A Word document with tracked changes and comments shows colored markup: insertions, deletions and margin balloons. If you send or save it as-is, recipients may see all of it, even if you’ve hidden markup on your screen. To save a clean copy without markup, you need to accept or reject the changes and delete comments, not just change the view. This guide shows the reliable method, how to keep a marked-up original, and how to save a clean PDF.
Quick Answer
Save a copy of the document first. Then go to Review > Accept > Accept All Changes and Stop Tracking, and Review > Delete > Delete All Comments in Document. Save the file. It now contains no markup.
Why “No Markup” View Isn’t Enough
Choosing No Markup in the Review tab only hides changes on your screen. The tracked changes and comments are still in the file, and anyone who opens it can switch the view back to All Markup. To remove markup for good, accept or reject every change.
Step 1: Keep a Copy of the Marked-Up Version
Use File > Save As to save a copy, such as “Contract – clean.docx.” Work on the copy so the original with its history stays intact.
Step 2: Accept (or Reject) All Tracked Changes
- Go to the Review tab.
- Click the arrow under Accept.
- Choose Accept All Changes and Stop Tracking.
To review changes one by one, click Next and choose Accept or Reject for each. Choose Reject > Reject All Changes if you want to discard them instead.
Step 3: Delete All Comments
- On the Review tab, click the arrow under Delete in the Comments group.
- Choose Delete All Comments in Document.
Step 4: Check for Hidden Items
- Go to File > Info > Check for Issues > Inspect Document.
- Click Inspect, then Remove All next to Comments, Revisions, and Versions and other items you don’t want to share (such as document properties).
- Save the document.
Save a Clean PDF
- After accepting changes (or with No Markup selected), choose File > Save As or Export, and pick PDF.
- Click Options and set Publish what to Document (not “Document showing markup”).
- Click OK and Save.
Word saves PDFs using the current markup view, so choosing No Markup first also works for PDFs. For Word files, always accept changes.
Print Without Markup
Press Ctrl + P, click the first setting under Settings (Print All Pages), and uncheck Print Markup.
Word for Mac
The same Review tab commands work: Accept > Accept All Changes and Stop Tracking, and Delete > Delete All Comments. To strip personal information, go to Word > Preferences > Security & Privacy and check Remove personal information from this file on save.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will accepting all changes remove formatting changes too?
Yes. Formatting changes are accepted and become part of the document.
Can I undo after accepting all?
Press Ctrl + Z immediately, or reopen the marked-up original you saved.
How do I stop Word from tracking new changes?
Click Track Changes on the Review tab so it’s off. “Accept All Changes and Stop Tracking” does this automatically.
Summary
- Save a copy.
- Review > Accept > Accept All Changes and Stop Tracking.
- Delete all comments and run Inspect Document.
- Save the Word file or export a PDF without markup.
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.