 30 minutes Risk : medium Reversible : yes WHEN THIS IS THE RIGHT FIX Settings will not stick between sessions, or the problem began after an update. Do this last -- the template holds real customisation. HOW TO UNDO IT Close Word, delete the new Normal.dotm and rename Normal.dotm.bak back. This script walks the fix one step at a time and asks before each one. Steps with no command are things you do yourself -- it prints those and waits. Run with -DryRun to print without executing. #> [CmdletBinding()] param( # Print every step and command without running anything. [switch]$DryRun, # Do not ask before each step. Read the script first if you use this. [switch]$Unattended ) $ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop' $script:Failed = 0 function Write-Rule { param([string]$Text) Write-Host '' Write-Host ('-' * 70) -ForegroundColor DarkGray if ($Text) { Write-Host $Text -ForegroundColor Cyan } } function Show-Prose { param([string]$Text, [string]$Colour = "Gray") if (-not $Text) { return } $words = $Text -split "\s+"; $line = " " foreach ($w in $words) { if (($line.Length + $w.Length) -gt 74) { Write-Host $line -ForegroundColor $Colour; $line = " " } $line += "$w " } if ($line.Trim()) { Write-Host $line -ForegroundColor $Colour } } function Invoke-Step { param( [int]$Number, [string]$Do, [string]$Why, [scriptblock]$Command, [switch]$Manual, [string]$Shell = "powershell" ) Write-Rule " Step $Number of 5" Show-Prose $Do "White" if ($Why) { Write-Host ""; Show-Prose $Why "DarkGray" } if ($Manual) { Write-Host '' Write-Host ' -> Do this yourself, then press Enter to carry on.' -ForegroundColor Yellow if (-not $Unattended -and -not $DryRun) { [void](Read-Host) } return } Write-Host '' foreach ($l in ($Command.ToString().Trim() -split "`n")) { Write-Host (" " + $l.Trim()) -ForegroundColor Green } Write-Host '' if ($DryRun) { Write-Host " (dry run -- not executed)" -ForegroundColor DarkGray; return } if (-not $Unattended) { $a = Read-Host " Run this step? [Y]es / [S]kip / [Q]uit" if ($a -match "^[Qq]") { Write-Host " Stopped at your request."; exit 0 } if ($a -match "^[Ss]") { Write-Host " Skipped." -ForegroundColor DarkGray; return } } try { & $Command } catch { $script:Failed++ Write-Host (" Step $Number failed: " + $_.Exception.Message) -ForegroundColor Red Show-Prose "The rest of the fix may depend on this. Read the write-up before carrying on." "Red" if (-not $Unattended) { $c = Read-Host " Carry on anyway? [y/N]" if ($c -notmatch "^[Yy]") { exit 1 } } } } Write-Rule Write-Host ' Spell check does nothing, or checks in the wrong language' -ForegroundColor White Write-Host ' Rebuild the Normal template' -ForegroundColor Cyan Write-Host '' Write-Host ' Risk: medium Reversible 30 minutes' Write-Rule if (-not $Unattended -and -not $DryRun) { $go = Read-Host ' Ready? [y/N]' if ($go -notmatch "^[Yy]") { Write-Host " Nothing was changed."; exit 0 } } Invoke-Step -Number 1 -Do 'Close Word completely.' -Command { Get-Process WINWORD -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Stop-Process -Force } Invoke-Step -Number 2 -Do 'Find the template and note its size and date.' -Command { Get-ChildItem "$env:APPDATA\Microsoft\Templates\Normal.dotm" | Select-Object FullName, Length, LastWriteTime } Invoke-Step -Number 3 -Do 'Rename it rather than deleting it. Word creates a fresh one automatically on the next start.' -Why 'Normal.dotm holds custom styles, macros, AutoText entries, default fonts and page setup. Deleting it discards all of that with no warning, and for someone who has built up AutoText over years that is a real loss. Renaming means it can be put straight back.' -Command { Rename-Item "$env:APPDATA\Microsoft\Templates\Normal.dotm" "Normal.dotm.bak" } Invoke-Step -Number 4 -Do 'Start Word and confirm spell check now behaves.' -Manual Invoke-Step -Number 5 -Do 'If it does, the old template was the cause. Copy any needed styles or AutoText across from the .bak file via the Organizer -- Developer -> Document Template -> Organizer -- rather than restoring the whole file.' -Manual Write-Rule " Confirm it worked" Show-Prose 'Spelling is checked correctly, and the setting survives closing and reopening Word.' 'White' Write-Rule if ($script:Failed -gt 0) { Write-Host (" Finished with " + $script:Failed + " failed step(s).") -ForegroundColor Yellow Show-Prose 'Read the full write-up at https://jbtecwiz.com/support/win-office-spellcheck' 'Yellow' } else { Write-Host ' Finished.' -ForegroundColor Green } Write-Host '' Show-Prose 'To undo: Close Word, delete the new Normal.dotm and rename Normal.dotm.bak back.' 'DarkGray' Write-Rule