# Spellchecking

> **TL;DR**
> Configure: `Settings | Editor | Natural Languages | Spelling`
>
>
>
> Inspection: `Settings | Editor | Inspections | Proofreading | Spelling`

CLion looks for spelling errors in identifier names, string literals, comments, [markdown files](markdown.html), and commit messages . For this purpose, CLion provides a dedicated Spelling inspection which is enabled by default.

Procedure: Fix a misspelled word

1. Place the caret at a word highlighted by the  Spelling  inspection.

2. Press `Alt+Enter` (Windows), `⌥ ⏎` (macOS), `⌥ ⏎` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌥ ⏎` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Alt+Enter` (XWin), `Alt+Enter` (GNOME), `Alt+Enter` (KDE), `Alt+Enter` (Emacs), `Alt+Enter` (Sublime Text), `⌥ ⏎` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌥ ⏎` (Xcode), `Alt+Enter` (Visual Studio), `⌥ ⏎` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Enter` (ReSharper), `⌥ ⏎` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Alt+Enter` (QtCreator), `⌥ ⏎` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Alt+Enter` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+1` (Eclipse), `⌘ 1` (Eclipse (macOS)) or click ![the yellow bulb icon](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/app-client.expui.codeInsight.intentionBulb.svg) to the left of the caret to show the [available actions](null).

3. Select one of the suggested ways to fix the spelling.

![Correcting a typo](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/cl_typo_suggestions.png)

In string literals and comments, only the spelling of this particular word at caret changes. For code identifiers, such as variables, functions, classes, and other symbols, the inspection also suggests changing all occurrences via the [Rename](rename-refactorings.html)    refactoring.

Procedure: Save a word to the dictionary

If a detected typo is actually a valid word, you can add it to a user-defined dictionary that extends built-in dictionaries.

1. Place the caret at a word highlighted by the  Spelling  inspection.

2. Press `Alt+Enter` (Windows), `⌥ ⏎` (macOS), `⌥ ⏎` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌥ ⏎` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Alt+Enter` (XWin), `Alt+Enter` (GNOME), `Alt+Enter` (KDE), `Alt+Enter` (Emacs), `Alt+Enter` (Sublime Text), `⌥ ⏎` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌥ ⏎` (Xcode), `Alt+Enter` (Visual Studio), `⌥ ⏎` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Enter` (ReSharper), `⌥ ⏎` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Alt+Enter` (QtCreator), `⌥ ⏎` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Alt+Enter` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+1` (Eclipse), `⌘ 1` (Eclipse (macOS)) or click ![the yellow bulb icon](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/app-client.expui.codeInsight.intentionBulb.svg) to the left of the caret to show the [available actions](null).

3. Select Save to dictionary  to add the word to the user's dictionary and do not report it in the future.

![Accept a misspelled word](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/cl_typo_accept.png)

If you have added the word by mistake, press `Ctrl+Z` (Windows), `⌘ Z` (macOS), `⌘ Z` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ Z` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Z` (XWin), `Ctrl+Z` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Z` (KDE), `Ctrl+Shift+Minus` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Z` (Sublime Text), `⌘ Z` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌘ Z` (Xcode), `Ctrl+Z` (Visual Studio), `⌘ Z` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Z` (ReSharper), `⌘ Z` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Ctrl+Z` (QtCreator), `⌘ Z` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Ctrl+Z` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+Z` (Eclipse), `⌘ Z` (Eclipse (macOS)) to remove it from the dictionary.

By default, CLion saves words to the global application-level dictionary. You can choose to save words to the project-level dictionary if the spelling is correct only for this particular project or should be shared with the team working on that project.  For more information, refer to [Select the default dictionary for saving words](#select-default-dictionary).

