Share & coauthor
Track changes
- Share a documentArticle
- Collaborate on Word documentsArticle
- Insert or delete a commentArticle
- Track changesArticle
- Accept tracked changesArticle
- Use Word on a mobile deviceArticle
Next:Use Word for school
Word for Microsoft 365 Word for the web Word 2021 Word 2019 Word 2016 Word 2013 Word for iPad Word Web App Word for iPhone More...Less
Note:If a document has been shared with you for review, you may not be able to turn off Track Changes. If you want to edit the document without tracking changes, you’ll need to either save a copy or ask the person who sent it to you to share it again with review mode turned off.
WindowsWebMaciOS
Turn Track Changes on and off
On theReviewtab, selectTrack Changes.
-
When Track Changes is on, the section is highlighted. Deletions are marked with a strikethrough, and additions are marked with an underline. Different authors' changes are indicated with different colors.
-
When Track Changes is off, the section is not highlighted. Word stops marking changes, but the colored underlines and strikethroughs are still in the document.
Tip:You also can add a Track Changes indicator to the status bar. Right-click the status bar and selectTrack Changes.
View tracked changes
Note:When a document is in Editing or Reviewing mode, you can select a tracked change to view a collaborator's full, suggested change in a card that displays.Hover over theAcceptorRejectbutton to see a preview of what that action would do to your final document.
Choose whose changes to track
You can choose to track only your own changes or everyone's changes.
-
To track only your own changes -On the Review tab, select Track Changes > Just Mine.
-
To track everyone's changes -On the Review tab, select Track Changes > For Everyone.
Tip:to use a password to keep others from turning off Track Changes -On the Review tab, select Track Changes > Lock Tracking.
Choose how you would like to see the changes in the document
You can choose the type of markup you want to see.
-
On theReviewtab, selectTracking.
-
Select AllMarkup for the drop-down list to display.
-
Select one of the following options.
-
Simple Markup displays tracked changes with a red line in the margin.
-
All Markup displays tracked changes with different colors of text and lines for each reviewer
-
No Markup hides the markup to show the document with changes incorporated
-
Original displays the original document without tracked changes and comments showing. However, any tracked changes or comments in the document that have not been accepted, rejected, or deleted remain in the document.
Choose the way track changes display
You can choose the types of revisions that display and the way they display.If you choose toshow revisions as balloons, they display in the margins of the document. If you choose to displaythem directly within the document in line. In line revisions displayall deletions with strikethroughs instead of inside balloons.
-
On theReviewtab, selectTrack>Show Markup.
-
SelectBalloonsand then selectthe type of display you want.
-
Show Revisions in Balloons
-
Show All Revisions Inline
-
Show Only Formatting in Balloons
Note:If you want to see tracked changes in balloons, you must be in Print Layout view or Web Layout view.
Display changes by type of edit
-
On theReviewtab, selectTrack Changes>Show Markup.
-
Select the type of edit.
-
Insertions and Deletions
-
Formatting
The check mark next to the item indicates that it's selected.
Note:Even if you hide a type of markup by clearing it on the Show Markup menu, the markup automatically displays each time the document is opened by you or a reviewer.
Display changes by reviewer(s)
-
InReview>Tracking, selectShow Markup.
-
Select Specific People.
-
Select to clear all check boxes except the ones next to the names of the reviewers whose changesyou want to show.
Note:To select or clear all check boxes for all reviewers in the list, select All Reviewers.
Navigate tracked changes in Changes menu section
You can navigate from one tracked change to another.
-
InReview>Changes,selectNext to view the next tracked change.
-
InReview>Changes, selectPreviousto view the previous tracked change.
Accept or Reject tracked changes
There are multiple ways to address tracked changes. The most proficient method is to identify the commentor and respond to the tracked change is through the card display when you click the marked change. The card displays the commentor name and the option to accept or reject the suggestion.
Accept or reject tracked changes in sequence using the main menu
You can resolve teach tracked change from the beginning of the document to the end of the documentin sequence.
-
Select Review>Changes> Next.
-
Select Accept or Reject. The next sequential tracked change is highlighted for your review and action.
Note:You can also accept or reject individual tracked changes using the main menus' drop-down menus. This method is often used as a methodical approach to reviewing tracked changes.
