What is Proofread Bot?

Updated

Proofread Bot is a grammar and spelling checker that works inside the field you are already typing in. Instead of copying text into a separate tool, you get orange underlines on mistakes in Gmail, Messenger, and web forms, and you can accept or ignore each fix without leaving the page. It is aimed at people who write short, practical text all day — emails, chat messages, form answers — and want a quick correctness pass without switching apps.

How it works

The workflow is deliberately small:

  1. Type in Gmail, Messenger, or any form field.
  2. Proofread Bot underlines grammar and spelling issues as you go.
  3. Accept the fix or ignore it, in place.

There is no export step and no round trip to a separate editor for this mode. The browser extension checks the focused field, and you can trigger it with a right-click or the keyboard shortcut Alt+Shift+P. Issues appear as orange underlines, each with Accept or Ignore.

Where you can use it

Proofread Bot is not a single app but a set of surfaces, and they do not all behave the same way.

Surface What it covers Notes
Browser extension The focused field you are typing in Available for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge
Google Docs add-on Proofreading inside Google Docs Separate add-on; the Chrome extension does not run in Docs
Standalone web editor A focused writing workspace at /app Paste or write text directly
Mobile Android and iOS Listed alongside the web editor

The Google Docs split is the detail most likely to trip you up: if you work in Docs, install the add-on rather than expecting the browser extension to cover it.

What it is good for, and what it is not

Use it when the text is short-lived and correctness matters more than style — a client email, a support reply, a marketplace listing form, a message you cannot unsend. The in-place model is the whole point: the fix lands where the mistake is, so you keep your context.

It is less suited to long-form work where you need structural feedback. The site's own writing guidance treats proofreading and editing as different stages, and Proofread Bot sits firmly in the proofreading stage: surface errors, not argument or organization. For a manuscript or a long report, you would still want a separate editing pass.

Practical starting points

  • If you mostly write in the browser, start with the extension and test it on the field types you actually use.
  • If your writing lives in Google Docs, go straight to the add-on.
  • If you want to check a block of text without installing anything, the standalone editor at /app is the lowest-commitment option.
  • If you are unsure whether a piece needs proofreading or editing, the site's comparison of the two is a reasonable way to place your draft before you start fixing commas.

Pricing details are published on a dedicated pricing page, so check there for current terms rather than assuming a free tier.