Turn Grammarly back on by enabling its extension or desktop app, signing in, and turning it on for the site or document where you’re writing.
Grammarly can go quiet for normal reasons: a browser update flipped an extension toggle, a site got blocked in permissions, a desktop app was quit, or you’re logged out. Most fixes take a few clicks once you know where the on/off switch lives for your setup.
This walkthrough starts with quick checks, then moves through browsers, Microsoft apps, and system settings. You’ll finish with a short checklist you can reuse.
Quick Checks Before You Change Settings
Start here. These steps clear the common cases without digging through menus.
- Refresh the page or reopen the app. A stalled tab can stop extension tools from loading.
- Check you’re signed in. In many apps, Grammarly won’t show suggestions until you log back in.
- Look for a gray Grammarly icon. In browsers, gray often means the extension is installed but switched off for the current site.
- Turn off other writing tools for a minute. Spellcheck add-ons can clash and hide Grammarly’s widget.
- Restart the device if nothing changes. It clears stuck background services that keep Grammarly from launching.
If Grammarly pops up but stays empty, close the tab, reopen it, and type a fresh line.
| Where You’re Writing | What Usually Turned Grammarly Off | Fastest Way To Turn It Back On |
|---|---|---|
| Chrome | Extension toggle off or “On specific sites” blocked | Open Extensions → Grammarly → toggle on, then allow the site |
| Edge | Extension disabled after an update | Open Extensions → Manage extensions → enable Grammarly |
| Firefox | Add-on disabled or permission denied | Open Add-ons → Extensions → enable Grammarly |
| Safari | Extension off in Safari settings | Safari Settings → Extensions → check Grammarly |
| Google Docs | Browser extension off by default after installing desktop app | Open the Grammarly icon in Docs, then switch on checking |
| Microsoft Word (Windows) | Desktop app quit or not installed | Launch Grammarly for Windows, then open Word again |
| Microsoft Word (Mac) | Old Word add-in removed; desktop app not running | Install Grammarly for Mac, sign in, then reopen Word |
| Desktop apps (Slack, Teams, etc.) | Grammarly desktop app not running in background | Start the desktop app and check it’s allowed in accessibility settings |
| Mobile keyboard | Keyboard not selected or permission removed | Enable Grammarly keyboard and select it as the active keyboard |
How to Turn Grammarly Back on For Browsers
If you type online, the browser extension is the switch you want. Grammarly offers extensions for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari, and they can be turned off in a few different places.
Turn The Extension On In Chrome
In Chrome, click the puzzle-piece icon near the top-right toolbar. Find Grammarly in the list and pin it if you want one-click access. If Grammarly isn’t listed, it isn’t installed.
Next, open Chrome’s extensions page (Extensions → Manage extensions) and make sure the Grammarly toggle is on. If you need to reinstall, use the Grammarly extension listing in the Chrome Web Store.
If Grammarly is on but doesn’t work on one site, open the Grammarly icon on that site and switch on the “check text” option for the page. Then reload the tab.
Give it ten seconds.
Turn The Extension On In Microsoft Edge
Edge works like Chrome in most builds. Open the Extensions menu, select “Manage extensions,” and switch Grammarly on. If it keeps turning off, check whether your device is managed by work or school. In managed setups, an admin can block add-ons.
Turn The Extension On In Firefox
Open the Add-ons and themes page, go to Extensions, and switch Grammarly on. If Grammarly shows as installed but you can’t toggle it, remove it and install it again from the official listing.
Make Sure Grammarly Is Allowed On The Current Site
Browsers can limit what an extension can do per site. If you set Grammarly to run only on specific sites, it won’t show up elsewhere until you add that site to the allowed list.
In Chrome or Edge, open the extension details page and look for the section that controls site access. Add the site you’re writing on, then refresh. This often fixes web apps that load editors inside embedded frames.
Check For A Gray Icon Or A Paused Mode
A gray icon often means Grammarly is present but inactive for the tab you’re on. Click the icon and look for a switch that turns checking back on for that page. If you turned Grammarly off for one site earlier, this is where you reverse it.
Turning Grammarly Back On After It Stops Working
Sometimes Grammarly is “on” but still silent. That points to a clash, a permissions block, or a background app that isn’t running.
Sign Out And Sign Back In
It feels basic, yet it solves a lot. Open Grammarly’s settings from the extension or desktop app, sign out, close the window, then sign back in. Sessions can expire after password changes or long idle stretches.
Update The Extension Or Reinstall It Cleanly
Extensions can break after browser updates. Remove Grammarly, restart the browser, then install it again. The Grammarly for Chrome page takes you to the official install route.
If Chrome flags an extension as unsupported, it may only let you re-enable it for a limited time. In that case, reinstalling the store version is the clean fix.