Accept changes using the main menu
-
InReview>Changes, selectAccept.
-
Select one of the options.
-
Acceptand Move to Next
-
Accept This Change
-
Accept All Changes
-
Accept All Changes and Stop Tracking
Reject changes using the main menu
-
InReview>Changes, select>Reject.
-
Select one of the options.
-
Reject and Move to Next
-
Reject This Change
-
Reject All Changes
-
Reject All Changes and Stop Tracking
Accept or reject changes within a document with a right click
Working within a document, you can right-click on a tracked change to accept or reject the change. Using the right-click method displaysa banner menu option and a drop-down menu option.
Accept changes in-line withthe right-click banner option
-
Right-click a tracked change in the document toreview a single suggestion.
-
On the banner, select one of the following.
-
Accept>Accept and Move to Next
-
Accept > Accept This Change
-
Accept > Accept All Changes
-
Accept >Accept All Changes and Stop Tracking
-
Accept and Move to Next
Accept changes in-line withthe right-click drop-down menuoption
-
Right-click a tracked change in the document toreview a single suggestion.
-
In the drop-down menu, select one of the following.
-
Accept Insertion (or Accept Deletion)
-
Reject Insertion (or Reject Deletion)
Accept or reject all tracked changes at once on the main menu
Accept all tracked changes
-
InReview>Changes,selectAccept.
-
Select one of the options.
-
AcceptAll Changes Shown
-
Accept All Changes
-
Accept All Changes and Stop Tracking
Reject all tracked changes
-
InReview>Changes, selectReject.
-
Select one of the options.
-
RejectAll Changes Shown
-
Reject All Changes
-
Reject All Changes and Stop Tracking
Note:WhenReview>Tracking>Show Markup>Specific People>All Reviewers is selected, the Accept All Changes Shown and Reject All ChangesShown options do not display.
Hide tracked changes and comments when printing
Hiding changes doesn't remove them from the document. You must use the Accept and Reject commands in the Changes group to remove markup from your document.
-
Go toFile> Print> Settings > Print All Pages.
-
Under Document Info, select Print Markup to clear the check mark.
Viewall your changes in asummary list on the Reviewing Pane
-
InReview >Tracking, select Reviewing Pane.
-
Choose if you want to seethe Reviewing Pane next to or below your document.
-
Select ReviewingPane Vertical to seea list of all changes next to your document.
-
Select Reviewing Pane Horizontal to see a list of all changes below your document.
You can use the Reviewing Pane as a handy tool forto checkthat all tracked changes have been removed from your document so that they show up to others who might view your document. The summary section at the top of the Reviewing Pane displays the exact number of visible tracked changes and comments that remain in your document.
The Reviewing Pane also allows you to review long comments that don't fit within a comment bubble.
Note:The Reviewing Pane, unlike the document or the comment balloons, is not the best tool for making changes to your document. Instead of deleting text or comments or making other changes in the Reviewing Pane, make all editorial changes in the document. The changes will then be visible in the Reviewing Pane.
Important:Comments are no longer part of the Track Changes function.
Turn on Track Changes
You can set Word for the Web to track changes for all users who are collaborating on the document or to track only your changes.
-
On theReviewtab, selectTrack Changes.
-
In the Track Changes drop-down list, select one of the following:
-
To track only the changes that you make to the document, selectJust Mine.
-
To track changes to the document made by all users, select For Everyone.
-
Turn off Track Changes
-
On theReviewtab, selectTrack Changes.
-
In theTrack Changesdrop-down list, selectOff.
Select the Markup view
-
On the Review tab, select Markup view.
-
Select one of the markup options.
-
Markup in margin (Simple Markup) - See suggestions in the margin
-
Markup on page (All Markup) - See suggestions on the page
Review, accept, or reject changes
Accept or reject tracked changes in sequence
You can review each tracked change in sequence and decide whether to accept or reject the change.
-
Click or tap at the beginning of the document.
-
On theReviewtab, selectTrack Changes.
-
Select Accept or Reject. As you accept or reject changes, Word will move to the next change.
Tip:To move through changes in the document without accepting or rejecting them, select Next or Previous.
-
Repeat until you've reviewed all of the changes in your document.
Acceptor reject a single change
Rather than move through changes in sequence, you can accept or reject a single change. When you accept or reject the change, Word will not move to the next change in the document.
