To compare two documents in Word, open Word and go to Review > Compare > Compare. Choose the older file under Original document and the newer file under Revised document, then click OK. Word creates a new document that shows every difference as tracked changes, with insertions, deletions, and formatting changes marked, alongside the two original files so you can review them side by side.
How to compare two Word documents
- Open Word. You can start from a blank document or either file.
- Click the Review tab.
- Click Compare, then choose Compare (Compare two versions of a document).
- Under Original document, pick the earlier version. Click the folder icon to browse.
- Under Revised document, pick the later version.
- Optionally, type a name under Label changes with, so the changes are credited to that person.
- Click OK.
How to read the comparison
- Center pane: The compared document, with changes marked in color, like red underlines for insertions and strikethroughs for deletions.
- Left pane: The Revisions list, where you can click any change to jump to it.
- Right panes: The original and revised documents, which scroll together.
To change what’s shown, click Compare > Show Source Documents and choose Hide Source Documents, Show Original, Show Revised, or Show Both.
Choose what Word compares
In the Compare Documents box, click More to see options. You can turn off comparisons for Formatting, Case changes, White space, Comments, Headers and footers, and more. Under Show changes in, choose New document (recommended) so your originals stay untouched.
Accept or reject the differences
- In the compared document, click a change.
- On the Review tab, click Accept or Reject.
- To handle everything at once, click the arrow under Accept and choose Accept All Changes.
- Save the result as a new file.
Combine changes from several reviewers
If two people edited separate copies of the same file, use Review > Compare > Combine instead. Word merges both sets of changes into one document with tracked changes, labeled by reviewer. Repeat to add more copies.
Compare documents in Word for Mac and Word for the web
- Mac: Go to Review > Compare > Compare Documents and follow the same steps.
- Web: In Word for the web, open the revised file and go to Review > Compare, then pick the original from OneDrive or SharePoint. If you don’t see Compare, use the desktop app.
Troubleshooting
- Compare is grayed out: The document may be protected or marked final. Go to File > Info and turn off editing restrictions, or save a copy first.
- “Word compared these documents with tracked changes”: Word treats existing tracked changes as accepted. Accept or reject them in each file before comparing for cleaner results.
- Too many changes shown: Turn off Formatting and White space under More.
- Comparing PDFs: Open each PDF in Word first (File > Open), save them as .docx files, and then compare.
Related: Compare two folders in Windows 10.
Related: How to recover deleted text in Word.
Related: Compare two folders in Windows 11.
Related: Combine comments from two Word documents.
Frequently asked questions
Does comparing change my original files?
No, as long as you show changes in a new document. Both originals stay the same.
Can I compare more than two documents?
Compare works with two at a time. Use Combine repeatedly to merge several reviewers’ copies.
What’s the difference between Compare and Track Changes?
Track Changes records edits as they’re made. Compare finds differences after the fact between two saved versions.
Can I compare documents in Google Docs?
Yes. In Google Docs, go to Tools > Compare documents and choose the other file from Google Drive.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.