Find the answers to technical questions, from the basics all the way to the most advanced integrations!


Compatibility and Support

Can I run WebSpellChecker software on Azure App Service?

Our clients can deploy the WProofreader Docker image with WebSpellChecker on Azure App Service using the tutorial from Microsoft: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/app-service/tutorial-custom-container?pivots=container-linux.

Does WebSpellChecker provide support for CKEditor v5?

Yes, it does. WProofreader can be easily integrated with CKEditor 5. Refer to Configuring WProofreader Cloud for CKEditor 5 up to v11.2.0 guide for more information on how to enable proofreading in a dialog mode in CKEditor 5. Also, you can check the proofreader's work on our demo page right away.

User Dictionary

What is custom user dictionary?

A user custom dictionary is a functionality for the end users that allows them to create dictionaries with custom words such as complex words, acronyms, and proper names. All the words added to a personal dictionary will not be considered misspellings and will also be available in the suggestions list.

This functionality is available for both Cloud-based and Server versions of the WebSpellChecker products.

How do custom user dictionaries work?

After the users have added words to personal dictionaries, they are not considered misspelled ones for them. The words added to personal user dictionaries are kept in their browser local storage until saved on a server and also available for them as suggestions.

To add a word to WProofreader:

  1. Start WProofreader in your web app.
  2. In WProofreader, hover over a marked misspelled word to see the suggestions balloon.
  3. Select Add word command.

Alternatively, users can add words from the Settings dialog. To do so: 

  1. Navigate to the badge and click Settingsicon. 
  2. Click Go to the Dictionary tab of the Settings menu. 
  3. Navigate to the Enter new word field and type the desired word and press Enter or click Add word. The word appears in the list of available personal dictionary words.

To add a word to a personal user dictionary in SCAYT plugin for CKEditor 4:

  1. Click the ABC icon to display the drop-down list and select Dictionaries command. 
  2. Type the word in the Add word field and click Add word and then click OK. 

How do I create a custom user dictionary?

To access and use a custom user dictionary from different browsers and machines (or devices) while working with the system, a user has to create a dictionary using a corresponding product user interface.

To create a user dictionary in WProofreader: 

  1. Navigate to Go to Dictionary tab of the WProofreader Settings dialog.
  2. In the Enter a dictionary name section, type a name for a new dictionary and click Create or press Enter/Space.
    A message on successful dictionary creation appears.

To create a user dictionary in SCAYT plugin for CKEditor 4: 

  1. Click the ABC icon  to display the drop-down list and select Dictionaries command.
    SCAYT dialog plugin for CKEditor 4 opens on the Dictionaries tab.
  2. Click Dictionary Preferences button then type a new dictionary name in the Dictionary name area and click Create.
    A message on successful dictionary creation appears.
After the creation of a new dictionary, the words from the local storage respectively will be moved to a dictionary saved on the server. For the on-premise version, the dictionary is saved on the client’s server where the WebSpellChecker application is installed and running. In the case of the cloud-based version, such a dictionary is stored on the WebSpellChecker Servers (AWS, US), and each dictionary is associated with a particular customer ID.

Is there any limitation on the number of words in the custom user dictionary?

The size of a single custom user dictionary is limited to 50KB (around 10K words) for both Cloud and Server-based versions.

Are the words added to User Dictionary case-sensitive?

Yes, the words added to a personal user dictionary are case-sensitive as the system compares the exact string in the user dictionary with the word entered in the text field.

However, an added lowercase word will be considered correct also while writing starting with the capital letter. For example, you added the word 'xxxxxx'. Thus both its writings will be correct: 'Xxxxxx' and 'xxxxxx'. But NOT for 'XXXXXX'. Also, note that when you add a word starting with the capital letter 'Xxxxxx', it will NOT work for the cases: 'xxxxxx' and 'XXXXXX'.

Are the words added to User Dictionary language-specific?

The User Dictionary functionality doesn’t depend on the spell checking language selected. End users may add any words regardless the language.

Where are the words added to custom user dictionary stored?

By default, all words added using SCAYT and WProofreader custom user dictionary functionality are saved to the browser's local storage. Thus, all the words are stored on the end user’s side and available from a particular browser only.

To access and use a personal dictionary from different browsers and machines (or devices) while working with the system, a user has to create a dictionary from:

  • Dictionaries tab of SCAYT plugin for CKEditor 4;
  • Go to Dictionary tab of WProofreader. 

After the creation of a new dictionary, the words from the local storage and cookies respectively will be moved to a dictionary saved on a server. For the on-premise version, the dictionary is saved — on the client’s server where the WebSpellChecker application is installed and running. In the case of the cloud-based version, such a dictionary is stored on the WebSpellChecker servers, and each dictionary is associated with a particular customer ID.


For the Server version, the default path to the User Dictionary (UserDictionaries) folder is the following: <WebSpellChecker_Installation_Path>/AppServer/UserDictionaries

Where can I see a full list of words added to the dictionary?

You can see the list of words added to the dictionary in the user interface of the following products:

  • SCAYT plugin for CKEditor 4 from version 4.7.0
  • WProofreader.

Accessing the list of words in personal dictionary for WProofreader

To see the list of words added to personal dictionary: 

  1. Navigate to the Go to Dictionary tab of the Settings dialog. 
  2. Connect the desired dictionary or view the words of the currently used dictionary located under the Enter new word area.