-
Click the change.
-
Select the option to accept or reject it.
When tracked changes are turned on, Word marks any changes made by any authors of the document. This is useful when you're collaborating with other authors because you can see which authors made a particular change.
Turn Track Changes on
-
On the Review tab, selectTrack Changes.
-
Select to track only your own changes or everyone's change.
-
To track only your own changes -On the Review tab, select Track Changes > Just Mine.
-
To track everyone's changes -On the Review tab, select Track Changes > For Everyone.
Note:To turn Track Changes off, select Track Changes again.
Accept or reject all tracked changes at once on the main menu
Accept all tracked changes
-
SelectReviewing>Accept.
-
Select one of the options.
-
AcceptAll Changes Shown
-
Accept All Changes
-
Accept All Changes and Stop Tracking
Reject all tracked changes
-
SelectReviewing>Reject.
-
Select one of the options.
-
RejectAll Changes Shown
-
Reject All Changes
-
Reject All Changes and Stop Tracking
Word shows changes in the document by displaying a line in the margin. If you switch to All Markup view, you'll see changes inline and in balloons.
Anytime someone adds a comment, it'll show up in a balloon.
Review changes inline
To see changes inline instead of in balloons, do the following:
-
On theReview Tab, selectMarkup Options
-
Point to Balloons and selectShow All Revisions Inline.
Keep Track Changes on
To prevent others from turning off Track Changes, lockTrack Changes on with a password.
Important:Be sure to remember the password so you can turn Track Changes off when you’re ready to accept or reject the changes.
Lock Track Changes with a password
-
On theReviewtab, selectProtect > Protect Document.
-
In thePasswordbox, enter a password.
-
Re-enter your password and select OK.
While tracked changes are locked, you can’t turn off change tracking, and you can’t accept or reject changes.
Unlock Track Changes
-
On theReviewtab, select Protect >Protect Document.
-
Under Protection, uncheck Protect document for.
-
Enter your password and select OK.
For more info, see
remove the tracked changes and comments.
Turn Track Changes on or off (Word for iPad)
-
Tap the Review tab.
-
Tap the control next toTrack Changes to turn Track Changes on or off.
Show or hide markup(Word for iPad)
-
On the Review tab, tap the Display for Review icon.
-
In the Display for Review list, tap the option you want:
-
All Markup (inline) shows the final document with tracked changes visible inline
-
No markup shows the final document without tracked changed
-
Original shows the original document with no tracked changes
-
Show tracked changes by type(Word for iPad)
-
On the Review tab, tap the Display for Review icon.
-
In the Display for Review list, tap Show Markup.
-
In the Show Markup list, tap the option you want:
-
Ink shows or hides any marks made by digital inking in the document.
-
Insertions & Deletions shows or hides inserted or deleted text.
-
Formatting shows or hides formatting changes.
-
Show Revisions in Balloons shows changes in balloons in the right margin.
-
Show Only Formatting in Balloons shows only formatting changes in balloons and keeps the other changes as inline tracking.
-
Show tracked changes by reviewer(Word for iPad)
If there aremultiple reviewers for the document, Word will show all changes by default. However, you can choose to show only changes made by specific viewers.
-
On the Review tab, tap the Display for Review icon.
-
In the Display for Review list, tap Show Markup.
-
In the Show Markup list, tap Reviewers.
-
In the Other Authors list, tap the names of the reviewers whose changes you want to see or tap All Reviewers.
Accept changes(Word for iPad)
-
Tap twice on a change in the documentto select it.
-
On the Review tab, tap the Accept icon.
-
Do one of the following:
-
TapAccept & Move to Nextto acceptthe change and moveto the next change in the document.
-
TapAccept Deletion, Accept Insertion, or Accept Changeto acceptthe selected change, identified contextually by type, and notmove to the next change in the document.
-
TapAccept All Shownto acceptall changes that are visible, but not changes that are hidden. For example, if you're viewing only changes made by a specific reviewer, tapping Accept All Shown accepts only the changes made by that reviewer.
-
TapAccept Allto acceptall changes in the document.
-
TapAccept All & Stop Trackingto acceptall changes in the document and turnoff Track Changes.
-
-
To move to another change without accepting or rejecting it, tap the Previous or Next icon.
