Bug 167004 - Spell check language constantly resets to American English
Summary: Spell check language constantly resets to American English
Status: NEEDINFO
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Writer (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
25.2.4.3 release
Hardware: All Windows (All)
: medium normal
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2025-06-13 17:44 UTC by flickygd
Modified: 2026-01-22 08:56 UTC (History)
3 users (show)

See Also:
Crash report or crash signature:


Attachments

Note You need to log in before you can comment on or make changes to this bug.
Description flickygd 2025-06-13 17:44:31 UTC
Description:
As of the most recent Libre Office update, spellcheck reverts to US English every time I close the settings box where you can change it (though sometimes even just switching tabs is enough to do it).It does seem to temporarily remove the red line from under whatever word I was on when I change the setting, but I still have to manually change it for every single individual word. I have tried selecting all the text and changing the language via tools > spelling but this doesn't do anything. I've followed all the official Libre office information and tried every solution offered in forums, both Libre Office and beyond, and can confirm that every single language setting is set to English (UK), including the defaults, and I have left 'ignore system input language' unchecked because my laptop is only ever set either to ENG UK or CYM (Welsh). These all remain as I set them, it's just the spellcheck language that keeps reverting. I'm running Libre Office 25.2 on Windows 11.

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Have all language settings set to ENG (UK), including spellcheck. (Ensure the computer is also set to this language)
2. Type or paste some text that has several words with British spelling into the document.

Actual Results:
Any words with British spelling will be redlined. Selecting all text and then selecting Tools > Language will show that the spellcheck language has reverted to English (USA). Changing it back to English (UK) will have no effect. Right clicking on a word and selecting 'Spelling...' and changing it there may remove the underline from that word, but the others will remain underlined in red unless you repeat the right click > Spelling... The ones you fixed before may redline again, and checking that word will show that the language has reverted again.

Expected Results:
The programme will retain my settings and I will not have my spelling corrected.


Reproducible: Always


User Profile Reset: Yes

Additional Info:
Version: 25.2.3.2 (X86_64) / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: bbb074479178df812d175f709636b368952c2ce3
CPU threads: 20; OS: Windows 11 X86_64 (10.0 build 26100); UI render: Skia/Vulkan; VCL: win
Locale: en-GB (en_GB); UI: en-GB
Calc: CL threaded
Comment 1 Alan B. 2025-06-15 03:45:39 UTC
I tried reproducing this in both the latest stable release and latest daily master build and was unsuccessful.  Changing my Windows language to UK English and restarting my computer correctly red lined "color" and "aluminum" but not "colour" and "aluminium".  I also tried saving and reloading the file with no success, the language remained English (UK) for me.

Version: 25.2.4.3 (X86_64) / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: 33e196637044ead23f5c3226cde09b47731f7e27
CPU threads: 16; OS: Windows 10 X86_64 (10.0 build 19045); UI render: Skia/Vulkan; VCL: win
Locale: en-GB (en_GB); UI: en-GB
Calc: CL threaded

Version: 26.2.0.0.alpha0+ (X86_64) / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: cc99f7736e10c8290d34eeb96aa6a3b7fd63a212
CPU threads: 16; OS: Windows 10 X86_64 (build 19045); UI render: Skia/Raster; VCL: win
Locale: en-GB (en_GB); UI: en-GB
Calc: CL threaded
Comment 2 Jessica 2025-06-16 07:14:08 UTC
I also can't reproduce this bug in 
Version: 25.2.4.3 (X86_64) / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: 33e196637044ead23f5c3226cde09b47731f7e27
CPU threads: 16; OS: Windows 11 X86_64 (10.0 build 26100); UI render: Skia/Vulkan; VCL: win
Locale: en-GB (de_DE); UI: en-GB
Calc: threaded
Comment 3 flickygd 2025-06-17 09:54:39 UTC
Apologies for the late response, I was away for a few days.
I have gone back and tried with multiple documents, the issue is only occuring on assigment brief documents I've downloaded from my access course's website. All the documents are written in British English (and the course and all my tutors are obviously based in the UK), so I'm not sure why these documents appear to defy the spellcheck function. I don't think its anything to do with the fact they start as Microsoft Word files, because I save all of the documents I create for my course as such in order to be able to submit them, and that doesn't affect the spelling. So far I've not downloaded any new text documents since the update, so I won't know if this affects new downloads until I get to another assignment. Is there anything there that sounds like it could be causing the issue?

Morgan
Comment 4 Buovjaga 2025-06-17 12:04:57 UTC
(In reply to flickygd from comment #3)
> Apologies for the late response, I was away for a few days.
> I have gone back and tried with multiple documents, the issue is only
> occuring on assigment brief documents I've downloaded from my access
> course's website. All the documents are written in British English (and the
> course and all my tutors are obviously based in the UK), so I'm not sure why
> these documents appear to defy the spellcheck function. I don't think its
> anything to do with the fact they start as Microsoft Word files, because I
> save all of the documents I create for my course as such in order to be able
> to submit them, and that doesn't affect the spelling. So far I've not
> downloaded any new text documents since the update, so I won't know if this
> affects new downloads until I get to another assignment. Is there anything
> there that sounds like it could be causing the issue?

Hard to say as you have not yet attached an example document.
Comment 5 flickygd 2025-06-17 16:25:53 UTC
I know, it's a pain but I don't thnk I can share the documents where the issue is showing because of the nature of how they're released (they're not supposed to be viewable to students until they finish the learning materials and chose to release them, so that they only have a set amount of time to complete them. I don't want to risk my place on the course for sharing them!)

Is there a potential 'hidden' language setting per document that could be forcing the spellcheck to stick to US spelling, like some kind of metadata? Afaik I've changed all other language settings based on the tutorials I mentioned but I'm not incredibly tech savvy so there may be things I've missed.
Comment 6 Buovjaga 2026-01-22 08:56:04 UTC
(In reply to flickygd from comment #0)
> I have tried selecting all the text and changing the
> language via tools > spelling but this doesn't do anything

Getting back to this, I think this might be your problem. The "Text language" selection in Spelling dialog is only for the context of that dialog. You should change the language via Tools - Language - For Selection/Paragraph/All text. If you don't see the desired language in the short list in the submenu, click More and change the Western language selection in the option page that opens.

Let us know, if this helps.