How to Turn On Track Changes in Microsoft Word Desktop

To turn on Track Changes in Word desktop, open the document, select Review > Track Changes, and then edit the document. Word will mark your additions, deletions, and other tracked changes so they can be reviewed later. Turn tracking on before making edits; it does not record changes that were already made.

What You’ll Need

Microsoft Word desktop for Windows or Mac. The ribbon labels may vary slightly by Word version, but the Review tab is the usual place to find the control.
A document you can edit. If it is read-only or protected, you may need permission from its owner before Word will let you make and track changes.
A save location for the document, such as your computer or an approved OneDrive or SharePoint folder. Saving before you begin gives you a useful starting point.

Step-by-Step

Open the document and save a starting copy. In Word, open the file you need to edit. If it is important to preserve the original, use File > Save As to create a separate working copy, or confirm that the document is already stored in the right shared location. Track Changes marks edits; it is not a substitute for keeping a backup or version history.
Open the Review tab. Select Review on the ribbon at the top of Word. On Windows, look for the Tracking group. On Mac, the control is also on the Review tab in the ribbon; if the ribbon is collapsed, expand it or use Word’s search box to find “Track Changes.” The names or arrangement of nearby controls can differ slightly by version.
Switch Track Changes on. Select Track Changes. In most current desktop versions, the button changes appearance or becomes highlighted when tracking is active. If the control has a dropdown arrow, open it and select the tracking command rather than a display option. You can also toggle tracking with Ctrl+Shift+E on Windows or Command+Shift+E on Mac.
Check the tracking state before editing. Look again at the Review tab and confirm that Track Changes is highlighted or otherwise shown as on. A shortcut can toggle the setting, so pressing it a second time turns tracking off. If the document is shared, clarify that tracking should remain on while collaborators make their edits.
Make a small test edit. Type a short word or sentence in a suitable place, or delete a few characters, and check that Word marks the change. Additions and deletions often appear in different colors or with a line through deleted text, depending on your markup settings. Undo the test edit if it is not part of the document. This quick check helps distinguish active tracking from simply viewing existing markup.
Choose a readable markup view. On Windows, use Review > Display for Review and choose All Markup to see tracked edits, or use the available markup options to reduce visual clutter. On Mac, use the corresponding display or markup controls on the Review tab. Choose a view that lets you inspect edits; a less detailed view can hide marks without turning tracking off.
Save and continue editing. Save the file with Ctrl+S on Windows or Command+S on Mac. Continue making changes while Track Changes is on. When you finish, leave the document in the state agreed with your reviewer and tell them that edits are marked. Do not accept or reject changes unless you have been asked to make those decisions.

Common Mistakes

Turning it on after editing. Track Changes records edits made while it is enabled. It will not automatically turn earlier untracked edits into tracked changes. If you need earlier work reviewed, compare the edited file with an earlier version using Word’s comparison tools, or redo the changes with tracking on.
Confusing hidden markup with disabled tracking. A display setting can make changes less visible or hide them from the current view. That does not necessarily mean tracking is off, and seeing no marks is not proof that it is off. Check the Track Changes control itself and, when appropriate, switch to All Markup.
Accepting changes instead of just hiding them. Accepting a change incorporates it into the document and removes its revision mark. Rejecting removes the proposed edit. These are different from choosing a simpler display view. Keep changes pending until the person responsible for reviewing them decides what to accept.
Assuming the setting applies to every file. Track Changes is a document editing setting, not a permanent Word-wide mode that guarantees every document will be tracked. Check the control whenever you open a different document or return to one after another person has edited it.
Editing a protected or read-only file. If you cannot type, tracking cannot record your edits. Do not try to work around a restriction; ask the document owner for edit access or an editable copy.

Tips

Use All Markup for a full review. Simple Markup can make a document easier to read, but it may not show every detail inline. Select All Markup when you need to inspect additions, deletions, and formatting revisions before responding.
Use the Reviewing Pane for a summary. In Word for Windows, open Review > Reviewing Pane and choose a vertical or horizontal layout if available. It can help you see how many revisions are present and move through them, especially in a long file. Mac controls can differ by release; use the Review tab’s review and markup options.
Make the editor identifiable. Word uses the name or initials associated with the Office account or application to label revisions. If several people share a computer or account, ask the document owner how to distinguish their edits before work begins. Avoid changing identity settings in a way that misrepresents who made a revision.
Coordinate with collaborators. In a shared OneDrive or SharePoint document, confirm whether everyone should edit with tracking on. Saving and syncing may take a moment, especially if the connection is interrupted. Wait for the file to finish syncing before closing Word or assuming others can see the latest revisions.
Keep comments separate from revisions. Track Changes records edits to document content; comments are separate review notes. Use Review > New Comment when you need to ask a question or explain a change without inserting that explanation into the document text.

Troubleshooting

The Track Changes button is missing. First select the Review tab and expand the ribbon if it is minimized. If you still cannot see the button, use Word’s search box to search for Track Changes. In a managed workplace installation, ribbon customization or organization policies may affect what is available; ask your Microsoft 365 administrator if the command cannot be found.

The button looks on, but my edits are not visible. Switch the document’s review display to All Markup and check the markup options to ensure the relevant types of changes are being shown. Also check that you are editing the document itself rather than a preview or a read-only copy. Make one small test edit and confirm that it appears as a revision. If it does not, save your work, verify that Track Changes is active, and try again in the editable document.

I can see edits, but I do not know who made them. Select a revision or open the Reviewing Pane to inspect its details. Names may be unavailable or unclear if people use the same account, shared computer, or anonymous editing settings. Ask collaborators to identify their edits; do not infer authorship from color alone, because colors are not a reliable identity label.

I cannot turn tracking on or make edits. Check whether the document is marked read-only, opened in Protected View, or restricted by editing protection. If Word displays an editing or permission message, follow the document owner’s instructions or request access. If the button remains unavailable in an editable file, close and reopen the document, confirm Word is signed in as expected, and contact your organization’s support team if the restriction persists.

The keyboard shortcut seems to do the opposite. Ctrl+Shift+E on Windows and Command+Shift+E on Mac toggle Track Changes; they do not only turn it on. If it was already enabled, the shortcut disables it. Check the Review tab after using the shortcut rather than pressing it repeatedly.

My edits disappeared after syncing. Check the document’s version history or ask the owner whether another copy was edited. If Word shows a sync warning, resolve it before continuing and avoid making conflicting edits in multiple copies. Track Changes can mark revisions in a document, but it cannot ensure that separate unsynced copies will merge as expected.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Track Changes work automatically for every document?
No. Check the Review tab each time you open a document. Tracking may be off in a new file or in a document where another editor changed the setting.

Can I turn Track Changes on with a keyboard shortcut?
Yes. Use Ctrl+Shift+E in Word for Windows or Command+Shift+E in Word for Mac. Both shortcuts toggle the setting, so check the Review tab to confirm its state.

Will turning it on show edits made earlier?
No. It tracks changes made after it is enabled. For earlier edits, compare the current document with a previous version or recreate the edits while tracking is on.

Can I hide markup without accepting the changes?
Yes. Change the review display, for example by choosing a simpler markup view. Hiding marks does not accept or reject them, but use All Markup when you need to verify every revision.

Does Track Changes record comments?
No. Comments are separate from tracked edits. Add them using Review > New Comment; Word can show comments and tracked changes together during review.

Is the process different in Word for the web?
The steps here are for the desktop app. Word for the web has its own ribbon layout and may present review controls differently. If you are in a browser, use its Review tab and confirm the tracking state there, or open the document in the desktop app for the desktop steps above.

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