How to Add Custom Words to macOS Spell Check

Adding custom words to the system spell check dictionary in macOS 13 (Ventura) ensures that unique terminology, technical jargon, brand names, and personal names are not flagged as typos across your apps. This guide explains how to quickly add words using the contextual menu in any native app, as well as how to manually manage and bulk-add words by editing the macOS local dictionary file directly.

Method 1: Use the "Learn Spelling" Shortcut (Quickest)

You can add any word directly to your system dictionary while typing in any native macOS app, such as Mail, Notes, Safari, Pages, or TextEdit.

  1. Type the custom word in any text field within a supported app.
  2. If the word is flagged with a red dotted underline, right-click (or Control-click) on the word.
  3. Select Learn Spelling from the context menu.

The red underline will immediately disappear, and macOS will recognize the word across all system applications moving forward.

Method 2: Manually Edit the Local Dictionary File (Best for Bulk Additions)

If you have a list of multiple words or want to edit your existing entries, you can update the underlying text file that macOS uses to store custom spellings.

  1. Open Finder.
  2. Click Go in the menu bar at the top of the screen and select Go to Folder… (or press Command + Shift + G).
  3. Enter ~/Library/Spelling into the search field and press Return.
  4. Locate the file named LocalDictionary.
  5. Right-click LocalDictionary, select Open With, and choose TextEdit.
  6. Type or paste your custom words into the document, placing each individual word on its own line.
  7. Save the changes by pressing Command + S, then close TextEdit.

How to Remove Custom Words

If you accidentally add a misspelled word to your dictionary, you can remove it using either of the following approaches:

  • Context Menu: Highlight the word in a native app, right-click it, and select Unlearn Spelling.
  • Dictionary File: Open ~/Library/Spelling/LocalDictionary in TextEdit, delete the line containing the unwanted word, and save the file.