How to Use Microsoft Word in Spanish

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Load a virtual keyboard to more easily type in Spanish on an English keyboard.
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Setting up Microsoft Word 2013 to type and edit in Spanish is a three-stage process. First you must add a Spanish keyboard layout in the Windows 8 Control Panel so that it is available for use in Word. Once you've added the Spanish keyboard layout, you can set Spanish as the default keyboard language in Word. If you plan to use Spanish extensively in a document, you should also set it as the proofing language in order to gain access to the Spanish dictionary and other language-specific features.

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Add the Keyboard Layout

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Step 1

Press "Windows-X" and select "Control Panel." Click "Change input methods" under the Clock, Language, and Region heading.

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Step 2

Click the "Options" link located at the end of the Spanish keyboard row. If Spanish is not listed, click "Add a language," enable it and then return to the Change Your Language Preferences screen and click "Options" at the end of the Spanish row.

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Step 3

Click "Add an input method" under the Input Method heading, click the Spanish keyboard layout you want to use and then click "Add."

Set the Default Keyboard Language in Word

Step 1

Click the "File" tab in Word, select "Options" and then click "Language" to open the Set the Office Language Preferences dialog.

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Step 2

Click the "Add Editing Language" arrow located under the Choose Editing Language heading.

Step 3

Select "Spanish" on the list of available languages and then click "Add." Click "Not enabled" to finish enabling the language.

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Set Spanish as the Proofing Language

Step 1

Select the text for which you want to set the proofing language. If your entire document is in Spanish, press "Ctrl-A" to select the entire document.

Step 2

Click the "Review" tab and then click "Language" in the Language group.

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Step 3

Click "Set Proofing Language" and select "Spanish" from the list of available languages. Those languages enabled for use in Office programs are listed above the double line. If Spanish is not listed, you can enable it for use by setting it as the default language in Word, as outlined above.

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