How to Compare Two Word Documents in Microsoft Word

To compare two Word documents, open the desktop app and choose Review > Compare > Compare on Windows. Select the earlier file as the original and the later file as the revised version, then choose OK. Word creates a comparison document that marks the differences, so you can review edits without manually checking each page. Before starting, save both files and make sure you know which one is the original.

What You’ll Need

Microsoft Word desktop app: The Compare command is available in desktop Word for Microsoft 365 and many recent perpetual versions. Word for the web can display documents, but use the desktop app to run a full document comparison.
Both versions of the document: Keep the original and revised files accessible on your computer or in a location Word can browse to, such as OneDrive or SharePoint.
A clear way to identify each file: Use filenames or dates that make it obvious which document came first. The order matters when you interpret insertions and deletions.

Step-by-Step

Save and identify both documents. Save the two versions before comparing them. If either file is open with unsaved edits, press Ctrl+S on Windows or Command+S on Mac, or choose File > Save. Give the files distinct names, such as Proposal-original.docx and Proposal-revised.docx. This makes it less likely that you will reverse their roles in the comparison dialog. If the files are stored in different folders, note where each one is.
Open Word desktop. Start Microsoft Word and open any document, or use File > Open to open the app. You do not need to open both versions first; Word can locate them from the Compare dialog. If you do open a document, it does not become the original automatically. You will explicitly select both files in the next steps. Word for the web may offer an Open in Desktop App option; use that to continue in the desktop version.
Open the Compare command. On Windows, select the Review tab on the ribbon, then choose Compare > Compare. In some builds, the button may show Compare as a drop-down or display Compare Documents in the menu. On Mac, go to Review > Compare > Compare Documents; wording and ribbon layout can vary slightly by Word version. If you cannot see the command, widen the Word window or look for a collapsed ribbon group or overflow menu.
Choose the original document. In the Compare Documents dialog, use the folder or browse button beside Original document to select the earlier version. Check the filename and location before continuing. The original is the baseline: text found only in the revised document will generally appear as an insertion, while text removed from the original will appear as a deletion. Selecting the wrong file here will not damage either source, but it can make the results confusing.
Choose the revised document. Use the browse button beside Revised document to select the later version. Confirm that the original and revised fields do not point to the same file. If you are comparing drafts from email or cloud storage, check the date or version name rather than relying only on a generic filename such as Final.docx. Optionally enter a label in the field for labeling changes with; this helps distinguish the comparison markup from other reviewers’ edits.
Set the comparison options. Select More or expand the dialog’s options to decide what Word should examine. You can typically include changes to text, formatting, comments, tables, headers and footers, footnotes, endnotes, and text boxes. Keep the relevant categories selected. If you only care about wording, consider turning off formatting comparison; otherwise small font, spacing, or style differences can add a lot of markup. Option names and their placement can differ slightly among Word versions.
Choose where to show changes, then run the comparison. In the dialog, set Show changes in to New document if you want to keep the source files untouched and review a separate result. This is usually the safest choice. Word may also offer to show changes in the original or revised document; those choices display markup in a source file, so use them only if that is what you intend. Select OK to create the comparison.
Review the comparison document. Word opens a new document containing the detected differences, usually displayed as tracked changes. Deleted text, inserted text, and formatting changes are marked according to your markup settings. Use the Review tab’s Next and Previous controls to move through changes. The Reviewing Pane can help summarize or navigate them; open it from Review > Reviewing Pane if it is available in your ribbon. If markup is hard to read, adjust the display under Review > Tracking, such as choosing to show all markup.
Decide what to keep and save the result. The comparison document is for reviewing; it does not automatically replace either source file. Read each change in context, then use Accept or Reject on the Review tab if you want to create a clean, resolved version. You can accept or reject changes individually, or use the menu beside those controls for broader actions. Save the comparison under a new, descriptive filename, such as Proposal-comparison-review.docx, so you do not overwrite the original or revised file.

