How to Track Changes and Add Comments in Word

Edited 1 day ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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Microsoft Word is a powerful tool used for document creation and editing. One of its invaluable features is the ability to track changes and add comments. This feature is especially useful for collaborative work where multiple people need to suggest edits and provide feedback on documents.

Understanding track changes

Track Changes in Microsoft Word is a feature that records all the changes made to a document. This helps you and others working on the same document to see who made specific changes and what those changes are. This feature proves extremely helpful in situations where multiple users need to collaborate on the same document without knowing who made what changes.

How to enable track changes

Enabling Track Changes in Word is simple. Here are the steps:

1. Open the document you want to edit in Microsoft Word.
2. Go to the ribbon at the top of the window.
3. Select the Review tab.
4. In the Review tab, look for the Track Changes button. Click it to turn on the Track Changes feature.
5. Now, any changes you make to the document will be highlighted, and Word will record who made each change.

Once Track Changes is activated, all insertions, deletions, and formatting changes will be marked in the document. Each type of change is usually shown in a different color, and the name of the person making each change will usually appear in a bubble.

Review of changes

After using Track Changes in a document, the next important step is to review those changes. Here's how you can review changes in a document:

1. Click the Review tab in the ribbon menu at the top of your document.
2. Go to the Tracking section under the Review tab.
3. Here you'll find a way to view the changes, as well as the option to accept or reject them.
4. You can move through the changes by clicking Next and Previous.

It is also possible to view the changes in different layouts. Under the Review tab, in the Tracking group, there is a Display for Review drop-down menu. This menu has options such as Simple Markup, All Markup, No Markup, and Original. Each option gives you a different view of the changes:

• Simple markup: Provides a clean view with indicators of where changes have been made.
• All Markup: Shows detailed changes with inline editing and comment boxes.
• No Markup: Displays the final version of your document as if all changes were accepted.
• Original: Shows the document before any changes were made.

Accepting and rejecting changes

Once you review the changes, you can choose to accept or reject them. To do this:

1. In the Review tab, find the Changes group.
2. Click Accept to accept the change. Word will apply the change to your document.
3. Click Reject to cancel the change and retain the original content.
4. You can also accept or reject all changes at once via the drop-down menus located beside these options.

Adding comments

In addition to tracking changes, Microsoft Word allows you to add comments. Comments are useful for adding notes, suggestions, or reminders next to specific parts of the text. Here's how you can add comments:

1. Highlight the text or place the cursor where you want to add the comment.
2. Go to the Review tab in the ribbon.
3. In the Comments group, click New Comment.
4. A comment box will appear on the right sidebar, in which you can write your note.

Comments can be viewed along with the text they refer to, and if you're collaborating with others you can reply to comments. This enhances communication and ensures everyone is on the same page.

Replying to comments

In a collaborative work environment, responding to comments can help lead to better understanding and quicker decision-making:

1. Click the comment you want to respond to.
2. Select the answer in the comment box.
3. Type your answer and press Enter.

Deleting comments

You may need to delete a comment after it's been addressed or if it's no longer relevant. You can delete comments individually or delete all comments in a document:

1. To delete an individual comment, right-click the comment and select Delete Comment.
2. To delete all comments, go to the Review tab, find the Comments group, click the drop-down next to Delete, and select Delete all comments in the document.

Using the Review pane

For large documents with significant changes and comments, using the Review Pane can help you navigate through the changes and comments more efficiently. To use the Review Pane:

1. Go to the Review tab.
2. In the Tracking group, click Review Pane.
3. The Review pane provides a summary of all changes. You can view this pane vertically on the left side of your screen or horizontally at the bottom.

The Review Pane allows you to view all editing changes and comments in a list format, making them easier to manage and review, especially in long documents.

Setting track changes options

Microsoft Word also provides customizable options for Track Changes. To set these options:

1. Go to the Review tab and click the small diagonal arrow in the lower-right corner of the Tracking group to open the Track Changes Options window.
2. Here, you can customize how Word displays changes, such as color-coding for insertions and deletions. You can also decide how to view changes in formatting.

These options can be customized to suit individual preferences or the specific needs of your collaborative work, making document review and editing a more personalized experience.

Protecting document changes

If you want to make sure that others can suggest changes, but not edit the document directly, you can protect it with Track Changes:

1. Go to the Review tab.
2. In the Protect group, click Restrict Editing.
3. Select Allow only this type of editing in the document, and then choose Tracked changes from the list.
4. When that's done, click Yes, start enforcing security and set the password.

This way, anyone without a password will only be able to suggest changes using Track Changes, but will not be able to turn off the feature or accept changes.

How to share changes

When your tracked changes document is ready, you may need to share it for review. Here are a few ways:

• Send via email: You can attach the document to an email. By default, Word will send the document while retaining all changes.
• Sharing via OneDrive: Upload your document to OneDrive, and use Word Online to share the link with others. Track Changes can be used online just like on the desktop version.

These methods keep your tracked changes and comments intact, allowing recipients to review, edit, and provide feedback as needed.

Track changes in different versions of Word

The Track Changes feature is similar across different versions of Microsoft Word, although some interface elements may vary slightly:

• Word for Windows: All the features discussed here apply. Depending on the version, the appearance of the ribbon and the Track Changes button may vary slightly.
• Word for Mac: The process is similar, although the layout may differ. Features such as the Review Pane and Protect Changes are available.
• Word Online: Offers limited Track Changes functionality, but allows basic review and editing functions.

Conclusion

Microsoft Word's Track Changes and Comments features are essential tools for collaborative editing and document review. They help maintain transparency in editing processes by tracking each change and allowing in-depth commenting. Understanding how to enable, manage, and share documents with these features is important for professionals and students who rely on collaborative document editing. Efficient use of these tools not only increases productivity but also ensures a high standard of editing quality. By following the steps mentioned above, anyone can effectively use these powerful tools to improve their workflow and document management in Microsoft Word.

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