Reject changes(Word for iPad)
-
Tap twice on a change in the documentto select it.
-
On the Review tab, tap the Rejecticon.
-
Do one of the following:
-
TapReject & Move to Nextto rejectthe change and moveto the next change in the document.
-
TapReject Deletion, Reject Insertion, or Reject Changeto rejectthe selected change, identified contextually by type, and not move to the next change in the document.
-
TapReject All Shownto rejectall changes that are visible, but not changes that are hidden. For example, if you're viewing only changes made by a specific reviewer, tapping Reject All Shown rejects only the changes made by that reviewer.
-
TapReject Allto rejectall changes in the document.
-
TapRejects All & Stop Trackingto rejectall changes in the document and turnoff Track Changes.
-
-
To move to another change without accepting or rejecting it, tap the Previous or Next icon.
Delete comments(Word for iPad)
-
Tap twice on a comment in the document to select it.
-
Tap the Review tab.
-
Tap the Delete icon to delete the comment or press and hold the Delete icon until the Delete list appears, and then do one of the following:
-
Tap Delete to delete only the selected comment.
-
Tap Delete All to delete all comments in the document.
-
-
To move to another comment without deleting it, tap the Previous or Next icon.
Turn Track Changes on or off(Word for iPhone)
-
Tap the pen icon at the top to open the ribbon.
-
Tap the Review tab.
-
Tap the control next to Track Changes to turn Track Changes on or off.
Show or hide markup (Word for iPhone)
-
On the Review tab, tap Display for Review.
-
Tap the option you want:
-
All Markup (inline) shows the final document with tracked changes visible inline
-
No markup shows the final document without tracked changed
-
Original shows the original document with no tracked changes
-
Show tracked changes by type (Word for iPhone)
-
On the Review tab, tap Display for Review.
-
Tap Show Markup.
-
In the Show Markup list, tap the option you want:
-
Ink shows or hides any marks made by digital inking in the document.
-
Insertions & Deletions shows or hides inserted or deleted text.
-
Formatting shows or hides formatting changes.
-
Show tracked changes by reviewer(Word for iPhone)
If there aremultiple reviewers for the document, Word will show all changes by default. However, you can choose to show only changes made by specific viewers.
-
On the Review tab, tap Display for Review.
-
Tap Show Markup.
-
Tap Reviewers.
-
In the Other Authors list, tap the names of the reviewers whose changes you want to see or tap All Reviewers.
Accept changes(Word for iPhone)
-
Tap twice on a change in the documentto select it.
-
On the Review tab, tap Accept.
-
Do one of the following:
-
TapAccept & Move to Nextto acceptthe change and moveto the next change in the document.
-
TapAccept Deletion, Accept Insertion, or Accept Changeto acceptthe selected change, identified contextually by type, and notmove to the next change in the document.
-
TapAccept All Shownto acceptall changes that are visible, but not changes that are hidden. For example, if you're viewing only changes made by a specific reviewer, tapping Accept All Shown accepts only the changes made by that reviewer.
-
TapAccept Allto acceptall changes in the document.
-
TapAccept All & Stop Trackingto acceptall changes in the document and turnoff Track Changes.
-
Reject changes(Word for iPhone)
-
Tap twice on a change in the documentto select it.
-
On the Review tab, tapReject.
-
Do one of the following:
-
TapReject & Move to Nextto rejectthe change and moveto the next change in the document.
-
TapReject Deletion, Reject Insertion, or Reject Changeto rejectthe selected change, identified contextually by type, and not move to the next change in the document.
-
TapReject All Shownto rejectall changes that are visible, but not changes that are hidden. For example, if you're viewing only changes made by a specific reviewer, tapping Reject All Shown rejects only the changes made by that reviewer.
-
TapReject Allto rejectall changes in the document.
-
TapRejectAll & Stop Trackingto rejectall changes in the document and turnoff Track Changes.
-
Delete comments(Word for iPhone)
-
Tap twice on a comment in the document to select it.
-
One the Review tab, tap Delete,and then do one of the following:
-
Tap Delete to delete only the selected comment.
-
Tap Delete All to delete all comments in the document.
-
-
To move to another comment without deleting it, tap the Previous or Next icon
Need more help?