> **Tip:**
> Press `F2` (Windows), `F2` (macOS), `F2` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌃ Comma` (macOS System Shortcuts), `F2` (XWin), `F2` (GNOME), `F2` (KDE), `F2` (Emacs), `F2` (Sublime Text), `F2` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌘ Quote` (Xcode), `Alt+Page Down` (Visual Studio), `⌥ Page ↓` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `F12` (ReSharper), `⌥ Page ↓` (ReSharper (macOS)), `F6` (QtCreator), `F6` (QtCreator (macOS)), `F2` (NetBeans), `F2` (Eclipse), `⌘ .` (Eclipse (macOS)) and `Shift+F2` (Windows), `⇧ F2` (macOS), `⇧ F2` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌃ ⇧ Comma` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Shift+F2` (XWin), `Shift+F2` (GNOME), `Shift+F2` (KDE), `Shift+F2` (Emacs), `Shift+F2` (Sublime Text), `Shift+F2` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌘ ⇧ Quote` (Xcode), `Alt+Page Up` (Visual Studio), `⌥ Page ↑` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Shift+F12` (ReSharper), `⇧ F12` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Shift+F6` (QtCreator), `⇧ F6` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Shift+F2` (NetBeans), `Shift+F1` (Eclipse), `⌘ ⇧ .` (Eclipse (macOS)) to step through all problems in the current file, including typos.

Procedure: Find all spelling errors

You can [run](running-inspections.html#run-one-inspection) the Spelling inspection on your entire project or a set of files.

1. Press `Ctrl+Alt+Shift+I` (Windows), `⌘ ⌥ ⇧ I` (macOS), `⌘ ⌥ ⇧ I` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ ⌥ ⇧ I` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Alt+Shift+I` (XWin), `Ctrl+Alt+Shift+I` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Alt+Shift+I` (KDE), `Ctrl+Alt+Shift+I` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Alt+Shift+I` (Sublime Text), `⌘ ⌥ ⇧ I` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌘ ⌥ ⇧ I` (Xcode), `Ctrl+Alt+Shift+I` (Visual Studio), `⌘ ⌥ ⇧ I` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+Shift+I` (ReSharper), `⌘ ⌥ ⇧ I` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+Shift+I` (QtCreator), `⌘ ⌥ ⇧ I` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+Shift+I` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+Alt+Shift+I` (Eclipse), `⌘ ⌥ ⇧ I` (Eclipse (macOS)) or go to `Code  | Analyze Code | Run Inspection by Name…` in the main menu.

2. In the Enter inspection name popup, find and select the Spelling inspection.

3. In the Run 'Typo' dialog, select the scope in which you want to run the inspection, and other options, such as a file mask filter. Then click OK.

CLion will run the Spelling inspection on all files in the selected scope and show all found typos in a separate tab of the [Problems tool window](problems-tool-window.html).

Procedure: Configure the Typo inspection

By default, the Spelling inspection checks code identifiers, string literals, and comments in all [scopes](configuring-scopes-and-file-colors.html).

1. Press `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Windows), `⌘ Comma` (macOS), `⌘ Comma` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ Comma` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (XWin), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (KDE), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Sublime Text), `⌘ Comma` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌘ Comma` (Xcode), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Visual Studio), `⌘ Comma` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (ReSharper), `⌘ Comma` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (QtCreator), `⌘ Comma` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Eclipse), `⌘ Comma` (Eclipse (macOS)) to open settings and then select `Editor | Inspections`.

2. Expand the Proofreading node and click Spelling in the central pane.

3. In the right pane, configure the Spelling inspection:

![The Typo inspection settings](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/cl_typo_inspection.png)

Severity
: Specify the [severity level](configuring-inspection-severities.html) and the [scope](configuring-scopes-and-file-colors.html) in which to apply this level.
:
:
:
:
:
: For example, if you want typos to stand out more, select Error or Warning to highlight typos similar to syntax errors or warnings in your code.

Options
: Specify the type of content to check:
:
:
:
: * Process code: check code identifiers .
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: * Process literals: check text inside string literals.
:
: * Process comments: check text inside comments.

