Spell check not working

Support
1

Operating system

Linux

Joplin version

3.3.13

Desktop version info

Joplin 3.3.13 (prod, linux)

Device: linux, AMD Ryzen 7 5825U with Radeon Graphics
Client ID: 710ca5e65068424fad21dbd2a7dcebfc
Sync Version: 3
Profile Version: 47
Keychain Supported: No
Alternative instance ID: -

Revision: 144ed59

Backup: 1.4.3
Freehand Drawing: 3.0.1
Note Tabs: 1.4.0

Editor

Markdown Editor

What issue do you have?

Spell check isn't working. It's enabled (using English UK), but doesn't pick up on misspelt words.

Screenshots

Screenshot at 2025-07-22 20-00-43.png
Screenshot at 2025-07-22 20-00-43.png1322×368 25.3 KB

2

Is Joplin allowed to access the Internet? When you enable spell checker for a specific language for the first time, it needs to download a dictionary for it in order to work.

3

It should be able to access the internet. Is there a way to test that?

Alternatively, can you tell me where it stores the dictionary files? I could try setting a new language and see if new dictionary files appear.

4

They will be kept in a directory called Dictionaries inside the folder with Electron files. In Windows, the path is %APPDATA%\Joplin, but I'm not sure what the location in Linux is :confused:. Please keep in mind that this isn't the same path as the one where the database, resources, settings, etc. are stored.

5

Hi, @RobinP

On Linux the dictionaries are found in the following directory.

In the home folder go here:

.config/Joplin/Dictionaries

6

I found the relevant directory. It has the en-GB dictionary, and the permissions look right:

$ ls -lh ~/.config/Joplin/Dictionaries/
total 444K
-rw-rw-r-- 1 robin robin 442K Jul 23 09:47 en-GB-10-1.bdic

Changing the spell checker language downloads other dictionary files, but still nothing is marked as misspelt.

7

Just to verify, you've ticked "Enable spell checking in Markdown editor" in the General options category, have you?

8

I thought I had, but apparently I hadn't :roll_eyes:

That fixed it. Thank you.