Accessing the list of words in personal dictionary in SCAYT plugin for CKEditor 4 

To see the list of words added to personal dictionary:

  1. Click the ABC icon and select Dictionaries from the drop-down list. 
  2. Choose one of the available options: 
    1. If some words have already been added to the dictionary they appear in the lower part of the screen. 
    2. If you need to access a different already existing dictionary, click DictionaryPreferences, then click Disconnect to disconnect an already connected dictionary and type the desired dictionary name and click Connect. Click Go to dictionary and see the list of connected words in the lower part of the screen of the Dictionaries tab.

How can I delete/edit a word from the dictionary?

Both WProofreader and SCAYT plugin for CKEditor version 4.7.0+ has separate user interface features for advanced personal dictionary management. Using this interface you can add or delete words from the dictionary. 

You cannot edit the words added to a personal user dictionary. If you want to modify a word, you need to delete a word first and then add it again.

Deleting a word in dictionary in WProofreader

To delete a word from a personal dictionary: 

  1. Start WProofreader in your web app.
  2. Navigate to the Go to Dictionary tab of the Settings dialog. 
  3. Connect the desired dictionary or view the words of the currently used dictionary located under the Enter new word area. 
  4. Navigate to the list of words in the lower part of the screen and clickicon near the word you want to delete.

Deleting a word in SCAYT plugin for CKEditor 4

To delete a word from a personal dictionary: 

  1. Click the ABC  icon and select Dictionaries from the drop-down list. 
  2. In the Dictionaries tab that opens, navigate to the desired word in the lower part of the screen and click   icon near it. 

If you need to delete a word from a dictionary other than selected one, follow the procedure of connecting a dictionary described in Where can I see a full list of words added to the dictionary? section.

Is it possible to add a duplicated word to Personal User Dictionary?

No, it is not possible to do it through the product's user interface as personal user dictionary functionality has a special validation mechanism that checks if a new word is already added to the dictionary. Thus, duplicated words cannot be stored in one dictionary.

Can I have more than one User Dictionary?

Users can create as many personal user dictionaries as they need. However, only one dictionary can be connected and used at the same time.

If you have more than one dictionary, you may need to disconnect a particular dictionary and connect a different one. 

Connecting a personal user dictionary in WProofreader

To connect a personal user dictionary in WProofreader: 

  1. Start WProofreader in your web app.
  2. Locate the orange badge in the lower-right corner of the editable container and hover your mouse over it.
  3. In the menu which appears, click the Settings icon with gears. 
  4. In the WProofreader dialog which opens, navigate to the WProofreader Settings > Dictionaries options group.
  5. In the Enter dictionary name area, type the dictionary name and click the Connect button.

Connecting a personal user dictionary in SCAYT Plugin for CKEditor 4

To connect a personal dictionary in SCAYT plugin for CKEditor 4:

  1. Click the ABC icon to display the drop-down list and select Dictionaries command.
  2. Click the Dictionary Preferences button.
  3. Type the already existing dictionary name and click Connect. 


Can I see the list of all my User Dictionaries?

If you are a holder and an admin of the self-hosted package of WebSpellChecker Server, you can see user dictionaries in a dedicated folder located in<WebSpellChecker_Installation_Path>/AppServer/UserDictionaries. Words added to dictionaries are stored in plain text files.

How to remove a User Dictionary?

Before removing a user dictionary, it must be connected/restored. In order to correct/restore your dictionary, you need to specify a dictionary name that you desire to delete and click the Connect/Restore button. As soon as a user dictionary connected, you can click the Delete button or icon.

After deleting a personal user dictionary, you won't be able to undo the action or restore it as it is removed permanently.

Is it possible to protect User Dictionary with password or on any other way?

No, at the moment such a functionality is not available. The best way to protect your personal dictionary is to use a complex name for it.

Which names should I choose when naming User Dictionaries?

User dictionaries names should be unique and use only Latin characters or/and digits.

What symbols are not allowed for adding words to Custom User Dictionaries via product user interface?

Effective from WebSpellChecker version 5.28.4.0 onwards, the usage of the following symbols is prohibited when adding words to the Custom User Dictionary through the WProofreader UI (Dictionary tab):

  • spaces;
  • a full stop (dot) at the beginning or end of a word;

SCAYT/WSC Dialog plugin for CKEditor 4

What is the difference between SCAYT plugin for CKEditor 4 and WProofreader?

WProofreader is an alternative product for the SpellCheckAsYouType (SCAYT) plugin enabling extra functionality and a more convenient and freshly looking user interface with flexible customization options. Both SCAYT and WProofreader use the same engines and provide the same quality of spelling or grammar check. But when migrating from SCAYT to WProofreader you receive access to the additional features. 

How to disable the WSC plugin in CKEditor 4?

On January 10, 2022, we disabled the Free version of WebSpellChecker (WSC) in a dialog that was provided as a plugin, integrated by default into CKEditor 4 editor. This is the end-of-life of this product. Users that have added the WSC plugin to the CKEditor config.js file using the extraPlugins parameter or still using CKEditor lower than 4.16.0 may face an issue with the loading spinner.

How to remove the SCAYT plugin in CKEditor 4?

The WProofreader work in the CKEditor 4 requires turning off the SCAYT plugin. A free version of SpellCheckAsYouType (SCAYT) is provided as a plugin, integrated by default into the CKEditor WYSIWYG editor. To remove the SCAYT plugin from CKEditor 4, add the following line to your CKEditor config.js file: