How to Compare Two Word Documents on PC or Mac

This wikiHow teaches you how to compare a revised Microsoft Word document to the original version in Windows or macOS.

Steps

  1. Image titled Compare Two Word Documents on PC or Mac Step 1
    1
    Open Microsoft Word on your computer.
  2. Image titled Compare Two Word Documents on PC or Mac Step 2
    2
    Click Blank document. This opens a new document to work in.
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  3. Image titled Compare Two Word Documents on PC or Mac Step 3
    3
    Click the Review tab. It’s in the menu at the top of Word.
  4. Image titled Compare Two Word Documents on PC or Mac Step 4
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    Click the Compare button. It’s in the ribbon bar at the top of Word, toward the right. Look for the two overlapping sheets of paper. A menu will expand.
  5. Image titled Compare Two Word Documents on PC or Mac Step 5
    5
    Click Compare…. The Compare Documents window will appear.
  6. Image titled Compare Two Word Documents on PC or Mac Step 6
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    Select the original document. Click the drop-down menu under “Original document,” then select the file you want to compare.
    • If it’s not listed, click Browse, navigate to the file, then select it.
  7. Image titled Compare Two Word Documents on PC or Mac Step 7
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    Select the revised document. Click the drop-down menu next under “Revised document,” then click the revised file’s name.
    • If it’s not listed, click Browse, navigate to the file, then select it.
  8. Image titled Compare Two Word Documents on PC or Mac Step 8
    8
    Click OK. This opens the documents in compare mode.
    • The middle panel shows how the revisions look in the document.
    • The left panel contains a list of all of the revisions, the name of the person who made the revision (if applicable), and comments.
    • The upper-right panel displays the original document.
    • The bottom-right document displays the revised document if the revisions are accepted.
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About This Article

Nicole Levine, MFA
Written by:
Nicole Levine, MFA
Tech Specialist
This article was written by Nicole Levine, MFA. Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions. This article has been viewed 6,964 times.
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Co-authors: 1
Updated: May 15, 2018
Views: 6,964
Categories: Microsoft Word
Article SummaryX

1. Open Word.
2. Click Blank document.
3. Click Review.
4. Click Compare.
5. Click Compare...
6. Select the original file.
7. Select the revised file.
8. Click OK.

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