## Disable spellchecking

Procedure: Disable the Typo inspection

1. Press `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Windows), `⌘ Comma` (macOS), `⌘ Comma` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ Comma` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (XWin), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (KDE), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Sublime Text), `⌘ Comma` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌘ Comma` (Xcode), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Visual Studio), `⌘ Comma` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (ReSharper), `⌘ Comma` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (QtCreator), `⌘ Comma` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Eclipse), `⌘ Comma` (Eclipse (macOS)) to open settings and then select `Editor | Inspections`.

2. Expand the Proofreading node.

3. Clear the checkbox next to the Spelling inspection.

![Disabling the spellcheck inspection](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/cl_spellcheck_inspection_disable.png)

Procedure: Disable spellchecking in commit messages

1. Press `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Windows), `⌘ Comma` (macOS), `⌘ Comma` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ Comma` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (XWin), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (KDE), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Sublime Text), `⌘ Comma` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌘ Comma` (Xcode), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Visual Studio), `⌘ Comma` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (ReSharper), `⌘ Comma` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (QtCreator), `⌘ Comma` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Eclipse), `⌘ Comma` (Eclipse (macOS)) to open settings and then select `Version Control | Commit`.

2. In the Commit Message Inspections, clear the Spelling checkbox.

![Disabling spellcheck in commits](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/commit_spellcheck_disable.png)

Procedure: Disable spellchecking for new projects

1. In the main menu, go to `New Projects Setup | Settings for New Projects`.

2. Clear the checkboxes described [above](#disable-spellcheck). This will affect the projects created or opened for the first time after you save the settings.

## Dictionaries

CLion includes bundled dictionaries for all [configured languages](proofreading.html#add-natural-language). You cannot change them directly, but you can extend the spellchecker in other ways:

* Save words to a built-in global or project dictionary.

* Add plain-text files with the `.dic` extension that contain lists of words.

* Add [Hunspell](https://hunspell.github.io/) dictionaries, each of which consists of two files: the `DIC` file that contains a list of words with the applicable modification rules and the `AFF` file that lists prefixes and suffixes regulated by a specific modification rule. For example, `en_GB.dic` and `en_GB.aff`.

Procedure: Configure spellchecker dictionaries

1. Press `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Windows), `⌘ Comma` (macOS), `⌘ Comma` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ Comma` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (XWin), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (KDE), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Sublime Text), `⌘ Comma` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌘ Comma` (Xcode), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Visual Studio), `⌘ Comma` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (ReSharper), `⌘ Comma` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (QtCreator), `⌘ Comma` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Eclipse), `⌘ Comma` (Eclipse (macOS)) to open settings and then select `Editor | Natural Languages | Spelling`.

2. ![Spelling settings](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/cl_spelling_settings.png)

Configure the list of custom dictionaries:

* To add a new custom dictionary to the list, click ![the Add button](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.expui.general.add.svg) or press `Alt+Insert` (Windows), `⌘ N` (macOS), `⌃ N` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ N` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Alt+Insert` (XWin), `Alt+Insert` (GNOME), `Alt+Insert` (KDE), `Alt+Insert` (Emacs), `Ctrl+N` (Sublime Text), `⌘ N` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌘ N` (Xcode), `Ctrl+N` (Visual Studio), `⌘ N` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Insert` (ReSharper), `⌥ Insert` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Alt+Insert` (QtCreator), `Alt+Insert` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Alt+Insert` (NetBeans), `Alt+Insert` (Eclipse), `⌘ N` (Eclipse (macOS)) and specify the location of the required file.

* To edit the contents of a custom dictionary in CLion, select it and click ![the Edit button](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.expui.general.edit.svg) or press `Enter` (Windows), `⏎` (macOS), `⏎` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⏎` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Enter` (XWin), `Enter` (GNOME), `Enter` (KDE), `Enter` (Emacs), `Enter` (Sublime Text), `⏎` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⏎` (Xcode), `Enter` (Visual Studio), `⏎` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Enter` (ReSharper), `⏎` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Enter` (QtCreator), `⏎` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Enter` (NetBeans), `Enter` (Eclipse), `⏎` (Eclipse (macOS)). The corresponding file will open in a new editor tab.

