How to create a 'New Dictionary'

Open 'Dictionaries' window

Click 'Settings > Dictionaries' to open the 'Dictionaries' window.

'New Dictionary'

Click 'New Dictionary' under the 'New' button to create a new dictionary.

NOTE:

While it is possible to create multiple dictionaries with the same 'Language' setting, they won't all be used at once. The first dictionary that is created for a language will be used automatically, but you can manually select another to be used, if needed.

Therefore, if you wish to install and use the InDesign dictionaries as default, you will need to do one of the following:

• install the default dictionaries before you have created any custom dictionaries (choose 'Add default dictionaries' from the menu above)
• ensure that your custom dictionaries have different languages to the default InDesign dictionaries
• delete the relevant custom dictionaries before you add the default InDesign dictionaries

Define language setting

When the 'New Dictionary' window opens, "English: USA" is selected by default.

1. Choose the language for your dictionary from the menu.
2. The selected language is automatically displayed as the dictionary name. This can be edited in the 'Name' field, if desired.
3. Further information can be added in the 'Description' field.
4. Click 'Apply' or 'Save'.

NOTE:

The 'Learned Words' tab is not available until the dictionary has been created by clicking 'Save' or 'Apply'.

NOTE:

While it is possible to create multiple dictionaries with the same 'Language' setting, they won't all be used at once. The first dictionary that is created for a language will be used automatically, but you can manually select another to be used, if needed.

Add new words to an existing dictionary

Words can be manually added to a dictionary via the 'Learned Words' tab of the 'Dictionary Details' window (double-click a dictionary to edit it).

1. Select the 'Learned Words' tab.
2. Click the 'Add Word' button.
3. Type the word you want to add to the dictionary in the empty space that appeared and press 'enter'.
4. Click 'Apply' or 'Save'.

NOTE:

Any word listed in the 'Words' window can be deleted by clicking the red 'X' next to it.

Adding popular user words to an existing dictionary

Any word/spelling that a user has selected to 'remember' (i.e. in their own personal dictionary) will appear in the 'Popular' column of the 'Learned Words' tab (double-click a dictionary to edit it).

Such words/spellings can be added to the permanent dictionary, meaning that they will be available for all users.

1. Select the 'Learned Words' tab.
2. Click the green '+' next to the word that you wish to permanently add to the dictionary.
3. Click 'Apply' or 'Save'.

NOTE:

It is also possible to drag-and-drop the words from the 'Popular' column to the 'Words' column.