Spell Check in Chrome: Built-in Checker vs Extensions

Do you need a Chrome extension for spell check?

Not for basic typos. Chrome's built-in checker flags misspelled words as you type into input fields on the web, and it works in email, forms, comment boxes and most web editors.

An extension earns its place when you need more than spelling: grammar, punctuation, word choice, tone, or rewrites. It also helps if you write in several languages in one text box, or want suggestions in places where the built-in checker is switched off by the site.

If spelling is all you care about, start with the built-in option and only install something when it clearly misses what you need. Fewer extensions means fewer tools that can read what you type.

How do you enable spell checking in Chrome?

Turn it on from Chrome's language settings; it takes about ten seconds on a computer. Google documents the same steps on its Chrome spell check help page.

1. Open Chrome on your computer.
2. Click the three-dot More menu at the top right, then Settings. You can also paste chrome://settings/languages into the address bar.
3. Click Languages in the left sidebar.
4. Under Spell check, switch on Check for spelling errors when you type text on web pages.
5. Choose Basic spell check or Enhanced spell check.
6. Under the language list, make sure spell check is turned on for every language you write in.

Now type a misspelled word in any web text box. A red underline appears; right-click it to see suggestions, pick Add to dictionary for names and jargon, or open the Spell check submenu to change languages without visiting Settings.

What is the difference between Basic and Enhanced spell check?

Basic keeps your typing on your device; Enhanced sends the text you enter to Google to get smarter suggestions. That is the whole trade-off: privacy versus accuracy.

Basic spell check

According to Google, it does not send the text you enter in your browser to Google. Suggestions come from a local dictionary, so unusual words and context-dependent mistakes get missed more often.

Enhanced spell check

Uses the same spell checker as Google Search and sends what you type to Google. It is better at names, newer words and mistakes that are real words used in the wrong place.

Enhanced mode applies to text you type into web pages, which can include private messages, support tickets and medical or financial forms. If you handle client or patient data, Basic is the safer default, and your employer may already force it through policy.

Which spell checker does Chrome use on Windows, Mac and Android?

Chrome leans on the operating system for Basic checking on several platforms, which is why suggestions look different from one device to the next. Google's help page states which checker applies where.

• Windows 8 and newer: Basic spell check uses the Windows spell checker, so words you add in Windows may carry over.
• Windows 7 and older: Chrome uses its own spell checker.
• Mac: Chrome generally follows macOS's system spelling, and the Edit > Spelling and Grammar menu is available in Chrome's menu bar.
• Android: spelling suggestions come from your keyboard app (for example Gboard), not from Chrome settings.
• iPhone and iPad: correction is handled by the iOS keyboard; change it under Settings > General > Keyboard on the device.

On phones, desktop extensions do not run in Chrome at all, so the keyboard is your spell checker. Some grammar vendors offer their own mobile keyboards if you want the same suggestions on the go.

What is the best spell checker extension for Chrome?

LanguageTool is the best all-round pick if you write in more than one language; Grammarly is the strongest choice for English clarity and tone. For a broader shortlist, see our grammar checker extensions page.

There is also a small, spelling-only listing called Spell Checker for Chrome on the Web Store, which says it supports 25 languages. Since Chrome already checks spelling for free, it mainly suits people who want a separate panel to paste and check text.

Read full verdicts in our LanguageTool review and Grammarly review, and our Grammarly alternatives roundup if its price or data handling puts you off.

What is the best Chrome extension for autocorrect?

Desktop Chrome underlines mistakes but does not silently fix them as you type, so autocorrect in practice means one-click fixes from a grammar extension. LanguageTool and Grammarly both let you accept a suggestion with a single click on the underline.

True silent autocorrect on desktop is rare, and that is probably a good thing: automatic replacements in URLs, code, names and passwords cause more trouble than they fix. If you want phone-style behaviour, a text-expander extension can replace your own common typos (like teh to the) with rules you define, which is more predictable than guessing.

Where autocorrect-style tools misbehave

• Code editors and terminals in the browser: turn the extension off for those sites from its toolbar menu.
• Google Docs: Docs has its own checker under Tools > Spelling and grammar, and third-party support inside Docs varies by extension.
• Rich editors like Notion or WordPress: underlines can overlap the editor's own UI; if typing lags, disable the extension on that site.

What happened to spell check in Chrome, and why is it not working?

Usually nothing changed in Chrome itself; the setting was switched off, the language is missing, or the site disables checking. Work through the list below in order.

1. Open chrome://settings/languages and confirm Check for spelling errors when you type text on web pages is on.
2. Check that the language you are typing in is listed and has spell check enabled; add it with Add languages if not.
3. Right-click inside the text box and confirm the Spell check submenu shows a tick next to your language.
4. Test on a simple page, such as a search box. If it works there, the original site has turned spell checking off for that field, which web developers can do.
5. Disable grammar extensions one at a time from chrome://extensions; some hide Chrome's underlines while showing their own.
6. On a work device, open chrome://policy and look for a spell-check policy set by your administrator.
7. On Windows 8 and newer, check the Windows spelling settings, since Basic mode relies on them.

Is it safe to use a spell checker extension in Chrome?

It is reasonably safe with a well-known vendor, but understand the access you are granting. A checker must read everything you type on every site to work, including webmail and internal tools.

That is why these extensions ask to "read and change all your data on all websites". Our permissions guide explains what that allows, and our methodology covers how we weigh vendor trust. To limit exposure, open chrome://extensions, click Details on the checker, and set Site access to On specific sites so it only runs where you write drafts.

Stick to extensions from established vendors, avoid anonymous clones with similar names, and remove checkers you no longer use. LanguageTool's core engine is open source and can be self-hosted, an option some privacy-minded teams use; see LanguageTool's site for current setup details.

Want to see exactly what a checker changed in a long draft? Paste the before and after into our text diff checker to review every edit.