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Introduction |  How to use it  | How it works | Switching Dictionaries | ProSpell | Support

FreeSpell is a spell checker for any and all Windows applications. You can use it in Eudora, in Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Visual C++, and even in Windows Explorer when renaming files (though it can be a little tricky to do that). Anything that supports the clipboard supports FreeSpell, and all it takes is a hotkey to invoke it. Just as important, FreeSpell is based upon the Aspell engine, which means it offers the best spell checker around for people with weak spelling skills (as well for people who just need a quick proofreader). Aspell is full featured as well, with a large default dictionary, and custom dictionary support.

Please note the name. FreeSpell is entirely free. You and I deserve an easily accessible spellchecker for use with all applications, and that is why FreeSpell was written. This product will always be free - and that means no nags, commercials, or guilt trips.  Spell checking should be built into the OS, and until it is, FreeSpell will provide it for you for free.  The interface may not be the most pretty in the world, but the functionality is top notch.

ProSpell is a version of FreeSpell which offers a more modern interface developed by HCI Design. By downloading FreeSpell you also got a copy of ProSpell. You can try out both programs without obligation. Note, however, that ProSpell is not free. In order to allow full functionality you must register it. 

FreeSpell is the simplest of programs to use. Once FreeSpell is installed, you need to run FreeSpell in the background to enable spell checking - do this by double clicking on it, like any other application. The memory footprint is quite small - about 50k, since the spell checking module is loaded on demand.  I just put a shortcut to FreeSpell.exe in my startup folder.

Then, whenever you want to spell check some text, select it, and push Winkey-Z.  (Note, this is the default, which you can easily change). That means you push and hold the WinKey (usually between the control and alt key on your keyboard), depress the Z key, and then release both keys.

A console window will open up with the text you selected. It will offer suggestions on any misspellings FreeSpell finds. The console window closes as soon as all spelling issues are addressed, so if your text is perfectly spelled, the console window will open and then immediately close.  Note that the console is a text mode program only, and does not support the mouse; select the replacement word you wish to use by entering the number or letter next to it.

The corrected text will be automatically pasted back into your current application. If, by some chance this final part does not complete correctly (say the original text was deselected, such as when you invoke FreeSpell on the name of a file in Explorer), the corrected text remains in the clipboard so that you may manually insert it.

NOTE: if you wish to use FreeSpell with Mozilla, you need to specify a hotkey which does not include the "Alt" key. Mozilla does not correctly handle the Alt key at this time, however, any hotkey based on Control, Shift, Winkey, or some combination therein works fine.

FreeSpell harnesses the powerful Aspell engine to check the text you select by sending it to the Aspell console application.  From there the text is automatically pasted back into your application.  Aspell, by the way, is an excellent open source spellchecker from the UNIX world, which is now available as a text mode application on many different OSes, from Linux to Windows and even BeOS.  Find out more about this package on the official Aspell web site.

New dictionaries can be downloaded from http://aspell.net/win32/ . When installing, tell the program to place the files in the FreeSpell directory instead of the Aspell directory. For instance, if you used the default FreeSpell install location, you should tell the dictionary install program to place its files in C:\Program Files\FreeSpell. Then you will need to tell FreeSpell to use the new dictionary. This can be done in the advanced configuration options.

FreeSpell will always be free, and will be maintained as newer versions of the Aspell core are released.  Clearly, however, the FreeSpell interface is a little rough, if completely functional. HCI Design has developed ProSpell to address this issue. ProSpell has a full GUI interface, while retaining the full power of the Aspell engine.  

A demo version of ProSpell ships with FreeSpell. The full version of ProSpell is $10, and can be ordered online here.  

Questions about this product? Visit its online home, at http://hcidesign.com/freespell, or send your question to technical support ( freeSpell_webhcidesign.com )