Track Changes is a core collaboration feature in Word that marks every insertion, deletion, and formatting change made to a document. While you can enable it from the Review tab, clicking the Track Changes button each time slows down editing workflows. Many users want a faster way to toggle this feature on and off without leaving the keyboard.
Word does not expose the Track Changes toggle in the default Customize Keyboard dialog the same way it does for commands like Bold or Save. However, you can assign a custom keyboard shortcut to the TrackChanges command using the Customize Keyboard feature. This article shows you how to set that shortcut, including the exact command name and menu path to use.
You will learn the steps to assign a new shortcut, how to reset a shortcut that conflicts with another command, and what to do if the shortcut does not work after you set it. The instructions apply to Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016 on Windows.
Key Takeaways: How to Set a Shortcut for Track Changes Toggle
- File > Options > Customize Ribbon > Customize Keyboard Shortcuts (bottom of the dialog): Opens the Customize Keyboard window where you assign a new shortcut to the TrackChanges command.
- Categories: All Commands > Commands: TrackChanges: The exact category and command name you must select to find the Track Changes toggle function.
- Press new shortcut key field: The text box where you type the desired key combination, such as Alt+Shift+C, before clicking Assign.
Overview of the Track Changes Toggle Command
The Track Changes feature in Word records edits made to a document. When Track Changes is on, any text you add appears in a colored underline, and any text you delete appears in a colored strikethrough. Formatting changes are also marked. This feature is essential for collaborative editing, reviewing, and proofreading workflows.
The command that controls this feature is named TrackChanges in the Word command list. It appears under the All Commands category in the Customize Keyboard dialog. This command acts as a toggle: each time you run it, it switches the Track Changes state from on to off or off to on.
Word does not assign a default keyboard shortcut to the TrackChanges command. The default shortcut Ctrl+Shift+E is assigned to the Reviewing Pane command, not to the Track Changes toggle. This is why many users think the shortcut is missing or broken. You must manually assign a shortcut to the TrackChanges command through the Customize Keyboard dialog.
Steps to Assign a Keyboard Shortcut to Track Changes Toggle
Follow these steps to create a custom shortcut that toggles Track Changes on and off in Word. The process is the same for Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016.
- Open Word Options
Click the File tab in the top-left corner of the Word window. In the backstage view, click Options at the bottom of the left panel. The Word Options dialog opens. - Go to the Customize Ribbon section
In the Word Options dialog, click Customize Ribbon in the left navigation list. This page shows the ribbon customization options. - Open the Customize Keyboard dialog
At the bottom of the Customize Ribbon page, next to the label Keyboard shortcuts, click the Customize… button. The Customize Keyboard dialog appears. - Select the All Commands category
In the Categories list on the left side of the Customize Keyboard dialog, scroll down and click All Commands. This list contains every command available in Word. - Find the TrackChanges command
In the Commands list on the right side, scroll down until you see TrackChanges. Click it to select it. If you have many commands, you can press the letter T on your keyboard to jump to commands starting with T. - Check the Current keys box
Look at the Current keys box below the Commands list. It shows any shortcuts already assigned to this command. For a fresh Word installation, this box is empty. - Type your new shortcut in the Press new shortcut key field
Click inside the Press new shortcut key text box. Press the key combination you want to use. For example, press Alt+Shift+C. Word displays the combination in the text box. Below the text box, Word shows whether that combination is currently assigned to another command. If it shows [unassigned], you can safely use it. If it shows another command name, choose a different combination to avoid conflicts. - Assign the shortcut
Click the Assign button. Word moves the new shortcut from the Press new shortcut key box to the Current keys list. This confirms the shortcut is now assigned to the TrackChanges command. - Close both dialogs
Click Close to exit the Customize Keyboard dialog. Then click OK to close the Word Options dialog. Your new shortcut is now active. - Test the shortcut
Open any document. Press your new shortcut, for example Alt+Shift+C. Look at the status bar at the bottom of the Word window. You should see the Track Changes indicator toggle between Track Changes: Off and Track Changes: On. If the status bar does not show this indicator, right-click the status bar and enable Track Changes in the Customize Status Bar menu.
If the Shortcut Does Not Work After You Set It
Several issues can prevent a custom Track Changes shortcut from working. The most common causes are add-in conflicts, a corrupted Normal.dotm template, or the shortcut being assigned to the wrong command.
The shortcut does nothing when pressed
If pressing your assigned shortcut produces no visible change, first confirm the shortcut is saved in the correct template. In the Customize Keyboard dialog, look at the Save changes in dropdown at the bottom. Set it to Normal.dotm to make the shortcut available in all documents. If it is set to a specific document, the shortcut only works in that document. Reassign the shortcut with Normal.dotm selected.
The shortcut opens a different feature
This happens when the shortcut you chose is already assigned to another command. In the Customize Keyboard dialog, when you type a shortcut, Word shows the name of the currently assigned command below the Press new shortcut key field. If you see a command name there, choose a different shortcut. Common conflicts include Alt+Shift+D (insert date field) and Ctrl+Shift+E (open Reviewing Pane). Choose a combination that shows [unassigned].
Track Changes toggle works but the status bar does not update
The Track Changes indicator on the status bar may not update immediately if the status bar is not configured to show it. Right-click the status bar at the bottom of the Word window. In the pop-up menu, click Track Changes to enable it. A checkmark appears next to the item. The indicator now shows the correct state each time you toggle.
Word Built-in Shortcut vs Custom Shortcut for Track Changes
| Item | Built-in Shortcut (Ctrl+Shift+E) | Custom Shortcut (e.g., Alt+Shift+C) |
|---|---|---|
| Default command | Reviewing Pane (not Track Changes toggle) | TrackChanges toggle |
| What it does | Opens or closes the Reviewing Pane | Turns Track Changes on or off |
| Where it is assigned | Preassigned in Normal.dotm | Assigned by user in Normal.dotm |
| Conflict risk | None by default | Must check for conflicts before assigning |
| Works in all documents | Yes | Yes if saved to Normal.dotm |
You can now toggle Track Changes on and off with a single keyboard shortcut. The TrackChanges command is the only command that correctly toggles the feature. Avoid using the Reviewing Pane command for this purpose. To further speed up your review workflow, consider assigning additional shortcuts to commands like Accept Change and Reject Change. These commands are also found in the All Commands category under the names AcceptChange and RejectChange. An advanced tip is to assign Alt+Shift+A to AcceptChange and Alt+Shift+R to RejectChange so you can move through tracked changes without touching the mouse.