Track Changes in Word on iPad: A Step-by-Step Guide

To track edits in Word on an iPad, open your document, tap Review, and turn on Track Changes before editing. Word will mark additions, deletions, and other revisions so you or a collaborator can inspect, accept, or reject them later. You need the Word app and permission to edit the document; the exact ribbon layout can vary slightly with the app version and screen size.

What You’ll Need

An iPad with the Microsoft Word app installed and an editable document open.
Edit permission for the file. If it opens as read-only, ask the owner for access or save an editable copy if you are allowed.
A Microsoft account if you need to access a file stored in OneDrive or collaborate online. An internet connection is needed to sync cloud changes.
Optional: a keyboard or Apple Pencil. Neither is required; you can use the iPad touchscreen.

Step-by-Step

Open the document you want to revise. Launch Word and open the file from the Home or Open screen, or find it in OneDrive or another location available to Word. Wait for the document to finish loading. If several people are working on the same file, confirm that you opened the current shared copy rather than an older download or duplicate.
Check that you can edit it. Tap in the document and see whether the editing ribbon and insertion point are available. If Word indicates that the file is read-only or you only have viewing access, Track Changes will not let you record edits to that original. Request edit access, or use an authorized copy. Avoid making a separate copy without telling collaborators, because their comments and revisions will not automatically appear in it.
Open the Review controls. Tap the Review tab in Word’s ribbon. If the ribbon is collapsed, tap a tab or the ribbon-expansion control near the top of the screen to reveal its commands. On a smaller iPad display, you may need to swipe through the ribbon or open an overflow menu to find Track Changes.
Turn on Track Changes before making edits. In the Review controls, tap Track Changes. The command may appear as a button or toggle. Look for a changed, highlighted, or selected state to confirm it is on. If you are unsure, tap the control once and check its state rather than tapping repeatedly; a second tap may switch tracking back off.
Make a small test edit if the document is important. Add a short word or punctuation mark in a suitable place, then check that Word displays it as a revision. You can undo the test edit if needed, but do not use this test in a final document without removing it. This simple check is useful when you cannot tell whether the toggle is active from its appearance.
Edit the document normally. Type new text, delete text, or change formatting as needed. With tracking enabled, Word records revisions instead of silently replacing the original text. The markup’s appearance depends on the document’s settings and display mode: insertions may be underlined or shown in a color, while deletions may appear crossed out or in a margin balloon. Formatting changes can also be recorded when the document’s tracking settings include them.
Review the markup as you work. Use the Review tab’s markup or display controls, if shown, to choose how revisions appear. A view such as All Markup makes changes easier to inspect; a simpler view may hide some detail without deleting the revisions. If the screen is crowded, zoom in or review one section at a time. Do not assume that a clean-looking page means there are no tracked changes: the current display mode may be hiding them.
Accept or reject revisions only after checking them. Tap a tracked change or place the cursor in the relevant revision, then use the Review tab’s Accept or Reject command if it is available. Accepting keeps the edit as ordinary document text; rejecting removes the proposed edit and restores the prior wording where applicable. Review changes individually when possible. Commands that accept or reject all changes can make broad, difficult-to-reverse edits, so use them only after confirming that you intend to resolve every revision.
Turn tracking off when you are done, then save and sync. Return to Review and tap Track Changes again to switch it off. This stops Word from recording your next edits; it does not remove revisions that have already been tracked. Save using the document’s save control if one is shown, and allow a cloud file time to sync before closing Word or going offline.

For reference, the desktop ribbon uses the same general route: Review > Track Changes in Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows and Word for Mac. The iPad interface is touch-oriented, so commands may be rearranged or placed in an overflow menu; desktop instructions that rely on right-clicking or keyboard shortcuts may not match what you see on the tablet.

