Word Compare can find differences between two documents even if Track Changes was never turned on. It creates a new marked-up file while leaving both originals untouched.
Does this affect you?
Use this for Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2021, and Word 2019 on Windows or Mac when you have an original file and an edited copy and need to see exactly what changed.
Compare two versions of a document
Word builds a third document that shows additions and deletions like tracked changes.
- Open Word. A blank document is fine.
- Go to Review > Compare > Compare.
- Set Original document to the first version.
- Set Revised document to the edited version.
- Click More if you want to include or exclude formatting, moves, tables, comments, or other comparison details.
- Click OK.
- Review the new comparison document and accept or reject changes as needed.
The original and revised files are not changed. Save the comparison result separately if you need to keep it.
More control
Use Combine for several reviewers
If multiple people edited separate copies from the same original, use Review > Compare > Combine. It merges revisions from different reviewers into one tracked document.
You do not need both files open
The Compare dialog lets you browse to both documents directly, which is faster when neither file is already open.
Show source documents
When formatting differences make the result busy, use Show Source Documents and choose Show Both. Seeing the original, revised, and marked-up result together makes content changes easier to judge.
Sources
- Microsoft Support – Compare two versions of a document (2025)
- Microsoft Support – Track changes in Word (2025)
- Microsoft Support – Combine revisions from multiple authors into a single document (2024)