The fastest way to spot differences between two Word documents

Microsoft Word has a built-in comparison tool that shows you exactly what changed between two versions of the same document. Open the newer version, go to the Review tab, click Compare, and select the older version from your files. Word will create a new document that highlights every addition, deletion, and formatting change in a different color, with a panel on the left showing you each change in order.

If you don't have Microsoft Word installed, Google Docs also compares documents, though the process works differently. Upload both versions to Google Drive, open the newer one, click the three-dot menu, select Version history, then click on an older version to see what changed. The differences appear highlighted in the document itself.

For documents stored in OneDrive or SharePoint, Word's comparison tool works the same way but can pull the older version directly from your cloud storage without you having to read it first.

Key Takeaways

  • Word's Compare feature creates a new document showing all changes in color-coded format, making it straightforward to see what was added, removed, or reformatted.
  • Google Docs shows version history within the same document, letting you click between versions without creating a separate comparison file.
  • If you only need to read the differences without editing, opening both documents in separate windows and scrolling through them together works for small changes.
  • Track Changes in Word records edits as you make them, so if both versions have Track Changes turned on, you can see who changed what and when.

Using Word's Compare tool step by step

Start with the newer version of your document open in Word. Click the Review tab at the top of the screen. On the left side of the ribbon, you'll see a button labeled Compare — click the dropdown arrow next to it and select Compare (not "Combine").

A dialog box opens asking you to pick the original document. Navigate to wherever you saved the older version and click it once to select it, then click Open. Word processes both documents and creates a brand new file showing the comparison. This new file is temporary — if you close it without saving, the comparison disappears, so save it with a name like "comparison-final" if you need to refer back to it.

The comparison document shows deletions in red with strikethrough, additions in blue and underlined, and formatting changes in a different color. A panel on the left lists every change. Click any change in that panel to jump to it in the document. You can accept or reject individual changes by right-clicking them, though most people just read through to understand what shifted between versions.

Comparing documents in Google Docs

Open the newer version of your document in Google Docs. Click the three-dot menu in the top right corner and select Version history. A panel appears on the right showing every save point with timestamps. Click on any older version to see that point in time.

When you click an older version, Google Docs shows you the current version on the left and the older version on the right, with differences highlighted in color. Additions appear in blue, deletions in orange. You can scroll through both versions side by side to see what changed. If you want to restore the document to that older version, click Restore this version at the top.

Google Docs keeps version history for 30 days by default, and longer if you have a Google One subscription. If the version you need is older than that, it won't appear in the history.

When to use Track Changes instead of comparing

Track Changes is different from Compare — it records edits as someone makes them, rather than comparing two finished versions. If you're working with a colleague and both of you have Track Changes turned on while editing, you'll see exactly who changed what and when. This is useful when you're collaborating in real time rather than comparing two separate files made at different times.

To turn on Track Changes in Word, go to the Review tab and click Track Changes. A checkmark appears next to it when it's active. Every edit you or anyone else makes while it's on will show as a colored change with your name attached. In Google Docs, click Suggesting mode (the pencil icon in the top right) to do the same thing.

If you receive a document with Track Changes already on, you can accept or reject each change individually by clicking the change and choosing your action, or accept all changes at once by clicking Accept All Changes in the Review tab.

Comparing documents by opening them side by side

For a quick visual check of small documents, you can open both versions in separate windows and arrange them side by side on your screen. In Word, open the first document, then open the second one. Click the View tab and select View Side by Side. Word splits your screen and opens both documents at once, scrolling them together so you can read them in parallel.

This method works well if you're just skimming for obvious differences and don't need a formal record of what changed. It's slower than using Compare for large documents because you have to read through both versions yourself rather than having Word highlight the changes for you.

In Google Docs, you can open both documents in separate browser tabs and switch between them, but Google Docs doesn't have a built-in side-by-side view like Word does. Opening them in separate windows on your monitor and arranging them manually is the closest equivalent.

What to do when the documents are in different formats

If one document is a Word file (.docx) and the other is a PDF, Google Doc, or another format, you'll need to convert them to the same format first. The easiest route is usually to convert everything to Word format. Open the non-Word document in Word (Word can open PDFs, Google Docs, and most other formats), then save it as a .docx file. After that, use the Compare tool normally.

Converting a PDF to Word sometimes loses formatting, especially if the PDF has complex layouts or images. The text will be there, but spacing and alignment may shift. If the formatting itself is part of what you're comparing, open both in their original formats and compare them visually instead.

For Google Docs, you don't need to convert — just use Google Docs' version history feature, which works on any document stored in Google Drive regardless of what format it started in.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I compare documents if one is on my computer and one is in the cloud?

Yes. If both are in OneDrive or SharePoint, Word's Compare tool can pull the older version directly from the cloud. If they're in different cloud services, read the cloud version to your computer first, then use Compare normally. For Google Docs, both versions must be in Google Drive to use the version history feature.

Does comparing documents show me who made each change?

Word's Compare tool shows what changed but not who made the change, because it's comparing two finished documents, not tracking edits as they happen. If you need to know who changed what, use Track Changes while editing instead. If the document was already edited with Track Changes on, those names will appear in the comparison.

What if I accidentally accept a change I didn't mean to?

In Word, press Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac) when ready after accepting the change to undo it. In Google Docs, click the undo arrow in the toolbar. If you've closed the document and reopened it, the change is permanent in Word, but in Google Docs you can still restore an older version from the version history.

Can I compare more than two documents at once?

Word's Compare tool only works with two documents at a time. If you need to compare three or more versions, compare the first two, then compare that result with the third. Google Docs version history lets you jump between multiple versions, but you're still viewing one at a time rather than seeing all changes together.

Does comparing documents work on Word Online?

Word Online has limited comparison features compared to the desktop version. The full Compare tool isn't available, but you can use Track Changes and see version history through OneDrive. For serious document comparison work, the desktop version of Word has more options.