Common Mistakes

Editing before switching tracking on. Word does not normally turn earlier edits into tracked revisions just because you enable the feature afterward. Turn it on first. If you already made untracked edits, undo them if appropriate and repeat them with tracking enabled, or explain the changes to the document owner.
Thinking hidden markup has disappeared. A display choice can make revisions less visible, but that does not necessarily resolve them. Switch to a markup view that shows all revisions before deciding the document is clean.
Turning tracking off instead of resolving changes. Switching the feature off only affects future editing. Existing insertions and deletions remain until someone accepts or rejects them.
Accepting everything too quickly. A batch action can incorporate revisions you have not read. Check the author, wording, and context before accepting or rejecting a large group of edits.
Confusing comments with tracked changes. Comments are notes attached to the document; they are not the same as recorded text edits. Turning Track Changes on does not automatically convert comments into revisions or resolve them.
Editing the wrong copy. A downloaded attachment and a shared OneDrive document can have similar names but separate revision histories. Check the file location and sync status before you begin.

Tips

Agree on a review method. For a shared document, tell collaborators whether they should leave tracked revisions for an editor to resolve or accept their own changes. A consistent approach prevents several people from resolving the same edits differently.
Use descriptive file names for separate drafts. If you need a review copy, label it clearly, such as “Proposal – review copy,” and make sure collaborators know which file is authoritative. This is safer than silently creating multiple files with nearly identical names.
Review in manageable sections. On a tablet, long pages of markup can be hard to scan. Work through one heading or page at a time, and use the next/previous change controls if they are available in your Review ribbon.
Keep the original wording in view. When deciding whether an edit improves a sentence, compare the proposed text with the deleted text rather than reading only the final-looking version. This is especially helpful for changed numbers, dates, names, and legal or technical terms.
Check synchronization before handing off. If the document is in OneDrive, wait for the save or sync indicator to settle. If you must work without a connection, reopen the file online later and confirm that your latest revisions have synced before telling others to review it.
Use a keyboard only as an optional aid. A hardware keyboard can make editing faster, but the Track Changes switch remains in the Review ribbon. Do not rely on a desktop shortcut unless Word for iPad shows that shortcut for the command.

Troubleshooting

Track Changes is missing. Tap Review and expand the ribbon, then check any overflow menu. Update Word from the App Store if the app is old, and make sure you are in the document editor rather than a preview screen. The command may be unavailable when you have view-only access.

The button does not look active. Tap it once and inspect its selected state. If the ribbon layout makes that unclear, make a harmless test edit and see whether it appears as a revision; undo the test afterward. Also check that you are editing the same document you intend to share.

Edits appear without markup. First check whether tracking was enabled before those edits were made. Then switch the display to show all markup, if that option is present. If the edit happened while tracking was off, enabling it now will not usually reconstruct the missing revision history.

You cannot accept or reject a change. Select the revision itself or place the cursor within the affected text, then reopen Review. If the file is read-only, request edit permission. Some controls can be tucked into a menu on a narrow display, so expand or scroll the ribbon before concluding that the command is absent.

Your changes are not visible to other people. Check your internet connection and the file’s sync status. Confirm that everyone is opening the same cloud file and has the required access. If you worked offline, reconnect and leave Word open long enough to upload the edits; do not delete a local copy until you have verified the cloud version.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Track Changes work in Word on iPad?

Yes. In the Word app, open the document, tap Review, and turn on Track Changes. The available review controls and their placement can differ slightly by app version or screen layout.

Can I track changes in a document stored in OneDrive?

Yes, provided you have permission to edit it. Keep the iPad online when possible so Word can sync revisions, and make sure collaborators are opening the same shared file rather than a downloaded copy.

Does turning Track Changes off remove existing revisions?

No. Turning it off stops new edits from being tracked. To clear existing revisions, review them and accept or reject them; hiding markup only changes how it is displayed.

Can I see who made each change?

Word can associate revisions with the editor’s account, especially in a shared document. Make sure you are signed in, and review the displayed author information where the app shows it. If people share one account or edit a copy separately, attribution may be less useful.

Can I track changes without an internet connection?

You may be able to edit a file already available on the iPad, but cloud collaboration and syncing require a connection. Reconnect afterward and confirm the revisions have uploaded before relying on them as the shared review copy.

Are comments included when I turn on Track Changes?

No. Comments and tracked edits are separate review features. Use comments for questions or explanations, and Track Changes for proposed alterations to the document’s text or formatting.

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