Join the discussion
Ask the community
Get support
Contact Us
FAQs
Why is Word not accepting track changes? ›
If “Track Changes” is greyed out in the Word menu bar, then it's possible that the document has been locked from having changes made. In this case, you'll have to first remove document protection before you can track changes in Word.
How do I fix tracked changes in Word? ›- Click at the beginning of the document.
- On the Review tab, go to Changes.
- Select Accept or Reject. As you accept or reject changes, Word will move to the next change.
- Repeat until you've removed all changes in the document.
The good thing about Track Changes is that it records every edit without making anything permanent. You can move, copy, delete and insert text, change formatting, even change pictures and insert objects. And the person who sent you the document can see the changes you made and decide whether to accept or reject them.
What do you think track changes is an effective feature if yes why? ›Track changes is a great feature to use when you want to show what has changed in a document. Word should note which editor made each change, but sometimes this portion of the feature can get messed up.
Can you accept all changes in track changes? ›Tip: To accept or reject changes all at once, click the arrow on the Accept or Reject button, and then choose Accept All Changes or Reject All Changes.
Why is Word not showing my markups? ›Step 1: Go to the 'Review' tab and select 'All Markup' in the drop down menu (Word 2019). Step 2: Click on 'Show markup' below 'All Markup' (Word 2019) and make sure all options are ticked.
Why is track changes not going away? ›Sometimes, tracked changes will still remain in documents as hidden data, even after you accept or reject them. To remove this data, start by clicking on the "File" tab and going to the "Info" section. From here, you can click on the "Check for Issues" button and select "Inspect Document" from the drop-down menu.
How do I get track changes to work? ›Turn on Track Changes to show edits made in a document, and use Show Markup to show the types of revisions you'd like to display. Select Review > Track Changes to turn it on. Make edits in your document and Word captures any edits you make. Select Review > Track Changes to turn it off.
Why is track changes not showing my deletions? ›Insertions and deletions are only shown if Show Markup menu > Insertions and Deletions is turned on. This option can also be turned on or off from the Track Changes Options dialog box (see the dialog box in Figure 21 below).
Why is it important to track changes? ›The 'track-changes' function used in this way can give students feedback about their wording, grammar, spelling, punctuation, but the 'comments' function is more widely used when the main purpose is feedback rather than working towards a better draft.
Can track changes be locked? ›
To prevent others from turning off Track Changes, lock Track Changes on with a password. Important: Be sure to remember the password so you can turn Track Changes off when you're ready to accept or reject the changes. On the Review tab, select Protect > Protect Document. In the Password box, enter a password.
How do you know if track changes are locked? ›In Word, click on Review > Track Changes > Lock Tracking. Enter a password. Now that Track Changes is locked, it can't be disabled without the password. Other users also cannot accept or reject changes.
What is track changes in short answer? ›Track Changes is a built in feature in Microsoft Word which allows you to see the changes that were made to the document. To view changes, or to edit a document with them, follow the instructions below. To learn how to use the comment feature, click here.
Do editors use track changes? ›Most editors use the Tracked Changes function when proofreading or copy-editing a document online as it shows exactly any changes that are made, and allows for comments or queries to be made to the author in the exact place in the text – no more shuffling between a list of comments and the document.
What is the difference between simple markup and all markup when tracking changes? ›Track Changes viewing options
Simple Markup: This shows the final version without inline markups. Red markers will appear in the left margin to indicate where a change has been made. All Markup: This shows the final version with inline markups. No Markup: This shows the final version and hides all markups.
Change interferes with autonomy and can make people feel that they've lost control over their territory. It's not just political, as in who has the power. Our sense of self-determination is often the first things to go when faced with a potential change coming from someone else.
How do I clean up a document after track changes? ›If you want to create a “clean” version of your documents for your future reference, click on the “Accept” drop down list arrow and select “Accept ALL Changes”. This will remove reference all the older information and accept/replace this to only who the updated text.
How do I remove all markups in Word? ›On the Review tab, in the Comments group, click the arrow below Delete, then click Delete All Comments in Document. To use Document Inspector to find remaining tracked changes, comments, and other information you may not want to share, on the Review tab, click Check for Issues, then Inspect Document.
Why aren t my track changes showing up in red? ›The Track Changes tab of the Options dialog box. Make sure that all the Color settings (with the exception of the color setting for the change bars) are set to "By Author." If these settings are for a specific color, then it can affect how changes are displayed in the document.
Can you change the author of track changes in Word? ›Click File, and then look for Author under Related People on the right. Right-click the author name, and then click Edit Property. Type a new name in the Edit person dialog box.
How do I permanently turn off formatting in track changes? ›
Are all your formatting changes tracked when you have track changes in Word turned on? Go to the Review tab > Track Changes drop-down arrow > Change Tracking Options. Clear the Track Formatting check box, then click OK.
Why are my track changes blue and not red? ›Note: Assigned colors may change when the document is closed and reopened or when someone opens it on another computer. You can't choose which color Word assigns to reviewers, but you can choose colors for different types of markup.
How do I get rid of the red line in Word? ›This red line is there because there are still changes in the document that need to be accepted (which can be minor changes like double spaces or a wrongly placed comma). Step 1: Go to the Review tab and click on 'Accept' (Word 2019). Step 2: Click on 'Accept all changes and Stop Tracking'.
Can you see the editing history of a Word document without track changes? ›Yes, a Word Edit History feature lets you see previous file versions. If you're using Microsoft 365 on a Mac device, select Browse Version History. For Word 2016 and 2019 users, choose File, then Browse Version History.
Is track changes automatically on? ›They will always track your changes, even when you forget to turn them on. It's automatic in Simul. When you open a shared document, Simul Docs will also automatically save your document as a new version from the moment you start making changes.
How can I see who edited a Word document? ›If you're using Microsoft Word on your PC, you can open any document and turn Track Changes on. This feature will immediately start recording who did what changes. Changes are displayed in a different format and color than the current version of the text.
What does it mean to track changes in a document? ›What Does Track Changes Mean? Track changes is a feature within most word processing applications that enables a user to keep track of the entire different types of alterations, changes or deletions made to a specific document.
Can you turn on Track Changes after the fact? ›With the document you've edited active, choose Tools -> Track Changes -> Compare Documents. In the Choose a File dialog box that appears, navigate to the original unedited document and click Open.
What happens when you lock tracking in Word? ›Lock Tracking is a feature in MS Word that uses password protection to block other users from turning Track Changes off.
Is editing more important than revisions? ›Revision makes the piece SOUND a whole lot better–which addresses the traits of ideas, organization, voice, word choice, and sentence fluency. Editing makes the piece LOOK better (conventions). Because kids already confuse the difference between revision and editing, the more you can do to separate the two, the better.
Does track changes show copy and paste? ›
To Copy/Paste Text with Tracked Changes:
In the document in which you wish to paste, click where the text should go. Turn Track Changes off in the document in which you are pasting (if necessary). Press Ctrl + Shift + F3.
The main types of editing are developmental editing, line editing, and copy editing. Let's look at those in detail, as well as examples of each. It is helpful to note that there is a big difference between a self-edit and a professional edit. Every book needs a professional edit!
Is redline the same as track changes? ›"Track Changes" is perfect for large-scale editing and feedback, whereas manual redlining is better suited to smaller documents and papers that are sent between different versions of Word.
How can you ensure that reviewers will use track changes when they edit a document? ›- Open Microsoft Word.
- Choose the Review tab at the top of the document.
- Either click the Track Changes button (PC) or toggle the Track Changes switch (Mac).
- Make sure that you change 'Simple Markup' to 'All Markup' from the drop down bar next to Track Changes.
Open one of the two versions of the document that you want to compare. On the Tools menu, point to Track Changes, and then click Compare Documents. In the Original document list, select the original document. In the Revised document list, browse to the other version of the document, and then click OK.
Why are track changes still showing? ›Even if you hide tracked changes, they will remain on your document when you print them unless you accept or reject them. This means that the edits and comments will still remain when you print.
Why is track changes disabled? ›In order to preserve the tracked changes log in a less than full control permissions scenario, the Track Changes and Accept Changes features are disabled for users who do not have "Full control" in the My Permission dialog for the RMS protected document.
How do I save a clean copy after track changes? ›Revise the document, and save it by going to File and clicking on Save. Print out a copy of the revised document showing the tracked changes. Hide the tracked changes by going to View and clicking on Markup. Print a "clean" copy of the document.