Windows Live Mail includes the English (UK) spell check dictionary built-in, but the option is not exposed for some unknown reason. To enable the English (United Kingdom) spell check dictionary, using one of the methods below. Method 1 tells you how to manually add the UK English Spell check option in Windows Live Mail, and Method 2 uses a VBScript that I wrote to automate the task.
Credits to Bob Lucas for this excellent tip.
Method 1
Copying the files
Copy the files spell.ini, mssp3en.lex, MSSpell3.DLL from the following folder:
to the following folder:
(Windows XP)
(Windows Vista)
Note that the destination path does not exist by default and you need to manually create the folders up to the level above. To access the above location, simply type the path in the Address bar in Windows Explorer or in Start Run dialog.
Edit the Spell.ini file
After copying the files, you need to edit the spell.ini file (using Notepad) in the destination path, and set the Lang value to 2057, which is the Locale ID decimal for English, United Kingdom. Save the file. The spell.ini file should now show the following contents:
[Spellchecker]
Engine=MSSPELL3.DLL
Lex=MSSP3EN.LEX
Lang=2057
Method 2
Download ukspell_wlm.vbs and save to Desktop. Double-click the file to run it. The script carries out the steps listed in Method 1 quickly and you’ll see a message box when it’s complete.
Setting English (United Kingdom) as the default
English (United Kingdom) should now be added to the list of available languages in Windows Live Mail.
1. Start Windows Live Mail
2. Use ALT+T keyboard shortcut to access the Tools menu
3. Click Options
4. Select the Spelling tab
5. Select English (United Kingdom), click Set Default and click OK.
The UK Spell check dictionary really works!
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Thank you – worked really well
If only all solutions worked that easily and that well!
Much appreciated!
Thank goodness, US english was driving me up the wall!
Just stumbled accross Bob’s useful tip while trying to find out if Windows Live has a bounce/redirect copy message option that preserves the original headers? I often recieve messages that should have been cc’d to colleagues as well and don’t want to just forward message so it looks like its from me. Can anyone help? Will probably post this as a separate thread query.
Perfect. Thanks.
It’s ok, I sorted it – I reloaded the page in Intenet Explorer rather than firefox as I tried to originally, and managed to download. It works perfectly. Thank you
Great, really easy. Thanks so much to this blog and especially Bob Lucas! (color did come up as error for me with colour ok)
Good to have a script – thanks! You might mention that the same dictionary does Canadian (4105), too, but for Australian (3081) you have to get hold of mssp3ena.lex from Office 2000, XP or 2003 proofing tools.
Is there a way of achieving this result in Windows Mail?
Interesting, kenqld. It works fine here, as you can see in the screenshot above!
I find it adds rather than replaces US English… meaning it accepts the use of both color and colour, which is disappointing.