Outlook 2007 changed spelling of Outlook Express

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM]

Office 2007 ships with a newer version of the Office spell checking
support than Outlook Express can handle. That's the explanation...
When you upgrade to 2007, Office 2007 dutifully upgrades the spell
checkers to the new version too (seems to affect the English ones only
though). See my RTM issues page for a workaround.

I installed Office 2007 on Vista last night. After installing it I checked
the Office pages for updates and wan offered an update for Windows Mail (the
Vista successor to OE). Spelling in Windows Mail is working fine. Maybe
they also offer an update for OE.

 

[D. Spencer Hines]

Maybe they also offer an update for OE.

That would be very useful to know for sure.

Microsoft should have told us up front that installing Outlook 2007 or
Office 2007 would disembowel the spell checker function in Outlook
Express -- if that is indeed true.

DSH

 

[Crendle]

Thanks Bruce this was very helpful.

However, it changes the language to US English. Do you know any similar
downloads that would change it to "proper" English?

Ta everso

 

[Bruce Hagen]

I am not aware of any free spell checkers for the U. K., but this one is
only $14.95. (I don't know what that equates to in "proper" monies).

ABC Spell Check for Outlook Express:
http://www.spellchecker.com/AS_retail_2003/ASOE_2003.htm

 

[Diane Poremsky]

See http://www.outlook-tips.net/archives/2006/20061228.htm - this method
should allow you to use the spellchecker of your choice. And it's free.

 

[Michael Santovec]

See the URL in my signature. There is a spell checker listed there that
may meet your needs.

 

[bathingsuitlady]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU ! I downloaded the free spell check you
suggested & it worked !

 

[Bruce Hagen]

YW. The one from Major Geeks is the only one I have ever used.

 

[JERRY]

Bruce
I think that it should be mentioned that immediately after I downloaded and
installed the free spell checker from the major geeks site mentioned in your
post, my computer gave me a warning that something was trying to access my
address book. Fortunately I was given the option to block this attempt. I
have a ghosted backup of my system that I immediatly wrote back over my hard
drive. Fortunately my system warned me of this attempt and I was able to
avert this attempt to pirate information from my computer

Jerry

 

[Bruce Hagen]

I have no idea what caused that. Major Geeks is a reliable site from my
experience, and as I said, I have used that spell check for years.

I use Avast for an AV, and for a firewall, just the Windows firewall & a
router.

You may get a message like you saw if you are using some AV or FW programs
that are consistently unreliable working with OE, such as Norton, or McAfee.

 

[Brian Tillman]

I think that it should be mentioned that immediately after I
downloaded and installed the free spell checker from the major geeks
site mentioned in your post, my computer gave me a warning that
something was trying to access my address book. Fortunately I was
given the option to block this attempt. I have a ghosted backup of my
system that I immediatly wrote back over my hard drive. Fortunately
my system warned me of this attempt and I was able to avert this
attempt to pirate information from my computer

I'd be surprised if it was an attempt to pirate anything. The spell checker
is simply triggering the Outlook Object Model Guard, which any add-in not
written with specific methods will trigger. See this:
http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=52

 

[why doesn't a change come ????????????]

I have just installed Office 2007 RTM and now Outlook Express can only spell
check in French.
Everything else is set to English (US).

How do I fix this, change the dictionary back to English for Outlook Express
?

 

[SuzyQ]

Thanks! Great link. I downloaded the spell checker from Major Geeks and it
added the US English dictionary. It works like a charm!

 

[unizen]

www/tinyspell.m6.net/ is great if you are and american. i'm not i like my
english dictonary to be in english not usa spelling. how do you get to
change outlook express spell check into australian english and mine by the
way looks like its in spanish can't believe the stupidity of the people
who put the system together. also my office windows always resets itself to
usa english doesn't matter how many times i try to default it to australian
english it always slips back. bloody pest to continually having to reset to
the correct english. trust the americans to do everything back to bloody
front get with america there is another world out here that doesn't
want to be just like you

 

[Bob Lucas]

In England, sentences start with a capital letter. Is Australian
grammar different?

On a more serious note, it might be worth checking all of the regional
settings on your computer. One or more of these settings might have
been set to English (United States).

I can't speak for Vista, but for Win XP, open Control Panel / Regional
and Language options to ensure you have the correct location. Repeat
the process under the "Languages tab" (click on the "Details... option".
Repeat the process under the "Advanced" tab.

Again, I can't speak for Office 2007. However, in Office 2000, you can
change the default language setting, once you have found its hiding
place.

Click on Start / All programs / Microsoft Office Tools / Microsoft
Office Language Settings. Select and install the correct English
version.

 

[Bruce Hagen]

Australian English Spell Check
(Also suitable for other English speaking countries.)
http://www.justlocal.com.au/clients/oespellcheck/

 

[JMP]

Bruce, thanks for the help. I was really concerned that I had done something
wrong during the installation. I do have one more question...any ideas why
there would be a "lag" during typing in Outlook Express? It seems to come and
go. It will keep up then lag behind for a few characters. I just bought a new
Dell Vostro with XP (I just wasn't ready to try Vista yet). It has the Intell
Duo Core processor and 2Gig of RAM. Any ideas?
Thanks,
Jack

 

[Bruce Hagen]

Create a new identity and see if the problem persists.

You may have a damaged identity especially if it is the default Main
Identity. File | Identity | Add New Identity. Create a new one and test it.
If all is well, you can import your messages and Address Book from the old
identity and delete it.

How to Create and Use Identities in Outlook Express
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=209169

 

[NDal]

I have been mystified with my French Dictionary in Outlook for several
months, but did not have the necessary time to research the problem. The
staff at my computer repair store had never heard about the difficulty. My
solution was to type emails in Word, check the spelling and copy/paste to
Outlook Message. I now have obtained several suggestions to solve the French
Spelling issue, plus the added pleasure of immensely enjoying all 41 (now 42)
responses. What a creative and witty group of folks – both those with the
Questions and those with the Answers. Thanks for the help and the
entertainment!

 

[goldens]

Thanks Bruce your responses are still very helpful