To use Grammarly, install the browser extension or the Grammarly desktop app for Windows or Mac and sign in. Then just type: Grammarly underlines possible mistakes and improvements, and you click an underline or the floating widget to see suggestions. Click a card to accept it, or the bin icon to dismiss it.
Grammarly is one of those tools that quietly makes almost everything you write a bit better: emails, proposals, social posts and website copy. It's easy to start using, but it's also easy to let it overrule your own voice. Here's how to set it up, how the suggestions work and how to keep it helpful rather than bossy.
Ways to use Grammarly
| Version | Where it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Browser extension | Websites and web apps in your browser | Email, social media, website editors |
| Grammarly for Windows or Mac | Most apps on your computer, including Word and Outlook | Checking writing everywhere |
| Grammarly Editor | Paste or upload a document | Long documents and older software |
How to start using Grammarly
- Create a Grammarly account.
- Install the browser extension, the desktop app for Windows or Mac, or both.
- Sign in.
- Open an email, document or text box and start typing.
- Watch for underlines and the number of suggestions in the Grammarly widget.
How to review Grammarly's suggestions
| To | Do this |
|---|---|
| See a suggestion | Click the underlined word or the floating widget |
| Accept it | Click the suggestion card |
| Find out why | Click the three dots on the card |
| Reject it | Click the trash icon |
In Microsoft Word, Grammarly shows a list of suggestions you can filter by category, which is easier for long documents. In Outlook, PowerPoint, OneNote and Excel, the suggestions pop up one at a time on a small widget.
Using Grammarly's AI Chat
The desktop app for Windows also has an AI Chat. Grammarly's guide says to hover over the right edge of your screen, open the Grammarly tab and choose AI Chat, then type your request in the Ask AI box. It uses the context of the window you're working in, so you can ask it to summarise an email thread or rewrite a paragraph in a friendlier tone. There's a limit of 1,000 AI chat prompts a day, which is more than most people will ever hit.
The catch: Grammarly doesn't know your voice
Grammarly is brilliant at spotting typos, missing words and clumsy sentences. It's less good at knowing when a short, punchy fragment is deliberate, when your brand uses lowercase on purpose or when a phrase is how your customers talk. If you accept every suggestion, your writing starts to sound like everyone else's.
My rule: accept spelling and grammar fixes, think twice about clarity suggestions, and be very picky about tone and rewrite suggestions. Read the sentence out loud before and after. If the original sounds more like you, keep it.
Where to switch it off
You don't need Grammarly everywhere. In the browser, click the Grammarly icon on a website to turn it off for that site. In the desktop app, use the widget or the menu bar icon to choose Turn off Grammarly or turn it off for an hour, and manage blocked apps under Settings, then Block list. I keep it off in code editors, password fields and design tools.
A note on Superhuman
Grammarly says it's now part of Superhuman. If you've activated Superhuman Go, you'll see a Superhuman logo or tab where the Grammarly one used to be. The checking works the same way, so don't panic if the badge changes.
Getting the most from Grammarly
- Set your writing goals or style preferences where available, so suggestions fit your audience.
- Fix spelling first, then clarity, then tone, so you're not overwhelmed.
- Use it as a second pair of eyes, not a ghostwriter.
- Keep a short list of your own brand terms and names it should leave alone.
- Still proofread important documents yourself.
For writing that sounds like a real person, my guide to keeping your brand voice in AI-assisted content goes deeper, and my look at AI copywriting tools covers other options for marketing copy.
How I'd use it day to day
Here's a practical routine. Write your first draft without looking at Grammarly at all, so you don't lose your train of thought fixing commas. Then go back through the underlines: accept the obvious typos in one sweep, look carefully at anything flagged as unclear, and ignore most tone suggestions on informal emails. For a client proposal or a sales page, give it a slower pass, then read it out loud. Grammarly catches the small stuff so your attention can go on whether the message lands.
My verdict
Install Grammarly where you write most, the browser extension, the desktop app or both, and let it catch your typos and clumsy sentences. Click to accept, bin what doesn't sound like you, and use AI Chat for quick rewrites. Just don't hand it your voice: the best writing still sounds like a person. And for spelling traps no tool catches, keep my guide to commonly confused words handy.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Frequently asked questions
Does Grammarly work on my phone?
Grammarly has mobile options too, but the browser extension and desktop app cover most business writing.
Should I accept every Grammarly suggestion?
No. Accept spelling and grammar fixes, but think carefully about tone and rewrites so your writing still sounds like you.
Is Grammarly free?
Grammarly has a free plan for spelling and grammar, with a Pro plan for advanced suggestions.
How do I accept a Grammarly suggestion?
Click the underlined word or the widget, then click the suggestion card.
Does Grammarly work in Word and Outlook?
Yes, through the Grammarly desktop app for Windows or Mac.
How many AI prompts can I use in Grammarly?
Grammarly's AI Chat allows up to 1,000 prompts per day.
Can I turn Grammarly off for some apps?
Yes. Turn it off from the widget or menu bar, and manage the Block list in Settings.
Why does Grammarly now say Superhuman?
Grammarly is now part of Superhuman, and Superhuman Go shows its own logo.
