macOS
Where Does macOS Store Learned Spelling Words?
macOS custom dictionary file LocalDictionary where learned spellings live, and how to edit it.
Last updated
macOS collects words you teach the spellchecker into a LocalDictionary text file under Library Spelling. Every Cocoa app shares it.
Plain text, one word per line. Backing it up preserves years of domain vocabulary across reinstalls.
Where macOS stores this, by platform
macOS
~/Library/Spelling/LocalDictionary
One learned word per line. Edit with apps closed so in-memory caches do not overwrite changes. Use Go to Folder in Finder.
Frequently asked questions
How do I edit learned spelling words?
Open ~/Library/Spelling/LocalDictionary in a text editor with apps closed. One word per line. Delete lines to unlearn words, or add words in bulk the same way.
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