Common Mistakes

Reversing the original and revised files: Word still compares them, but the insertions and deletions may appear opposite to what you expect. Confirm the file names in both fields before selecting OK.
Comparing a file with itself: This produces no useful differences. If the result is unexpectedly empty, verify that the two fields identify separate versions and that you chose the intended copies.
Expecting the comparison to merge or finalize the documents: Compare marks differences; it does not decide which version is correct or automatically create a clean final copy. Review and resolve the changes yourself.
Leaving every comparison category on when only text matters: Formatting shifts can produce a noisy result. Turn off irrelevant categories in the expanded comparison options and compare again if markup becomes difficult to interpret.
Saving over a source file: Choose New document for the comparison output and save it with a separate name. This keeps the two original versions available for reference.
Assuming visible markup includes every kind of difference: Word compares document content and selected categories, but the view can be affected by options, hidden content, or file conversion. Treat the result as a review aid, especially for documents with complex layouts.

Tips

Keep a clean baseline. If the original already contains tracked changes, decide whether those changes should be accepted or rejected before comparing. Unresolved markup can make it harder to tell which differences belong to the new revision and which were already present.
Use informative file names. Include a date, draft number, or author when saving versions. For example, Contract-draft-2026-10-10.docx and Contract-draft-2026-10-24.docx are easier to identify than two files both called Contract-final.
Choose the right level of detail. Include comments if reviewer notes matter, and include formatting if layout or styling is part of the review. If a category creates clutter, rerun the comparison with that category disabled rather than trying to interpret irrelevant marks.
Review the whole document, not just the change count. A summary in the Reviewing Pane can help you navigate, but read each change in its surrounding paragraph, table, or section. A small wording change can alter meaning even when the document shows only a few edits.
Preserve the review trail. Save the marked-up comparison separately from any clean final copy. If several people need to review it, share the comparison file and explain whether they should add comments, accept changes, or simply inspect the differences.

Troubleshooting

The Compare command is missing. Check that you are using the desktop Word app and that the ribbon is expanded. Select the Review tab and inspect its Compare menu. If you are in a browser, open the document in the desktop app. Work or school organizations may manage Office features or updates; if the command remains unavailable, check your Word version and ask your administrator about the installed app.

Word reports no changes, but the documents look different. Confirm that you selected the correct two files and selected the comparison categories that cover the differences you noticed. Changes may be in formatting, comments, headers, footers, or text boxes rather than body text. Also check whether one document contains unresolved tracked changes or whether a version was converted from another file type. Try comparing the saved copies again after confirming their contents.

The result contains too many marks. Open the comparison options and disable categories you do not need, especially formatting if you only want text edits. You can also adjust the Review tab’s markup display to make the document easier to read. Re-running Compare with narrower options creates a new result and does not alter the source files when you choose New document.

The comparison will not run or a file cannot be selected. Make sure both files open normally in Word and are not still downloading or syncing. If a file is password-protected, enter the password when prompted. For a damaged or unusual file, open it, save a copy as a Word document in .docx format using File > Save As, and compare the copies. Avoid converting the only copy of a source file.

Changes appear in an unexpected document. The Show changes in setting may have been set to Original document or Revised document. Rerun the comparison and choose New document to create a separate result. If you already changed a source document, use Undo only if the action is still available and you are certain it is safe; otherwise close without saving if you have not made other changes, then reopen the preserved source.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I compare two Word documents without changing the originals?
Yes. In the Compare Documents dialog, choose New document under Show changes in. Word puts the marked differences in a separate comparison document, leaving the selected source files unchanged. Save that result with a new name.

Does Word show exactly what changed?
It marks differences in the categories you selected, such as insertions, deletions, and formatting. It does not explain why an edit was made or determine which version is correct. Review each marked item in context, and check the comparison options if an expected kind of change is missing.

Can I compare documents in Word for the web?
Use the Word desktop app to run the Compare command. Word for the web can open and display documents, but feature availability differs from the desktop version. From the browser, choose the option to open the file in the desktop app if your account and installation provide it.

Can I compare a Word document with a PDF?
The Compare command is intended for Word documents. If you have a PDF, Word may be able to open and convert it to an editable document, but conversion can affect layout and formatting. Save a separate Word copy of the PDF, check that its text is usable, and compare it with the other Word file; do not assume that all visual differences will be detected reliably.

What is the difference between Compare and Combine?
Compare identifies differences between two document versions and presents them as markup. Combine is designed to bring revisions from multiple reviewed copies together. Choose Compare when you want to inspect two versions; choose Combine when you need to consolidate reviewers’ tracked changes.

Can I accept all changes after comparing?
Yes. On the Review tab, use the menu beside Accept and choose the option to accept all changes if you are certain. This removes the tracked-change markup from the comparison copy, so save a separate copy first if you need to retain the marked-up review record.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

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Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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