How to create a new custom dictionary in Word

Word 2016
When you work with documents, that contain specific words (character sequences), or if you need to switch from one project or task to another, you can want to create a custom dictionary for some tasks, projects, or only for personal use.

Word offers the possibility to create a custom dictionary or even several custom dictionaries.

To create a custom dictionary, do the following:

   1.   On the File tab, click Options:

Word 365 options

   2.   In the Word Options dialog box, on the Proofing tab, under When correcting spelling in Microsoft Office programs, click the Custom Dictionaries... button:

Custom Dictionaries in Word 365

   3.   In the Custom Dictionaries dialog box, select any of the dictionaries and then click the New... button:

Custom Dictionaries dialog box in Word 365

Notes:

  1. If you select the RoamingCustom.dic, you will create an empty custom dictionary.

    If you select any other dictionary (not default), you will create a copy of the selected dictionary.

  2. You can specify the language, for which you will create a new custom dictionary (optionally).

   4.   In the Create Custom Dictionary dialog box, type the name of the new custom dictionary and click the Save button:

Create Custom Dictionarys dialog box in Word 365

The new custom dictionary is created and now you can add all necessary words (see how to add a word to the custom dictionary):

New Custom Dictionarys in Word 365

Notes:

  1. You can copy a custom dictionary to any other place such as another PC, laptop, or you can share it with anybody else.
  2. To delete a custom dictionary, just select it in the Custom Dictionaries dialog box and click the Remove button. This action doesn't delete the file in the system!

See also this tip in French: Comment créer un nouveau dictionnaire personnel dans Word.

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