Where to find Track Changes and why you need it
Track Changes is a feature in Microsoft Word that records every edit made to a document — insertions, deletions, formatting changes, and comments. When you turn it on, Word marks each change with a colored line or strikethrough, shows who made the change, and timestamps it. This matters for shared documents because you can see exactly what was altered, by whom, and when, without having to compare versions manually.
The feature lives in the Review tab at the top of Word. Once enabled, it stays on until you turn it off, so every keystroke gets logged. You can accept or reject changes one at a time, or accept all at once. If you share documents with colleagues, clients, or collaborators, Track Changes is the standard way to show your work and let others review before finalizing.
Key Takeaways
- Track Changes is found in the Review tab at the top of the Word window and turns on with a single click.
- Once enabled, every edit — text additions, deletions, and formatting — appears marked in the document with the editor's name and timestamp.
- You can review changes one by one and accept or reject each one, or accept all changes at the end.
- Track Changes stays on until you manually turn it off, so you control when recording starts and stops.
- Shared documents with Track Changes on let collaborators see exactly what changed without opening multiple versions.
Turning on Track Changes in Word for Windows
Open the document you want to edit. At the top of the window, click the Review tab. In the Tracking group (the left side of the ribbon), you will see a button labeled Track Changes with a small icon that looks like a pen with a checkmark. Click it once.
The button will highlight or change color to show that tracking is now active. From this moment forward, every change you or anyone else makes to the document will be recorded. You will see edits appear as colored marks in the margins — typically red underlines for deletions and blue for additions, though the colors depend on your settings.
If you want to turn off tracking, return to the Review tab and click Track Changes again. The button will return to its inactive state, and new edits will no longer be recorded. Any changes made while tracking was on remain in the document and can still be reviewed.
Turning on Track Changes in Word for Mac
Open your document and click the Review tab in the ribbon at the top. Look for Track Changes in the Tracking section. Click the button to enable it. On Mac, the button may appear as a toggle switch or a standard button depending on your Word version — either way, one click turns it on.
Once active, you will see changes marked in the document just as you would on Windows. Mac and Windows versions of Word use the same marking system, so if you send a document to someone on a different operating system, they will see the same tracked changes you do.
Understanding the marks Track Changes creates
When Track Changes is on, Word uses visual markers to show what changed. A deletion typically appears as red strikethrough text with a line in the margin. An insertion appears as blue underlined text, also with a margin mark. Formatting changes — like making text bold or changing font size — show as a small mark in the margin, and you can click it to see what changed.
Each mark includes the name of the person who made the edit and the date and time. If you hover over a marked change, a tooltip appears showing these details. This is especially useful in documents edited by multiple people, because you can see at a glance who did what and when.
Reviewing and accepting or rejecting changes
After edits are made and tracked, you need to review them. Go to the Review tab and look for the Accept and Reject buttons in the Changes group. You can move through changes one at a time using the navigation arrows (usually labeled "Next" and "Previous"), or you can accept or reject all changes at once.
To review one change at a time, click the next arrow to jump to the first tracked change. Read it, then click Accept to keep it or Reject to remove it. The document moves to the next change automatically. This method gives you control and lets you decide on each edit individually.
To accept all changes at once, click the small arrow next to the Accept button and select Accept All Changes. All tracked edits become permanent, the marks disappear, and the document is finalized. Use this only when you are confident in all the changes — there is no undo for accepting all at once, though you can use Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac) when ready after if you change your mind.
Changing who Track Changes shows as the editor
By default, Word uses the name from your user account to label changes. If you share a computer or want to change how your name appears, you can update this. On Windows, go to File, then Options, then Trust Center, then Trust Center Settings, then Personal Information. Change the name in the "User name" field.
On Mac, click Word in the menu bar, then Preferences, then User Information. Update the name there. The next time you make a tracked change, it will show the new name. This does not affect changes already made — those keep the original name they were recorded under.
Turning off Track Changes when you are done
When you finish editing and reviewing, turn off Track Changes by clicking the button again in the Review tab. This stops recording new changes. If you have unreviewed changes still in the document, they remain visible until you accept or reject them — turning off tracking does not erase them.
Before sharing a final version, decide whether to accept all changes or leave them for the recipient to review. If you accept all changes, the document shows a clean version with no marks. If you leave changes tracked, the recipient can see your edits and decide whether to keep them. There is no right answer — it depends on your workflow and who needs to see what.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see who made each change if multiple people edited the document?
Yes. Each tracked change shows the editor's name, date, and time. If you hover over a mark or click it, a tooltip or sidebar appears with full details. This works as long as each person uses a different user account on their computer — Word labels changes based on the account name.
What happens if I turn off Track Changes while editing?
Any changes made after you turn it off will not be recorded. Changes made before you turned it off stay in the document and remain visible until you accept or reject them. You can turn tracking back on at any time to resume recording.
Can I undo accepting or rejecting a change?
If you reject a single change by mistake, use Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac) when ready to undo. If you accepted all changes at once and want to undo, use Ctrl+Z right away — it reverses the entire accept-all action. After you save and close the document, undoing is no longer possible.
Does Track Changes work if I email the document to someone else?
Yes. All tracked changes stay in the document when you email it. The recipient will see the same marks, names, and timestamps you see. They can review and accept or reject changes on their end, and those decisions will show in the document.
What if I want to hide the tracked changes while I work but keep recording them?
In the Review tab, find the Display for Review dropdown (usually showing "All Markup" or similar). Change it to "No Markup" to hide the visual marks while you work. Tracking continues in the background — the marks are just hidden. Switch back to "All Markup" to see them again.