How to Track Changes in Word 2016

Edited 4 months ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

Microsoft OfficeWordTrack ChangesEditingCollaborationReviewWindowsMacDocumentProofreadingWriting

Microsoft Word 2016 is a versatile word processing tool that offers many features to help users easily create, edit, and manage their documents. One of the most powerful features included in Word 2016 is the "Track Changes" feature. This feature is especially useful for users who work collaboratively on documents, as it allows everyone to see what modifications have been made by each contributor, providing transparency and facilitating easier revisions.

In this detailed article, we will go into detail about how to use the “Track Changes” feature in Word 2016, from enabling it, understanding how it works, to efficiently managing tracked changes. We will also include tips and best practices to help you make the most of this feature. Let’s go on this step-by-step journey to master the Track Changes feature in Word 2016.

Understanding track changes

The "Track Changes" feature in Word 2016 allows users to track edits, insertions, deletions, and formatting changes made to a document. When you turn on Track Changes, any changes made by you or other collaborators are recorded with special markup. These changes display as different colors, underlines, strikethroughs, or balloons, making it clear what has been modified from the original text.

This feature is especially useful for working with feedback, revisions, and editing. This is beneficial in situations where multiple reviewers are involved, such as when working on academic papers, business reports, contracts, or creative writing projects. Using Track Changes, authors can easily review changes and accept or reject them, thus streamlining the document revision process.

Enabling track changes

To start using the Track Changes feature, it must first be enabled. Follow these simple steps to turn on Track Changes in Word 2016:

1. Open the document you want to edit in Word 2016.
2. Go to the Review tab on the ribbon at the top of the screen.
3. Click the Track Changes button in the Tracking group. This button acts as a toggle, so clicking it once turns Track Changes on, while clicking it again turns it off.
4. Once Track Changes is enabled, any edits made to the document will be recorded and displayed with markup indicators.

How tracked changes appear

When Track Changes is on, Word 2016 uses a visual cue system to show where and what changes have been made. Here are the different types of changes and how they are displayed:

• Insertion: New text added to a document is usually underlined and displayed in a color different from the standard black, such as blue or red.
• Deleted text is indicated with a strikethrough and may also be colored in a different color. Deleted text may also be indicated as balloons in the margins.
• Formatting changes: Changes to text formatting, such as bolding or changing the font size, are indicated by balloons that describe the specific formatting change.
• Comments: If reviewers add comments, they appear in the margins or in balloons with the relevant text.

View tracked changes

In Word 2016, you have several options for viewing tracked changes. The way changes are displayed can be customized to your liking or based on the purpose of the document. The main views for tracked changes are:

• Simple Markup: This view provides a clean, concise view with minimal markup. Changes are indicated with a red line in the margin, and clicking the line expands to detailed markup.
• All Markup: The entire view shows all changes made to the document, including insertions, deletions, and formatting changes.
• No Markup: This view allows you to see how the document will look after you accept all changes, without any markup.
• Original: Shows the document in its original state, without any changes.

To switch between these views, go to the Review tab, and in the Tracking group, click the dropdown menu next to Simple Markup. Select the desired view from the list.

Review tracked changes

When you're ready to review tracked changes, you should systematically go through each edit and decide whether to accept or reject it. Accepting changes means you agree with the revision, and it will become part of the document. Rejecting changes removes them and retains the original text or formatting. Here's how you can review changes:

1. Go to the Review tab on the ribbon.
2. In the Changes group, you'll find options such as Accept, Reject, and navigation arrows to proceed through the change.
3. Select a change: You can do this by clicking the change directly in the document or by using the navigation arrows.
4. Click Accept to keep the change, or Reject to discard it.
5. Continue reviewing changes in this way throughout the document until all changes have been noted.

Using comments

In addition to tracking changes, you can add comments to your document. Comments are useful for making notes, asking questions, or suggesting revisions. Here's how you can work with comments:

To add a comment:

1. Highlight or click the text where you want to insert your comment.
2. Go to the Review tab on the ribbon.
3. In the Comments group, click New Comment.
4. A comment balloon will appear, where you can write your comment.

To delete a comment:

1. Select the comment by clicking on it.
2. In the Review tab, under the Comments group, click Delete.

Best practices for using Track Changes

The Track Changes feature is a powerful tool, and using it effectively can greatly enhance your collaborative efforts. Here are some best practices to consider when using Track Changes:

Save your work regularly

It is a good practice to constantly save your document while working on modifications. This ensures that your changes remain safe and reduces the risk of data loss due to unforeseen issues.

Keep track of changes during all edits

When you're working in a collaborative environment, make sure Track Changes is enabled throughout the entire editing process to avoid missing any unrecorded edits.

Communicate with colleagues

If you're not the only person working on a document, it's important to communicate with your colleagues. Sharing your changes, questions, and suggestions clearly will make the review process easier for others.

Use comments wisely

Comments are a great way to express the reasoning behind specific changes or provide feedback. Use them to clarify any actions taken, but make sure they are clear and concise.

Advanced options

Word 2016 offers some advanced options for users who want more control over the Track Changes feature. These options can be further customized to optimize your experience.

Changing Track Changes options

To access and modify advanced options for Track Changes:

1. Go to the Review tab.
2. In the Tracking group, click Track Changes, then select Change Tracking Options....
3. In the dialog that appears, you can customize how insertions, deletions, and formatting changes are displayed. Changes can be color-coded for different authors, and the balloons can be adjusted to show specific types of markup.

Tracking only specific changes

If you only want to track specific types of changes, you can apply preferences to the types of changes to track. For example, you can choose to track only insertions and deletions, ignoring formatting changes.

Lock track changes

To prevent others from turning off Track Changes, you can lock this feature:

1. Go to the Review tab.
2. Select Lock Tracking from the Track Changes dropdown.
3. You will be asked to enter a password. Be sure to remember this password, as it will be needed to unlock Track Changes later.

Conclusion

The Track Changes feature in Word 2016 is an indispensable tool for collaborative document editing. By using this feature effectively, you can streamline the review and editing process, ensure transparency, and maintain the integrity of the document's content. By following the guidance provided in this comprehensive guide, you can confidently implement and manage Track Changes in your Word documents, increasing productivity and clarity in collaborative projects. Whether you are an individual author receiving feedback or a team working on a project, mastering Track Changes will ensure that all contributions are easily acknowledged and evaluated.

  Share This Article

If you find anything wrong with the article content, you can request an update