* To remove a custom dictionary from the list, select it and click ![the Remove button](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.expui.general.remove.svg) or press `Alt+Delete` (Windows), `⌘ ⌦` (macOS), `⌘ ⌦` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ ⌦` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Alt+Delete` (XWin), `Alt+Delete` (GNOME), `Alt+Delete` (KDE), `Alt+Delete` (Emacs), `Alt+Delete` (Sublime Text), `⌘ ⌦` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌘ ⌦` (Xcode), `Ctrl+R, D` (Visual Studio), `⌘ R, D` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Delete` (ReSharper), `⌥ ⌦` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Alt+Delete` (QtCreator), `⌘ ⌦` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Alt+Delete` (NetBeans), `Alt+Delete` (Eclipse), `Alt+Delete` (Eclipse (macOS)).

Procedure: Select the default dictionary for saving words

By default, CLion saves words to the global application-level dictionary. You can choose to save words to the project-level dictionary if the spelling is correct only for this particular project or should be shared with the team working on that project.

1. Press `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Windows), `⌘ Comma` (macOS), `⌘ Comma` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ Comma` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (XWin), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (KDE), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Sublime Text), `⌘ Comma` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌘ Comma` (Xcode), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Visual Studio), `⌘ Comma` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (ReSharper), `⌘ Comma` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (QtCreator), `⌘ Comma` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Eclipse), `⌘ Comma` (Eclipse (macOS)) to open settings and then select `Editor | Natural Languages | Spelling`.

2. If you want to choose the dictionary manually every time you [save a highlighted word](#accept-word), clear the checkbox next to the Use single dictionary for saving words option.

3. If you want to save highlighted words on the project level, leave the checkbox selected and choose project-level next to that option.

In this case, the IDE keeps words in an XML file under `.idea/dictionaries` that you can share with your team through VCS. Your teammates will be able to access and modify the dictionary and share their changes.

Procedure: Add accepted words manually

1. Press `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Windows), `⌘ Comma` (macOS), `⌘ Comma` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ Comma` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (XWin), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (KDE), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Sublime Text), `⌘ Comma` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌘ Comma` (Xcode), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Visual Studio), `⌘ Comma` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (ReSharper), `⌘ Comma` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (QtCreator), `⌘ Comma` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Eclipse), `⌘ Comma` (Eclipse (macOS)) to open settings and then select `Editor | Natural Languages | Spelling`.

2. Add words to the Accepted words list. CLion always adds manually accepted words to the project-level dictionary.

You cannot add words that are already present in one of the dictionaries and mixed-case words, such as `CamelCase` and `snake_case`.

The  Accepted words  list also shows words that you [saved](#accept-word) to any of the built-in dictionaries using the `Alt+Enter` (Windows), `⌥ ⏎` (macOS), `⌥ ⏎` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌥ ⏎` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Alt+Enter` (XWin), `Alt+Enter` (GNOME), `Alt+Enter` (KDE), `Alt+Enter` (Emacs), `Alt+Enter` (Sublime Text), `⌥ ⏎` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌥ ⏎` (Xcode), `Alt+Enter` (Visual Studio), `⌥ ⏎` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Enter` (ReSharper), `⌥ ⏎` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Alt+Enter` (QtCreator), `⌥ ⏎` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Alt+Enter` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+1` (Eclipse), `⌘ 1` (Eclipse (macOS)) menu.

It does not show words added to the shared project-level dictionary by other users and words from other custom dictionaries, but these words will be still ignored by the spellchecker.

### Share dictionaries

CLion stores the built-in project-level dictionary in the `d.xml` file in the `.idea` subdirectory of your project directory with other project-related files.

When you share this file with your project team through VCS, other team members using CLion will be able to access the dictionary to share the list of ignored words.

## See also