Combining Word documents can mean two different jobs. You may need to merge several edited copies of the same original with tracked changes, or you may simply need to stack separate files into one finished document. Word has a different tool for each case.
Does this affect you?
Use this for Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2021, and Word 2019 on Windows or Mac when reviewer copies, appendices, chapters, or reports need to become one file.
Combine tracked changes from reviewer copies
Use this when several people edited their own copy of the same starting document.
- Open Word and go to the Review tab.
- Click the Compare dropdown and choose Combine.
- Under Original document, select the clean starting version.
- Under Revised document, select the first reviewer copy.
- Click More if you want to include or exclude formatting, comments, moves, or other change types.
- Click OK.
- Use the combined result as the Original document for the next reviewer copy, and repeat until all reviewer versions are included.
The result is a new document containing the edits as tracked changes. Reviewer names remain attached to changes when Word can identify them, so you can accept or reject each change deliberately.
Insert separate documents into one file
Use this when the documents are not alternate edited versions, but separate pieces that should appear one after another.
- Open the main document, or start a blank one.
- Click where the next file should be inserted.
- Open Insert > Object.
- Use the dropdown beside Object and choose Text from File.
- Select the document to insert and click Insert.
- Repeat for each additional file.
Word places the full contents of each selected file at the cursor position. This does not compare edits or preserve a separate tracked-change merge history by itself.
More control
Compare versus Combine
Compare is best for checking one revised file against one original file. Combine is meant for folding multiple tracked-change reviewer copies into one review document.
Resolve conflicting edits
When reviewers changed the same wording in different ways, Word marks the conflict. Use Review > Accept or Reject on that specific change instead of expecting Word to choose for you.
Clean formatting after insertion
Inserted documents may bring their own styles, fonts, and spacing. Select the inserted section and apply the main document styles, or use Clear All Formatting and then reapply the intended style.
Keep a review copy
Before accepting all changes, save a version that still shows tracked changes. Then use Review > Accept > Accept All Changes to create the clean final file.
Sources
- Microsoft Support – Combine or merge documents (2025)
- Microsoft Support – Compare document versions using Compare (2025)
- Microsoft Support – Insert text from another file into Word (2024)