Track Changes in Microsoft Word: A Step-by-Step Guide

To track changes in Microsoft Word, open the document, select Review > Track Changes, and then edit as usual. Word marks insertions, deletions, and other revisions so you can review them later, then accept or reject each change. Turn tracking on before editing: it does not record changes made earlier.

Track Changes is useful when colleagues need to review a draft, when you are editing a policy or report, or when you want a record of revisions before finalizing a document. The steps below use Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows. The Mac version has similar controls, with a few interface differences noted where they matter.

What You’ll Need

A document that you can edit in Microsoft Word. If it is read-only, save or download an editable copy first.
Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows or Mac. Some review actions are also available in Word for the web, though the ribbon and available options can differ.
If several people will edit the document, a shared file in OneDrive or SharePoint is helpful. It is not required, but it makes it easier to work from one current copy.

Step-by-Step

Save a working copy. Before making substantial revisions, use File > Save As to create a copy if you need to preserve an untouched original. For a shared project, agree on one shared document rather than sending several differently named copies. Track Changes shows revisions, but it is not a substitute for a backup or a separate version history.
Open the Review tab. In Word for Windows, select Review on the ribbon. Find the Tracking group and select Track Changes. The button usually changes appearance when tracking is on. If the ribbon is collapsed, expand it or use the tab name to show its commands.

On Word for Mac, select Review > Track Changes. Depending on your Word layout, the control may appear as a button on the Review ribbon. Word for the web also has a Track Changes command on its Review tab, but its options can be more limited than the desktop app.
Check who is being tracked. In Windows, select the arrow beside Track Changes if you want to see its tracking choices. If available in your version, For Everyone records edits by all editors, while Just Mine records your own edits. Choose the setting that fits the review. In a group document, tracking everyone’s revisions is generally the useful choice. If you only see a single toggle, turn it on and proceed; the exact menu can vary by update and account.
Make a small test edit. Type a short word or sentence, or delete a few words, then check that Word marks the edit. Inserted text is commonly underlined or shown in a revision color, while deleted text may appear crossed out or in a balloon. The exact color and placement depend on the view and markup settings. Undo the test edit with Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac if you do not want it to remain.
Edit the document normally. With tracking on, add, remove, or revise text as you usually would. Avoid switching tracking off during a review unless you intentionally want subsequent edits to be unmarked. Word records changes made while the feature is active; it does not reconstruct the editing history of text already in the file.

Formatting changes can also be recorded, depending on the document and markup settings. For example, changing a paragraph’s formatting may create a formatting revision. If a document is long, work in manageable sections and save periodically so you can check the markup as you go.
Choose how to display the markup. On the Review tab, use the Display for Review menu in the Tracking group. All Markup shows revisions in detail; Simple Markup offers a less busy view with indicators for changes; No Markup shows how the document would look without visible revision marks; and Original displays the text as it was before revisions. These options change what you see, not whether changes are accepted or removed.

If some kinds of edits are missing from view, open Show Markup on the Review tab and check the relevant categories, such as Insertions and Deletions or Formatting. You can also use the option for specific people to limit which editors’ revisions are displayed. Hiding a category or author does not delete those revisions.
Review revisions one at a time. Select a marked change, or use Review > Previous and Review > Next in the Changes group to move through the document. Read the surrounding sentence or paragraph before deciding: a deletion may make sense only in context, and an insertion may depend on nearby wording. If you need clarification, add a comment rather than silently changing another person’s edit.
Accept or reject each change. With a revision selected, choose Review > Accept to keep it or Review > Reject to discard it. Use the arrow beside either command for additional choices, such as accepting or rejecting the current change and moving to the next one. Accepting an insertion keeps the added text; rejecting it removes that text. Accepting a deletion removes the deleted words from the document, while rejecting it restores them.

On Mac, use the corresponding Accept and Reject controls on the Review tab. Take care with commands that apply to all changes: they act on the document’s revisions broadly, so use them only after checking the markup and confirming that no unresolved edits need discussion.
Finish the review and turn tracking off if appropriate. When all revisions have been resolved, scan the document for remaining markup. Then select Review > Track Changes to switch tracking off if you do not want new edits recorded. Save the file. If you need to share a clean copy, make sure revisions have actually been accepted or rejected; selecting No Markup alone only hides the marks.

