OmniDocWord Track Changes Settings: Markup, Comments and View
Learn which Track Changes settings control markup, comments and the review view in a .docx file, and how to set each one for reviewing or reading.
If you have opened a contract or manuscript and found it covered in colored underlines, strikethroughs and margin notes, you have met tracked changes. Editing with tracking on is useful, but the markup can make a document hard to read, especially when several reviewers have worked on it. The word track changes settings decide what you see on screen, not what the text says, so a few options are enough to switch between a full review view and a clean read.
This guide explains the Track Changes options that control markup, comments and the review view. It gives a general method you can follow in any word processor that supports tracked changes in .docx files. You will learn how to choose a markup display, control comments and formatting marks, and confirm that the view matches your goal before you save or share the file.
Which word track changes settings control what you see? The short answer
Three groups of settings control the view: the markup display, the comment display and the formatting marks. None of them accept or reject a change, so you can switch them freely while you work. Choose the combination in the table that matches your task.
| Your situation | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You want to read the text as it will look after all edits | Choose a view with no markup or a simplified view | You see the result without changing the document |
| You are reviewing and need every change visible | Choose the view that shows all markup, with comments in the margin | Nothing is hidden while you check edits |
| You want to see the starting version | Choose the original view | You can compare against the text before any edits |
| Comments crowd the page | Hide comments in the display options | The comments stay in the file for the author |
| You need to find spaces or paragraph breaks | Turn on formatting marks | Symbols show where spaces, tabs and returns sit |
Before you start
- Open the file in an editor that supports tracked changes. Some viewers show markup in fixed colors and ignore your display settings, so you need an editor that honors them.
- Save a copy first. Changing views does not change content, but accepting or rejecting does. A copy protects the work of your reviewers.
- Find out whether tracking is on. Turning it on affects only edits made from that point forward. Markup that already exists stays as it is.
- Check the author and color settings if several people edited the file. These decide how each reviewer's changes are labeled, which helps when you need to tell edits apart.
- Decide who the file is for. An editor checking edits needs full markup. A reader who needs a clean copy needs no markup and no comments.
Setting up markup, comments and view, step by step
- Open the .docx file and find the review options. In most word processors, the Track Changes controls sit in a review section of the toolbar or ribbon.
- Check whether tracking is on. Turn it on if your edits need to be visible to others. Leave it off when you only need to read or format.
- Pick a markup display. Programs usually offer a full markup view, a simplified view that shows the result, a no-markup view and an original view. Choose the one that matches your task.
- Set how comments appear. Depending on the program, comments may show in margin balloons or inline. Hiding them changes only what you see on screen.
- Choose which types of markup to show. Insertions, deletions and formatting changes can often be shown or hidden separately. Turn off the types you do not need so the page is easier to read.
- Turn on formatting marks if you need them. These marks show spaces, tabs and paragraph breaks. They are a display setting and do not change the text.
- Scroll through the document once in the chosen view. Confirm that the page looks the way you expect before you save or share it.
- Save the file. If other people will review it later, keep this marked-up version as a separate copy.
Check the result
Once you have set the view and saved, check these items before you share the file.
| Check | How to see it | If it's wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Markup matches the view you picked | Scroll the page and look for colored underlines and strikethroughs | Reopen the display options and select the view again |
| Comments appear where you expect | Look in the margin or in the comment list | Adjust the comment display setting; the comments remain in the file |
| Formatting marks match your need | Turn them on and look for symbols at line ends | Turn them off again; they only affect the display |
| Hidden markup has not been lost | Turn all markup back on and review the changes | Changes stay in the file even when hidden; accept or reject only after review |
| Printed or exported copies match the screen | Print one page or export a copy and look at it | Check the print markup setting, since markup may print or not depending on your choice |
🎯 Which approach fits you?
- Authors usually keep full markup on while editing, so every change is recorded and easy to explain to reviewers.
- Reviewers often need the full markup view with comments in the margin, plus the original view to compare against the starting text.
- Readers and approvers who need a final copy generally work in a no-markup or simplified view and check the result before sending it on.
❓ FAQ
1. Why can't I see comments in the margin?
Comments may be hidden in the display options, the window may be too narrow to show margin balloons, or your program may show comments inline. Check the comment display setting first, then widen the window or switch to a different comment display.
2. What do the word track changes symbols mean?
Colored underlines usually mark inserted text, strikethroughs mark deleted text, and a vertical line in the margin flags a changed line. The exact symbols vary by program, so check your program's help for the legend. Formatting marks, such as the paragraph symbol, are a separate setting.
3. Does changing the view accept my edits?
No. Changing the view only changes what you see. Accepting or rejecting is a separate action that writes changes into the text, so make that decision after review and keep a copy beforehand.
4. Can I see tracked changes in an OmniDoc file?
The OmniDoc features described here do not cover a track-changes display, so use your word processor for the settings in this guide. To see differences between two PDF versions of a document, the OmniDoc desktop client includes a compare feature for PDFs that shows what changed between them.
📝 Summary
The word track changes settings let you decide how much markup, comments and formatting marks you see. Choose the view that fits your task, check the result before sharing, and remember that changing the view never changes the text itself.
