Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Cannot find persdict.dat on my macbook

  • 10 majibu
  • 2 wana tatizo hili
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by cor-el

more options

I have misspelled several words and the spell check now uses those. I used to be able to call up persdict.dat file and with a text editor make corrections and or additions. I cannot find the persdict.dat file in profile folder or anywhere on my macbook. Where can it be and how can I delete the misspelled words now?

I have misspelled several words and the spell check now uses those. I used to be able to call up persdict.dat file and with a text editor make corrections and or additions. I cannot find the persdict.dat file in profile folder or anywhere on my macbook. Where can it be and how can I delete the misspelled words now?

All Replies (10)

more options

What about your Firefox settings? Any problem there?

Have you checked your trash bin?

more options

On Windows (in Firefox 54), persdict.dat is still in the current profile folder where it's always been.

How did you look for it? This is, I believe, the easiest way to approach:

Open your current Firefox profile folder from the Troubleshooting Information page. Either

  • "3-bar" menu button > "?" button > Troubleshooting Information
  • (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
  • type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter/Return

In the first table on the page, click the "Show in Finder"/"Open Folder" button. This should launch a new window listing various files and folders in Finder or Windows Explorer, depending on your OS.

persdict.dat should exist here if you have used "Add to Dictionary" in Firefox. If you don't find the file, switch back to Firefox and try using "Add to Dictionary" to see whether that prompts Firefox to create the file.

more options

No problems with the settings. Firefox is working fine. I do as the instructions say, go to Help - Troubleshooting Information - Profile Folder - Show in Finder. No Persdict.dat. I also searched all files on the MacBook and it did not find Persdict.dat yet, a purposely misspelled word showes up and the the real misspelled word is still underlined in red so, it is there, somewhere.....but where?

more options

jscher2000 said

On Windows (in Firefox 54), persdict.dat is still in the current profile folder where it's always been. How did you look for it? This is, I believe, the easiest way to approach: Open your current Firefox profile folder from the Troubleshooting Information page. Either
  • "3-bar" menu button > "?" button > Troubleshooting Information
  • (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
  • type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter/Return
In the first table on the page, click the "Show in Finder"/"Open Folder" button. This should launch a new window listing various files and folders in Finder or Windows Explorer, depending on your OS. persdict.dat should exist here if you have used "Add to Dictionary" in Firefox. If you don't find the file, switch back to Firefox and try using "Add to Dictionary" to see whether that prompts Firefox to create the file.
more options

I mentioned that the problem is with my MacBook. thank you for the information though.

more options

pete_coach said

I mentioned that the problem is with my MacBook. thank you for the information though.

Yes, that's why I listed the Mac wording first and the Windows second. I'm trying to be sensitive. ;-)

I can't think of any reason for that file to be located in a different place on Mac than Windows.

If you added a new word to the dictionary it has to go somewhere, doesn't it?? Here's a word you can add as a test to see whether the file gets created (I did this test in a separate profile to confirm the behavior): Greasemonkey

more options

Do you have a dictionary installed and selected?

You can see which dictionary is selected if you right-click in a text area and open the Languages sub menu. At least one dictionary should be installed and have a check mark to indicate that it is selected.

  • open the "Add Dictionaries" link to install a dictionary if you do not have one.

The spelling checker is enabled if [X] "Check Spelling" in the right-click context menu has a checkmark.

You can enable or disable spell checking globally:

  • Options/Preferences -> Advanced: General: Browsing: "Check my spelling as I type"

You can look here for dictionaries:

more options

cor-el said

Do you have a dictionary installed and selected? You can see which dictionary is selected if you right-click in a text area and open the Languages sub menu. At least one dictionary should be installed and have a check mark to indicate that it is selected.
  • open the "Add Dictionaries" link to install a dictionary if you do not have one.
The spelling checker is enabled if [X] "Check Spelling" in the right-click context menu has a checkmark. You can enable or disable spell checking globally:
  • Options/Preferences -> Advanced: General: Browsing: "Check my spelling as I type"
You can look here for dictionaries:

Thanks all for your help everyone. Istill don't have persdict.dat but at least I have a dictionary. I did install the United States English Spellchecker. I am confused by the nomenclature, is there a difference between a dictionary and a spell checker? It seems to me to be able to spell check, there needs to be a dictionary?

more options

A dictionary tells you what the word is. A spell checker only checks if the word is listed.

more options

Do you see the choice to add a misspelled word to the dictionary in the right-click context menu? Once you have a dictionary installed and enabled you should be able to add words to the personal dictionary. Note that Firefox won't offer such added words as a suggestion in the right-click context menu.