Installing Word List Dictionaries

We make our word list dictionaries available for Windows and Mac OS computers, so there is no need to buy multiple versions of the same information. This page will serve as a guide for how to get install word lists onto your computer. 

Installation is not difficult, and even if you are not an administrator and cannot install applications on your own you can still get your word list dictionary onto your computer and start using it today.

Adding the dictionary to Microsoft Office on Windows

For this installation you won't need permissions to install software or make changes to the Windows Operating System. Follow these steps to get your word list dictionary installed:

  1. Save Dictionary: Purchase and download the word list dictionary from Buff Blox onto the computer you want to install it. Remember the location where you stored the dictionary file. 
  2. Open Microsoft Word: Start Microsoft Word so you can access the custom dictionary settings.
  3. File Tab: Click on the "File" tab in the upper left corner of Microsoft Word.
  4. Options: Go to "Options" at the bottom of the left sidebar.
  5. Proofing: In the Word Options window, select "Proofing" from the left sidebar.
  6. Custom Dictionaries: Click on the "Custom Dictionaries" button.
  7. Add New Dictionary: Click the "Add" button and navigate to where you have stored it on your computer. After selecting it click "Save" to add it into Microsoft Word.
  8. Click OK: Once you see the dictionary in the list Dictionaries list you can click "Ok" to use it immediately within Microsoft Word.

Once you have performed these steps the word list dictionary is immediately ready to use within any program within Microsoft Office. 

Adding the dictionary to Windows system-wide (advanced)

For this advanced installation you will need elevated permissions within the Windows Operating System, and if you are not able to install applications or access the command prompt this may not be possible without additional support from your computer's Administrator.

If you want to use the word list dictionary within any application on your computer that uses the default Windows spell-checker these would be the steps you take. 

  1. Locate the Dictionary Folder:
    • Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\ on your computer.
    • Look for the folder named Dictionaries. If it doesn't exist, you'll need to create it.
  2. Create the Dictionary File:
    • If you haven't already, create a plain text file (.txt) with your list of chemical compound names, one per line. You can use Notepad for this.
    • Save the file with a .dic extension, for example, "MedicationNames.dic".
  3. Place the Dictionary File:
    • Copy the .dic file you created to the Dictionaries folder you located or created in step 1.
  4. Edit the Registry:
    • Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog.
    • Type regedit and press Enter to open the Windows Registry Editor. (Be cautious when editing the registry; incorrect changes can cause system instability.)
    • Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Spelling\Dictionaries.
    • Right-click on the Dictionaries key, select New, and then String Value.
    • Name the new string value with the name of your dictionary file, e.g., "ChemicalNames".
    • Double-click the new string value you just created. In the "Value data" field, enter the full path to your dictionary file, e.g., C:\Windows\System32\Dictionaries\ChemicalNames.dic.
    • Click OK.
  5. Restart:
    • For the changes to take effect, you might need to restart your computer.

After these steps, the system-wide spell checker on Windows should recognize the words in the custom dictionary and not flag them as misspelled in applications that use the Windows built-in spell checker.

Adding the dictionary to Microsoft Office on Mac OS

  1. Save Dictionary: Purchase and download the word list dictionary from Buff Blox onto the computer you want to install it. Remember the location where you stored the dictionary file.
  2. Open Microsoft Word: Start Microsoft Word so you can access the custom dictionary settings.
  3. Preferences: Go to the "Tools" menu at the top and select "Preferences".
  4. Spelling and Grammar: In the Preferences window, click on the "Spelling and Grammar" icon.
  5. Dictionaries: Click on the "Dictionaries" button.
  6. Add New Dictionary: Click the "Add" button and navigate to where you have stored it on your computer. After selecting it click "Save" to add it
  7. Click OK: Once you see the dictionary in the list Dictionaries list you can click "Ok" to use it immediately within Microsoft Word.

Once you have performed these steps the word list dictionary is immediately ready to use within any program within Microsoft Office. 

 Adding the dictionary to Mac OS system-wide (advanced)

On macOS, the system-wide spell checker is used by many applications, including Safari, Mail, Pages, Word, and TextEdit. Adding words to this word list dictionary will make them recognized across many applications.

Here's how you can add a custom dictionary to the system-wide spell checker on macOS:

1. Locate the Dictionary Folder:

  • Open Finder.
  • In the menu bar, click on "Go" and select "Go to Folder" (or press Shift + Command + G).
  • Enter ~/Library/Spelling/ and click "Go."

2. Create or Modify the Dictionary File:

  • Copy the word list file you downloaded from Buff Blox into the spelling folder. Make sure to save it in the ~/Library/Spelling/ directory.

3. Restart Applications:

  • For the changes to take effect in any application using the system-wide spell checker, you'll need to restart that application. For some apps, you might even need to restart your Mac.

After these steps, the system-wide spell checker on macOS should recognize the words in the custom dictionary and not flag them as misspelled in applications that use the macOS built-in spell checker.

Important Note: This method adds words to the user's personal dictionary. If you want to add words for all users on the system, the process is more complex and might involve creating or modifying system-level dictionary files.