Check Portuguese spelling using post-reform spelling rules

You can now check the spelling of Portuguese using the pre-reform spelling rules, post-reform spelling rules, or both. To do this, you must first configure your Microsoft Office programs to use the Portuguese language, and then configure them to use the Portuguese spelling rules that you want.

With the language pack for Portuguese (Portugal) installed, you can choose from the following spelling rules:

Pre-reform only (traditional spellings)   

This is the default setting. Only words that were considered correctly spelled before the spelling reform will be verified and suggested.

Post-reform only (new spellings)   

This is the default setting. Only words that were considered correctly spelled after the spelling reform will be verified and suggested; pre-reform variants will be flagged.

Both pre- and post-reform (both new and traditional spellings)   

Both pre-reform and post-reform spelling variants are verified and suggested.

In this article

Before you begin

Step 1: Configure Office programs to use the Portuguese (Portugal) language

Step 2: Use Portuguese post-reform spelling rules

Before you begin

To check the spelling of Portuguese text you must be using a Portuguese-language version of Office, or install the Office language pack for Portuguese (Portugal) and configure your Office programs to use the Portuguese language. For more information about language packs, see:

• Buy, install, configure, or uninstall a language pack for Office 2013

• Language Accessory Pack for Office 2016

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Step 1: Configure Office programs to use the Portuguese (Portugal) language

The following procedure assumes that you have already installed the appropriate language pack. If you have not done so, see Download, install, configure or uninstall an Office language interface pack.

To configure Office to edit the Portuguese (Portugal) language

1. Open a file in an Office program, such as Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.

2. Click File > Options > Language.

3. If Portuguese (Portugal) is not in the Editing Language list under Choose Editing Languages, click Add additional editing languages, select Portuguese (Portugal) in the list, and then click Add.

4. Under Choose Editing Languages, in the Editing Language list, select Portuguese (Portugal).

5. Click Set as Default.

6. If you want to change the language that Office programs display by default in the program's controls or the language of Help, select languages under Choose Display and Help Languages.

7. If you selected a new language for either Display Language or Help Language, click Set as Default below each selection.

8. Restart all Office programs for your changes to take effect.

Note: If your computer is not properly configured for editing Portuguese (Portugal), Not enabled or Not installed may appear in the Keyboard Layout or Proofing columns. To learn more about these alerts, see Add a language or set language preferences in Office.

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Step 2: Use Portuguese post-reform spelling rules

The European Portuguese modes are available only if you are using a Portuguese-language version of Office, or after you have installed and configured a language pack for Portuguese.

To configure spelling rules for European Portuguese in Office programs

1. Click the File tab.

2. Click Options, and then click Proofing.

   Outlook does not give you access to the settings in Proofing. Use another Office program instead, like Word, when changing spelling rules for Office programs.

3. Under When correcting spelling in Microsoft Office programs, for European Portuguese modes, select Post-reform, Pre-reform, or Both.

4. Click OK

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