Turn Off Conflicting Extensions
Grammar tools, ad blockers with strict scripts, and privacy extensions can block Grammarly’s editor frame. Turn them off one by one to spot the clash. Once Grammarly returns, re-enable the others and adjust their site rules so they don’t block the editor.
Clear Site Data For One Problem Website
If Grammarly fails on one site and works elsewhere, clear cookies and site data for that domain, then log back in. It resets broken cached scripts that can stop the extension from attaching to text fields.
Turn Grammarly Back On In Microsoft Word And Outlook
On Microsoft apps, the desktop app is the route most people end up using. Grammarly has been retiring its older Microsoft Office add-in, and newer installs guide users to Grammarly for Windows or Grammarly for Mac.
Windows: Check Grammarly For Windows Is Running
On Windows, open the Start menu and launch Grammarly. Sign in, then reopen Word. In many setups, Grammarly appears as a side panel or widget that lists suggestions while you type.
If Grammarly was installed before and now “disappeared,” quit the app from the system tray, reopen it, and retry Word. A background app that crashed can’t show suggestions until it restarts.
Mac: Use Grammarly For Mac, Not The Old Word Add-In
On Mac, Grammarly’s older Word integration was discontinued. The current path is to install Grammarly for Mac and keep it running while you write in Word. After installation, sign in and reopen Word so the integration can attach.
Outlook And Other Microsoft Apps
Grammarly can work in Outlook and other Microsoft apps through the desktop integration, depending on your setup and permissions. If you’re using a work account, some add-ins and background tools may be restricted.
Check System And App Settings That Commonly Block Grammarly
When Grammarly is installed and enabled yet still doesn’t show up, the block is often outside the app you’re typing in.
Accessibility Permissions On macOS
macOS can stop writing tools from reading what you type unless you allow them in Privacy & Security settings. If Grammarly’s widget never appears in desktop apps, check that Grammarly is allowed in Accessibility and Input Monitoring, then restart the app.
VPN, Proxy, Or Firewall Restrictions
Some networks block Grammarly’s connection, which can leave you with a gray widget or a “can’t connect” message. Try turning off a VPN, switching networks, or testing on a personal hotspot. If it works there, the block is in network rules.
App Permissions On Windows
On Windows, antivirus tools and app control settings can block background apps. If Grammarly won’t launch, check whether it’s being blocked, then add an allowance for the app.
Keyboard Settings On Mobile
On phones and tablets, Grammarly runs as a keyboard. If it vanished, check that the Grammarly keyboard is enabled in system keyboard settings and selected as the current keyboard inside your app.
Symptoms And Fixes You Can Try In Order
This table gives you a clean way to diagnose what you’re seeing without repeating the same steps.
| What You See | Most Likely Cause | Fix To Try Next |
|---|---|---|
| Grammarly icon is gray on one site | Checking is off for that page or site access is blocked | Click the icon, switch checking on, allow the site, reload |
| No Grammarly icon in the browser bar | Extension unpinned or removed | Open Extensions menu, pin it, or reinstall from the store |
| Extension is on but suggestions never appear | Clash with another extension or strict privacy setting | Turn off other extensions one at a time, then reload |
| Works on most sites, fails on one | Broken site cache or blocked scripts | Clear site data for that domain, log back in, retry |
| Desktop app shows, Word has nothing | Desktop app not running while Word opened | Quit and relaunch Grammarly, then reopen Word |
| Gray widget says it can’t connect | Network block by VPN, proxy, or firewall | Switch networks, pause VPN, test again |
| Grammarly keyboard missing on mobile | Keyboard disabled or not selected | Enable Grammarly keyboard in settings, select it in app |
| Managed device won’t keep Grammarly on | Admin policy blocks extensions or apps | Try personal device or ask IT for allowance |
One Page Checklist For The Next Time Grammarly Goes Off
Run this list top to bottom. Stop when Grammarly starts working again.
- Reload the page or restart the app you’re typing in.
- Check you’re signed in to Grammarly.
- Confirm the extension or desktop app is enabled and running.
- On the problem site, click the Grammarly icon and turn checking on for that page.
- Check extension site access and allow the site you’re editing on.
- Turn off other writing or privacy extensions, test, then turn them back on one by one.
- Clear site data for one broken site and log back in.
- If you’re on Word, reopen Word after restarting the Grammarly desktop app.
If you landed here because you searched how to turn grammarly back on, save this page and come back when the toggle flips again. If you still can’t get it running after the checklist, try the same steps on a different browser profile or a different device to separate a local setting from an account issue.
If you also searched how to turn grammarly back on while using work or school accounts, a policy can block extensions and background apps. In that case, use a personal profile or device where you control the settings.