Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Spelling Errors on Internet Addresses.
If you have a large number of Internet addresses in your document, and those addresses always slow you down when doing a spell check, you can instruct Word to ignore them. This means that any URLs or e-mail addresses will be ignored by the spell check utility. Follow these steps to make sure your Internet addresses are being ignored:

Figure 1. The Spelling & Grammar tab of the Options dialog box.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (47) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Spelling Errors on Internet Addresses.
Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!
The Find and Replace feature of Word is very powerful, allowing you to finely target exactly what you want to search. ...
Discover MoreWhen do you use digits in your prose and when do you spell out the numbers? Why not let Word help you make the decision? ...
Discover MoreText boxes are a common design element in a document. You may wonder if the text you place in a text box can be spell ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments