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Why is Grammarly not showing in Microsoft Word?

Grammarly is one tool that you can always rely on to make sure your written content is crisp and correct. The human eye can undoubtedly miss things, which is why this automated tool (improved with AI) literally sits on the right-hand side of Microsoft Word windows. Many writers and Windows users have become so reliant on Grammarly to the point that they don’t feel their work is ever complete without running the tool. So, imagine what happens when it stops showing in Word.

If you’re one of those users who are experiencing this issue, you’ve brought yourself to the right place. We’ll show you the right steps to take to fix the problem and make your articles error free again.

Why Did Grammarly Stop Working in Microsoft Office Word?

Grammarly for Windows isn’t a stand-alone program. After installation, it’s embedded into Microsoft Word as an add-in. When turned on, it appears on the right-hand side, displaying errors and corrections that can be applied to the text.

When something goes wrong, Grammarly disappears from Word and its tab is nowhere to be found. That’s the issue we’re dealing with. So, what if Grammarly for Microsoft Office has disappeared? In this case, you can’t correct your work! You have to take the necessary steps to get the tool back in Word.

There are different issues that could explain the program’s disappearance. For starters, the problem could be as basic as you turning off the add-in. Sometimes, when you open Word, the add-in doesn’t launch on its own.

Other possible reasons for the problem include:

  • Disabled Grammarly add-in
  • Software conflicts
  • Broken Grammarly installation
  • Antivirus interference
  • Windows is blocking Grammarly’s installation

How to Fix the Grammarly Missing Issue from Office Word

Sure, there’s a solution to the problem. What isn’t available is one solution for everyone. You have to tackle the root cause of the issue on your system before you can see Grammarly again in Word. So, apply the fixes we’ve put together below in chronological order.

The fixes include:

  1. Enabling Grammarly
  2. Restarting your PC
  3. Checking your antivirus program
  4. Reinstalling Grammarly
  5. Enable User Account Control
  6. Reinstalling Microsoft Word
  7. Update Windows

Solution 1: Enable Grammarly

Grammarly might not be showing in its usual spot because it’s not activated. Normally, the add-in should load automatically whenever you launch Word. However, in some situations, it won’t. So, head to the top of the window and click on Grammarly. Under the Grammarly tab, click on Open Grammarly.

If you can’t find the Grammarly tab in the menu bar, then it’s possible that the add-in has been removed. You have to add it back to Microsoft Word. If you don’t know how, follow these steps:

  1. Open Microsoft Word.
  2. After Word opens, click on File in the top-left corner of the window.
  3. Go to the bottom of the left pane and select More, then click on Options. In some Word versions, you just have to click on Options.
  4. Go to the left pane of the Word Options dialog window and click on Add-ins.
  5. Now, navigate to the Add-ins tab (on the right).
  6. Go to the bottom of the tab, select COM Add-ins from the Manage drop-down menu, and then click on the Go button.
  7. When you see the COM Add-ins dialog box, make sure the box beside Grammarly is selected.
  8. Click on OK, and then restart Word.
  9. Grammarly should now be visible.

Solution 2: Restart Your PC

If you haven’t already, turn off your system and turn it back on or simply use the Restart function in the Start menu. As a Windows user, you know how effective a simple reboot can be. Apart from that, it’s possible that Grammarly didn’t initialize properly. So, restarting your system could do the trick.

If restarting the PC didn’t work, follow the next solution.

Solution 3: Check Your Antivirus Program

Your antivirus program might be blocking Grammarly’s files because it considers the program to be a threat. You can easily resolve the problem here by preventing the security application from scanning Grammarly’s folder in the future. Once Grammarly is free from your antivirus program, it should show up in Word again.

There are different ways to prevent Grammarly from regular scans, and the method you’ll need depends on the antivirus you’re using. If you use a third-party antivirus, you can check the website of its developers to find out how to go about this. If you don’t use any antivirus program apart from Windows Security, however, follow the steps below:

  1. In the taskbar, right-click the Windows logo to open the Power User menu.
  2. After the Power User menu appears on the left side of your screen, select Settings.
  3. You can also tap Windows + I to open the application.
  4. When the home screen of the Settings app shows up, click on the Update & Security icon.
  5. Go to the left pane of the Update & Security page and click on Windows Security.
  6. Next, switch to the right pane (the Windows Security tab) and click on Virus & Threat Protection in the Protection Areas section.
  7. On the Virus & Threat Protection screen, scroll down to the Virus & Threat Protection Settings section, and then click on Manage Settings.
  8. After the Virus & Threat Protection Settings interface opens, scroll down to the Exclusions section.
  9. Click on the “Add or remove exclusions” link.
  10. Once you get to the Exclusions interface, click on Add an Exclusion.
  11. In the menu that drops down, click on Folder.
  12. Now, navigate to Grammarly’s installation folder in the Select Folder dialog box and single-click it to select it.
  13. Click on the Select Folder button.
  14. Launch Word and check if Grammarly shows up.

If that doesn’t resolve the problem, try turning off your antivirus program temporarily. The process is easy. For Windows Security:

  1. Go to the Virus & Threat Protection tool.
  2. Scroll to Virus & Threat Protection Settings and click on Manage Settings.
  3. Toggle the switch under Real-Time Protection to Off.
  4. Launch Grammarly and check for the problem.

If Grammarly works with your antivirus program turned off, consider going for another security application. It doesn’t make sense to keep your system vulnerable because you want to have error-free texts. You can have that and still keep your system protected. We recommend that you go for Auslogics Anti-Malware. The tool is an excellent malware remover that works well alongside Windows Security and any other antivirus program.

Solution 4: Reinstall Grammarly

You might be dealing with broken installation files. If Grammarly isn’t displayed on the COM Add-ins dialog box, then it’s an indication that it wasn’t installed properly. Perhaps, something has tampered with its files. Something like your antivirus program. So, remove the program and install it properly, and then check if that takes care of the problem.

Your first move will be to remove Grammarly. You can follow the steps detailed above if you use Windows Security. If you use a third-party application and don’t know what to do, visit the website of the app’s developer to find a guide that will show you the process. That said, this is the common way remove Grammarly:

Launch the Run dialog box by right-clicking the Start button and selecting Run in the Power User menu or by pressing Windows + R.

  1. Once Run opens, type “control panel” (don’t add the quotes) into the text field and press the Enter keyboard button.
  2. In the Control Panel interface, locate Programs.
  3. Click on Uninstall a Program. The Programs and Features interface will now appear.
  4. Locate Grammarly for Microsoft Office Suite in the Programs and Features interface, under the “Uninstall or change a program” list.
  5. Once you see the program, double-click it or right-click it and select Uninstall.
  6. Click on Yes in the first confirmation dialog that you see.
  7. If Microsoft Word is running, another dialog will pop up, asking you to close the open program. Do that.
  8. The program will now be uninstalled.
  9. Check the box beside “Remove user settings and login information,” then click on the Finish button.
  10. Right-click on the Start button and click on Run in the Power User menu or press Windows + R.
  11. After Run opens, type “%localappdata%” (don’t add the quotes) into the text box and click on OK.
  12. Once the Local folder appears, search for the Grammarly folder and delete it.
  13. Restart your system.

After removing the program, take the necessary steps to reinstall it. Follow these steps:

  1. Go to Grammarly’s website and download the setup for Windows.
  2. Once you’ve downloaded it, go to your Download folder.
  3. Locate the GrammarlyAddInSetup.exe file and right-click it.
  4. Click on Run as Administrator in the context menu and select Yes in the User Account Control dialog box.
  5. Once the “Welcome to Grammarly” interface opens, press and hold the Shift and Ctrl keys, then click on Get Started.
  6. The Advanced Settings window will now open.
  7. Select “Install for all users,” and then click on Next.
  8. Allow the installation to complete, then restart your system and check if the issue has been resolved.

Solution 5: Enable User Account Control

User Account Control is an implementation that helps regulate how changes are made to your computer. It always pops up to notify you when an application is trying to perform an advanced operation on your system that might potentially cause harm. You can then deny or approve. As it turns out, UAC might be connected to the issue you’re facing with Grammarly.

For many users, enabling the security feature fixed the problem. So, try enabling it and check if Grammarly shows up in Word again. The following steps will show you what to do:

  1. Launch the Run dialog box by right-clicking the Start button and selecting Run in the Power User menu or by pressing Windows + R.
  2. Once Run opens, type “control panel” (don’t add the quotes) into the text field and press the Enter keyboard button.
  3. After Control Panel opens, click on System and Security.
  4. On the System and Security interface, select Change User Account Control Settings under Security and Maintenance.
  5. After the User Account Control Settings dialog opens, use the selection steps from Always Notify to Never Notify to select any security level of your choice and click on the OK button.
  6. It is not recommended to choose “Never notify.”
  7. Open Word and check if the issue persists.

Solution 6: Update or Reinstall Microsoft Office

Your Office installation might be out of date and may no longer support Grammarly. So, try updating MS Office and check if that resolves the problem. The following steps will help:

  1. Connect to the Internet.
  2. Launch Microsoft Word and open a document. Even a blank document will do.
  3. Go to the top-left corner of the window and click on File.
  4. On the next screen, click on Account at the bottom of the left pane.
  5. Under Product information, click the Update Options button and select Update Now in the menu that drops down.
  6. The application will now search for updates and install them.
  7. If your installation is up to date, you will be notified.

If updating doesn’t do the trick, then you might have to reinstall Microsoft Office, as bad installation files could be at play. Follow these steps to remove the program:

  1. Launch the Run dialog box by right-clicking the Start button and selecting Run in the Power User menu or by pressing Windows + R.
  2. Once Run opens, type “control panel” (don’t add the quotes) into the text field and press the Enter keyboard button.
  3. In the Control Panel interface, locate Programs.
  4. Click on Uninstall a Program. The Programs and Features interface will now appear.
  5. Locate Microsoft Office in the Programs and Features interface, under the “Uninstall or change a program” list.
  6. Once you see the program, double-click it or right-click it and select Uninstall.
  7. Click on Yes in the first confirmation dialog that you see.
  8. Follow the subsequent prompts.
  9. You can download Office from Microsoft’s website or use your normal installation package to reinstall the product.
  10. After that, run it and check if the problem is resolved.

Solution 7: Update Windows

Downloading and installing important Windows updates could do the trick. Your system should have been updated by now if Windows Update is doing its job as it should. However, there are times when you have to initiate the update process by yourself.

Follow these steps to check if your system is up to date:

  1. Open the search bar next to Start. To do that, click on the magnifying glass in the taskbar or press Windows + S.
  2. Once the search bar opens, type “Updates” (don’t add the quotes) and click on “Check for updates in the results.”
  3. Once the Windows Update screen appears, the utility will automatically check for pending updates for your system.
  4. If updates are available, it will list them out.
  5. You can click on the Download button to begin the process if the tool doesn’t start downloading the updates automatically.
  6. Once the download process is complete, the installation should begin. However, in most cases, you’ll be required to click on the Restart Now button to allow the tool reboot your PC and install the updates.
  7. Your PC might restart several times before the process is complete.
  8. After installation, your computer should boot up normally.
  9. You can now run Word and try checking if Grammarly will open normally.

Conclusion

If you resolved the issue, and we’re sure you did, let us know how did it in the comments section below!