Compare Two Documents in Word: Step-by-Step Guide

To compare two separate documents in Word, open the desktop app and choose Review > Compare > Compare. Select the original and revised files, adjust what Word should check if needed, then select OK. Word creates a new document that marks the differences, so you can review edits without changing either source file. Have both documents saved and accessible before you start.

What You’ll Need

Microsoft Word desktop app: The Compare command is available in desktop Word for Microsoft 365 and supported desktop editions. Word for the web does not offer the full document-comparison command; open the files in the desktop app instead.
Two documents to compare: The files can be Word documents such as .docx or .doc. Save any latest edits before comparing, and make sure you can locate both files.
A place to save the result: Word normally opens the comparison as a new document. Save that result separately if you need to keep or share it.

Step-by-Step

Save and identify the two versions. Save both files, then decide which is the earlier version and which is the later one. Word uses the labels Original document and Revised document to describe their roles. For example, if a coworker edited your draft, choose your draft as the original and the coworker’s copy as the revised document. The comparison direction affects how Word labels insertions and deletions, so do not choose the files at random.
Open the comparison command. In Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, open a document or start Word, then select Review > Compare > Compare. Depending on the ribbon width, Compare may appear as a button or within a small dropdown in the Compare group. You do not have to open either source file first, but having Word open makes it easy to find the command. If you see Combine as a separate option, use Compare when you want Word to identify differences between two versions.
Choose the original document. In the Compare Documents dialog box, use the file or browse control beside Original document to locate the earlier file. Select it and confirm the selection. Check the filename and, if useful, its folder or modified date. If the file is stored on OneDrive or SharePoint, make sure you choose the correct copy and that it is available to Word rather than an outdated local download.
Choose the revised document. Use the control beside Revised document to select the later file. Confirm that the two fields show different versions of the document. If the same file is selected in both fields, Word may report no meaningful differences. If you are unsure which copy is newer, cancel the dialog, check the files in File Explorer or Word, and reopen Compare after verifying their names and dates.
Review the comparison settings. The dialog may show the settings immediately or provide a More or More >> button. Expand the options if necessary. Choose whether to compare changes such as text, formatting, comments, headers and footers, footnotes, or tables. The available choices can vary by Word version. For a general edit review, leave the relevant defaults selected; for a focused text review, turn off categories you do not need. Avoid disabling an option if you need Word to find that kind of change.
Set how Word displays the result. Look for Show changes in and choose New document if offered. This keeps the original and revised source files separate while Word creates a comparison copy. Other display choices may place revisions in one of the source documents; avoid those if preserving both originals unchanged is important. You can also choose whether changes are shown at the character or word level where that setting is available. Character-level detail can reveal small edits, while word-level markup may be easier to read for larger rewrites.
Run the comparison. Select OK to start. Word may take a little time if the files are long, contain many graphics, or have complex formatting. The result opens as a new document with differences displayed as tracked changes or other revision markup. Word does not simply place the two files side by side; it creates a marked-up comparison that you can inspect using the Review tools.
Review and save the result. Read through the comparison and use Review > Tracking controls, such as Next and Previous, to move through changes. Use the display options in the Tracking group to show markup or a cleaner view, but switch back to a markup view when you need to verify edits. Save the result with a clear name such as Proposal-comparison.docx. Keep the original and revised files too; the comparison document is a review aid, not a replacement for either source.

Common Mistakes

Reversing the versions: Selecting the later file as original and the earlier file as revised can make insertions and deletions appear to run in the opposite direction from what you expect. Confirm which version is earlier before selecting OK.
Comparing the wrong copies: Files with nearly identical names are easy to mix up, especially when one is in Downloads and another is in OneDrive. Check the full path, date, or document content rather than relying on the filename alone.
Expecting a side-by-side view: Compare produces a marked-up result. If you need to read two pages next to each other, open both documents and use Word’s window-view controls instead; that is a different task from generating a comparison.
Ignoring formatting changes: A comparison that checks text but not formatting may not flag layout or style edits. Review the options before running it if formatting differences matter.
Saving over a source file: Save the generated result under a new name. This avoids confusing the comparison with the original or revised document and makes it easier to return to either source.

