If you want to run a reliable spell check inside AutoCAD, this guide explains the SPELL command step‑by‑step, common problems and fixes, useful alternatives, and practical tips to integrate spell checking into your drafting workflow.
What the spell shortcut is
The AutoCAD spell tool is the SPELL command (the “spell shortcut” commonly refers to launching this command). It performs a spell‑check of text objects inside a drawing, including MTEXT and TEXT objects, and lets you Change, Ignore, or Add words to a dictionary. You can run it from the command line by typing SPELL, or from the Ribbon (Annotation/Text panel → Spelling).
Why use SPELL
- Ensures professional, error‑free annotations and notes.
- Saves time compared with manual proofreading.
- Lets you add custom words (project names, brands, technical terms) to a dictionary for future checks.
How to use SPELL — Step by step
Open the spell tool
- Save your drawing before making mass changes to keep a backup.
- Launch the command by typing SPELL at the command line and pressing Enter, or click the Spelling button on the Annotate ribbon (Text panel).
Select text to check
- When prompted, you can:
- Select specific objects to check (click the text objects), or
- Press Enter without selecting to check the entire drawing.
Use the Spelling dialog
The Spelling dialog opens and highlights the first unrecognized word. Typical options:
- Change — replace the current word with your chosen correction.
- Change All — replace every occurrence of that misspelling.
- Ignore — skip this occurrence.
- Ignore All — skip all occurrences of the same word.
- Add to Dictionary — add the word to your custom dictionary so future checks won’t flag it.
- Suggestions — choose from a list of suggested corrections.
Work through each suggestion until the dialog reports that spell check is complete.
After the check
- Save your drawing after accepting changes.
- To make the added words available to other projects/users, configure or share the custom dictionary file (see troubleshooting & Tips).
Useful settings and locations
- To view or change where AutoCAD looks for dictionaries, open Options > Files tab and check the Spelling Dictionaries or Support File Search Path entries. (Paths vary by AutoCAD version and OS.)
- You can create a custom dictionary file and add it to that search path so Add to Dictionary persists across drawings.
Alternatives and complementary workflows
- Export text to an external editor: Use MTEXT editor copy/paste, or extract text to a TXT file and run spell check in Microsoft Word or another language tool for advanced grammar and multi‑language checks.
- Use Find and Replace for systematic fixes (useful for repeated typos).
- Third‑party plugins: Several AutoCAD add‑ons provide advanced spell and grammar checks integrated with more dictionaries or team sharing.
- batch processing: For many drawings, extract text to a single file (via scripts or extract data tools), correct in one place, and reimport or update.
Common reasons SPELL doesn’t work and how to fix them
Nothing selected: If you start SPELL and select no objects but press Enter, AutoCAD checks the entire drawing. If you select nothing and the dialog never appears, try pressing Enter again or select objects explicitly.
- Fix: Type SPELL, then press Enter to check the whole drawing, or select the specific text objects first.
Text is not recognized as editable text (e.g., SHX fonts or text converted to geometry):
- AutoCAD cannot spell‑check text that is stored as graphics or special SHX glyphs that aren’t mtext/text objects.
- Fix: Convert SHX text to MTEXT where possible (or re‑create as MTEXT/TEXT), or use OCR/manual review for text converted to geometry.
Text inside blocks, attributes or nested objects:
- Spell may skip text inside certain blocks, dynamic blocks, or nested Xrefs depending on selection and whether objects are exploded or accessible.
- Fix: Explode or edit the block or use the edit attributes dialog to access attribute text; to check Xrefs, either bind or open the referenced drawing and run SPELL there.
Missing or misconfigured dictionary files:
- If AutoCAD cannot find the dictionary for your language, no suggestions are offered or some languages produce no results.
- Fix: In Options > Files, add the correct dictionary folder to the support/search path or install the appropriate language pack/dictionary.
File permissions:
- If the custom dictionary file is read‑only or located in a protected folder, Add to Dictionary may fail.
- Fix: Ensure the custom dictionary file is writable and stored in a user‑accessible location.
Encoding and Unicode issues:
- Non‑Latin or Unicode text may not be recognized without the appropriate language support.
- Fix: Install AutoCAD language pack or use external text editor with Unicode support.
corrupt drawing elements:
- Corrupted text objects might prevent the command from completing.
- Fix: Run AUDIT, RECOVER, or PURGE and try again.
Practical tips for reliable spell checking
- Always save a backup before running batch changes.
- Run spell check as part of your final QA checklist before issuing drawings.
- Maintain a shared custom dictionary if you work in a team so project‑specific terms are consistent.
- Use Change All carefully — it can introduce unwanted bulk substitutions.
- For multi‑language projects, verify that language packs/dictionaries are installed and properly referenced.
- For repeated checks across many files, consider extracting all text to a central file for review, then update drawings.
FAQ
How do I check spelling inside an externally referenced (Xref) drawing?
Open the Xref as a separate drawing (or bind it into the host file) and run SPELL inside that drawing. Some text inside Xrefs may be skipped if the Xref is not accessible; binding or separately opening the file ensures all text is checked.
Can I make a custom dictionary available to all users on my team?
Yes. Place your custom dictionary file (.dic) on a shared network path and add that path in Options > Files under the support/search paths (Spelling Dictionaries). Ensure all users have read/write access if you want team members to add words.
Does SPELL check dimension text and attribute values?
SPELL checks text objects recognized as TEXT and MTEXT, which includes most dimension text and attribute values when they are stored as text. If dimension text or attributes are stored in a non‑text format or are locked/protected, you may need to edit those elements first.
Why are suggested corrections missing or irrelevant?
If dictionary files are missing, corrupted, or a language pack isn’t installed, AutoCAD may offer few or no suggestions. Verify dictionary paths in Options > Files, install the needed language dictionaries, and restart AutoCAD.
Can I run spell check automatically or on every save?
AutoCAD does not include an automatic spell check on save by default. You can create a custom script or LISP routine to run SPELL and trigger it via a custom command, but test carefully to avoid unintended automated changes.
How do I handle SHX text that I need to spell‑check?
SHX text (compiled font glyphs) may not be recognized as editable text. Convert SHX to MTEXT if possible, or retype the text as MTEXT/TEXT so the spell checker can process it. For large quantities, consider exporting text to edit externally.
Is there a keyboard shortcut for SPELL?
AutoCAD’s default way is to type SPELL at the command line or use the Ribbon/Toolbar button. You can create a keyboard alias in the acad.pgp file or assign a custom hotkey in the CUI editor if you want a single‑key shortcut.
Will spell check affect text formatting or styles?
Using Change or Change All replaces the word but preserves the text object’s formatting (Font size and style) in most cases. If you import or paste from external applications, verify formatting afterwards.