How to Translate a Document in Word

Received a letter in Spanish? Need to send instructions to a colleague in Poland? Word's built-in Translator can translate a single phrase or an entire document into more than 100 languages.

1. Open the document.
2. Go to Review → Translate → Translate Document.
3. In the Translator pane, choose the language to translate to.
4. Click Translate.

Word creates a new document with the translation. Your original stays exactly as it was, and the formatting is kept as far as possible.

1. Select the sentence or paragraph.
2. Go to Review → Translate → Translate Selection (or right-click → Translate).
3. The Translator pane shows the translation.
4. Click Insert to replace your selected text with the translation, or copy it.

Hover over the Translator pane results to see alternative meanings for single words. It's a quick dictionary too.

Machine translation is excellent for understanding the gist, everyday emails and simple instructions. For contracts, medical information, legal documents or anything published, get a fluent human to check it.

If you're writing in another language, tell Word so spelling and grammar checks work properly:

1. Select the text (or Ctrl + A for everything).
2. Review → Language → Set Proofing Language.
3. Choose the language and click OK.

This is also how you fix Word flagging British spellings like colour as wrong — choose English (United Kingdom).

Translator sends the text to Microsoft's online translation service. Check your organisation's policy before translating confidential documents.

The same options are on the Review tab: Translate → Translate Document or Translate Selection.

Translate is greyed out. You need an internet connection. Also check File → Account → Account Privacy → Manage Settings and make sure connected experiences are turned on.

Review → Translate → Translate Document gives you a translated copy in seconds, and your original is untouched.