Tips

Use clear version names. Names such as Report-before-review.docx and Report-after-review.docx are safer than names such as Report-final-final2.docx. Dates in a consistent format can help distinguish copies.
Keep the comparison focused. If the main question is whether wording changed, compare text and consider turning off unrelated categories. If a reviewer changed styles, page layout, or headers, include formatting and the relevant document elements instead.
Check the markup display. A clean reading view can hide edits. Use a view that displays all markup when checking that nothing was missed, and inspect comments separately if they are part of the review.
Save a review copy promptly. Give the result a filename that identifies both versions or the review date. This makes it clear which comparison it represents if either source is edited again later.
For several reviewers, consider Combine. Compare is designed to identify differences between two versions. If you need to bring together tracked changes from multiple reviewers, Word’s Review > Compare > Combine command may be a better fit. Check the chosen documents and options carefully before creating the combined result.

Troubleshooting

Compare is missing or unavailable: Confirm that you are using the desktop version of Word, not Word for the web. On Windows, check the Review tab for the Compare group; a narrow window can collapse ribbon commands into menus. Maximize Word or expand the relevant dropdown. If the command still is not present, check that you have opened Word rather than a preview in a browser or file manager.
Word says there are no differences: Verify that the two selected files are actually different and that the correct copies were chosen. Check whether changes were saved before the comparison. If you expected formatting or comments to appear, reopen the dialog and make sure those categories are included. Changes in content Word does not compare through the selected options will not appear in the result.
The comparison is difficult to read: Change the markup display in the Review tab and move through revisions with Next and Previous. If there are many small edits, try a word-level display if your version offers it. You can also rerun the comparison with fewer categories to reduce unrelated markup.
A file will not open or select: Open each document directly in Word to check that it is not damaged or password-protected, and make sure you have permission to access it. For a cloud file, check your connection and wait for it to sync, or open the current file from its OneDrive or SharePoint location. If the format is old or unusual, use Word’s File > Save As to save a copy as a Word document, then compare the copies.
The result was saved in the wrong place: Use File > Save As in the comparison document to save a separate copy in the folder you want. If you cannot tell which window is the comparison, check its title and the visible revision markup before saving.

On Mac: Word for Mac also includes document comparison in the Review tab, but the ribbon layout and button label can vary by release. Look for Compare or Compare Documents under Review and select the two files in the dialog. If you do not see the command, update desktop Word or check the Review tab’s menus. Word for the web does not provide the same full Compare workflow.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does comparing documents change either original file?
When you choose New document for the comparison output, Word creates a separate marked-up result and leaves the source files as they were. Save the result under a new name to keep the versions distinct.

Can Word compare two documents side by side?
The Compare command identifies differences in a new marked-up document; it is not a side-by-side reading view. To view two open files beside each other, use Word’s window-view options, but remember that this does not automatically mark changes.

Can I compare documents in Word online?
Word for the web does not offer the full desktop Compare command. Open the documents in the Word desktop app, run the comparison there, and then save the result to a location you can access online if needed.

Can Word find formatting changes as well as text edits?
Yes, if formatting is included in the comparison settings available in your version. Check the options in the Compare Documents dialog before you run it; otherwise, some non-text changes may not be shown.

What is the difference between Compare and Combine?
Compare highlights differences between an original and a revised document. Combine is intended to bring together revisions from separate copies, such as copies reviewed by different people. Choose based on whether you want to inspect differences or merge review changes.

Can I accept or reject changes in the comparison?
Yes. The comparison result uses Word’s review markup, so you can use the controls on the Review tab to accept or reject changes. Consider saving a separate working copy before making decisions, especially if you need to preserve the untouched comparison result.

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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