Common Mistakes

Editing before turning tracking on: Word will not mark earlier work retroactively. If you need to show those edits, compare the edited file with an earlier copy using Word’s document comparison feature, or redo the changes with tracking enabled.
Confusing hidden markup with removed markup: Choosing No Markup can make a document look final even though revisions are still pending. Check the Display for Review setting and resolve changes before treating the file as clean.
Accepting everything too soon: Accept All may permanently incorporate changes into the current text, making individual revisions harder to inspect. Review uncertain edits first and keep a separate copy when the original revision trail matters.
Assuming comments are tracked changes: Comments are a separate review feature. They can be useful for discussion, but they do not record text edits. Use Review > New Comment to add a comment where a change needs explanation.
Forgetting tracking is still on: Later edits may continue to appear as revisions, even after you thought the review was finished. Check the Track Changes button before making final changes or preparing a clean copy.

Tips

Agree on a review process. Tell collaborators whether they should edit directly, leave comments, or both. A simple agreement prevents comments from being mistaken for approved wording.
Use All Markup for decisions and Simple Markup for reading. All Markup makes individual edits easier to inspect. Simple Markup can be more comfortable for reading a long document, but switch back when you need to verify what changed.
Review by section. Resolve edits in one heading or chapter at a time, then save. This reduces the chance of overlooking a change in a lengthy file and makes it easier to discuss specific passages.
Check author labels before sharing. Word may associate revisions with the editor’s Office identity or document author settings. If names are sensitive, review the organization’s privacy requirements and document-inspection options before distributing the file; do not assume hiding markup removes author information.
Keep the revision trail until approval. If you may need to explain a decision later, save a copy with the revisions intact before accepting or rejecting them. A clean final version and a marked review copy can serve different purposes.

Troubleshooting

Track Changes appears off, but edits still look marked: The document may contain older revisions. Turn on All Markup and inspect them; the marks do not necessarily mean tracking is currently active. Conversely, if Track Changes is on but new text looks ordinary, check that you are editing the intended document and that the display is not set to hide markup.

Some revisions are missing: On the Review tab, open Show Markup and enable the types of revisions you want to see. Also check whether the display is filtering by a specific reviewer. Choose All Markup and show all reviewers to get a fuller view. If the file is open in Word for the web, open it in the desktop app when you need more detailed review controls.

You cannot accept or reject a change: Make sure the revision is selected, then use the Review tab’s Accept or Reject command. If commands are unavailable, check whether the file is read-only, protected, or open with limited permissions. Ask the owner for editing access or an unrestricted copy rather than trying to bypass protection.

Another editor’s changes are not being recorded: Check the Track Changes menu and select the option that tracks everyone, if that choice is available. Confirm that collaborators are editing the same shared file and that their edits are being saved. For a document stored locally, changes made in separate copies will not appear together automatically.

The document looks clean but markup returns later: The revisions may have been hidden rather than resolved. Select All Markup and accept or reject the remaining changes. If the file is protected or shared, confirm that you have permission to resolve them. Save and reopen the file to verify that the final state is what you expect.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Track Changes record edits I made before turning it on?
No. It records revisions made while tracking is enabled. To show earlier edits, compare the revised document with a saved earlier version or make the edits again with tracking active.

Can I hide tracked changes without accepting them?
Yes. Choose No Markup from Review > Display for Review. This hides the visible revision marks but leaves the revisions in the document. Switch to All Markup to see them again.

How do I remove tracked changes permanently?
Review each change and choose Accept or Reject. To apply one decision to all revisions, use the arrow beside Accept or Reject and choose the relevant all-changes command, but only after confirming that you do not need to preserve individual edits.

Can I track changes made by several people?
Yes. In Word for Windows, open the Track Changes menu and select For Everyone if that option appears. In a shared document, collaborators should edit the same file, and each person’s edits can appear as revisions associated with their identity.

Are comments included in Track Changes?
No. Comments are separate notes attached to document locations. Add them from Review > New Comment; use tracked revisions to show changes to the document’s content or formatting.

Will printing or sharing show the revision marks?
It depends on the display and print settings. Before sharing or printing a final copy, inspect it in No Markup and confirm revisions are resolved if you want clean text. If recipients need to review edits, keep the markup visible and share the marked document.

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

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