Tracking changes in Microsoft Word is an essential skill for professionals and students alike. Even our courts have recognised its importance. Ultimately, tracking changes makes it easier to review edits, collaborate with others and ensure the final version is polished and precise. This post walks you through how to track changes in Microsoft Word.

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What does it mean to track changes?

“Tracking changes” in the context of document editing, particularly in software like Microsoft Word, refers to a feature that records and displays any edits made to a document.

When you enable this feature, the software logs all changes, including additions, deletions and formatting alterations. Each change is highlighted in the document, usually with a different colour or markup style, so it’s easy to identify what has been altered.

This feature is especially useful in collaborative environments where multiple people work on a document. It allows users to see who made specific changes, when, and what exactly was changed. Users can then review these changes, accepting or rejecting them individually or en masse. Tracking changes is an invaluable tool for ensuring transparency and accuracy in document editing and is widely used in business, legal, academic and other professional settings.

Enabling track changes

  1. Open your document: Open the Microsoft Word document you wish to edit.
  2. Go to the review tab: In the top menu, find and click on the “Review” tab.
  3. Enable track changes: Look for the ‘Track Changes’ button in the toolbar and click it. This action will enable tracking for any changes made to the document.

Making edits with track changes enabled

Once you’ve enabled Track Changes, any addition, deletion or alteration you make in the document will be highlighted.

  • Additions are usually underlined.
  • Deletions are shown with a strikethrough or in the margins.
  • Formatting changes are also tracked.

Reviewing changes

To review the changes:

  1. Navigate to the changes section: In the Review tab, you will find options to navigate the changes.
  2. Accept or reject changes: Use the ‘Accept’ or ‘Reject’ buttons to approve or dismiss changes. You can perform this action for each change individually or for all changes at once.

Viewing different modes

Word offers different modes for viewing tracked changes:

  • Simple markup: Shows the final version without inline markups. Red bars in the margin indicate where changes have been made.
  • All markup: Displays all edits and comments inline.
  • No markup: Shows the document as it appears with all accepted changes.
  • Original: Displays the original document without any changes.

Comparing documents

If you have two versions of a document, Word can compare them and highlight differences:

  1. Go to the review tab.
  2. Click on ‘Compare’: Choose ‘Compare’ and then ‘Compare Documents’ from the dropdown menu.
  3. Select documents: Choose the original document and the revised document, and click “OK”.
  4. Review the comparison: Word will open a new document showing the differences with tracked changes.

Finalising the document

Once all changes have been reviewed and accepted or rejected:

  1. Turn off track changes: Click the ‘Track Changes’ button to turn it off.
  2. Ensure all changes are accepted: Go through the document to ensure no changes are left unaddressed.
  3. Save the final version: Save the document with a new name to preserve the final version.

Tips for effective document reviews

  • Use comments: Alongside tracked changes, you can add comments for explanations or suggestions.
  • Regularly save your work: To prevent data loss, regularly save the document, especially when working on lengthy or important documents.
  • Collaborate efficiently: When collaborating, ensure all parties are familiar with the redlining process to maintain consistency.