Why Word’s ‘Final: Show Markup’ Setting Resets to Original on Reopen

You set a Word document to Final: Show Markup to hide tracked changes and comments while keeping them accessible. When you close and reopen the file, Word reverts to Original: Show Markup, and all the tracked changes reappear. This happens because Word stores the display state per document session, not permanently in the file. This article explains why the setting resets, how the display mode works, and what you can do to keep changes hidden.

How Word Stores the Display for Review Setting

The Display for Review setting on the Review tab controls how Word shows tracked changes and comments. The options are Simple Markup, All Markup, No Markup, and Original. When you select an option, Word applies it to the current session only. Word does not write this preference into the document file itself. The display state is stored in a temporary registry key or session memory that resets when the file closes. This design is intentional to prevent one user’s viewing preference from overriding another user’s view when the document is shared.

The Original option shows the document with all tracked changes visible as insertions and deletions. If you set the document to Final or No Markup before closing, Word does not save that state. On reopening, Word defaults to the Original view because that is the most complete representation of the editing history. This behavior is consistent across Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2021, Word 2019, and earlier versions.

Why Word Defaults to Original Instead of Final

Word prioritizes showing the full editing history when a document contains tracked changes. The Original view displays every tracked insertion and deletion, making it the default for documents with active changes. The Final view hides all tracked changes and shows only the accepted text, which can be misleading if the document still contains pending changes. Microsoft designed this behavior to prevent accidental distribution of a document that appears clean but still contains hidden tracked changes.

How to Keep Tracked Changes Hidden After Reopening a Document

Because Word does not save the display setting, you must use one of the following methods to permanently hide or remove tracked changes. Choose the method that matches your workflow.

Method 1: Accept All Changes and Stop Tracking

This method permanently accepts all tracked changes and turns off Track Changes. After this, the document will always open with all changes accepted, and the Display for Review setting will show the final text.

1. Open the document in Word
   Make sure the document has tracked changes you want to accept.
2. Go to the Review tab
   Click Review on the ribbon.
3. Click the arrow below Accept
   In the Changes group, click the small arrow below the Accept button.
4. Select Accept All Changes and Stop Tracking
   Word accepts every tracked change and turns off Track Changes. The document now shows only the accepted text.
5. Save the document
   Press Ctrl+S or click File > Save. The accepted changes are now permanent.

Method 2: Remove All Markup from the Document Inspector

This method removes all tracked changes and comments from the file. Use this before sharing a final version.

1. Open the document
   Ensure the document is the version you want to clean.
2. Click File > Info
   The Info pane opens.
3. Click Check for Issues > Inspect Document
   The Document Inspector dialog box appears.
4. Make sure Comments, Revisions, Versions, and Annotations is checked
   This is checked by default.
5. Click Inspect
   Word scans the document.
6. Click Remove All next to Comments, Revisions, Versions, and Annotations
   Word deletes all tracked changes and comments.
7. Click Close and save the document
   Press Ctrl+S to save the cleaned file.

Method 3: Use Final: Show Markup and Lock the Document

If you want to keep tracked changes in the file but force Word to open in Final view, you can mark the document as final. This is not a security feature, but it helps maintain the display preference.

1. Set the document to Final: Show Markup
   On the Review tab, set Display for Review to Final.
2. Click File > Info
   The Info pane opens.
3. Click Protect Document > Mark as Final
   Word marks the document as final and disables editing. When the document reopens, it shows a yellow banner and opens in read-only mode. The display setting remains Final for that session.
4. Save the document
   Press Ctrl+S to save the marked-as-final state.

Note: Mark as Final does not prevent other users from editing the document. They can click Edit Anyway to modify the file. The display setting still resets to Original if the document is edited and saved again.

If the Display for Review Setting Still Resets

Word Reverts to Original After Saving with No Markup

If you set Display for Review to No Markup, save the document, and reopen it, Word still shows Original. This is expected behavior. Word does not store any Display for Review setting in the file. The only way to permanently hide changes is to accept or remove them.

Collaborative Documents in SharePoint or OneDrive

When multiple users edit a document simultaneously, Word may reset the display setting to Original to show the latest changes from all users. This is by design. Each user can set their own view for the current session, but the global file state remains Original.

Word Add-ins or Macros That Change the Display Setting

Some third-party add-ins or custom macros may change the Display for Review setting on document open. If the reset happens consistently, check for add-ins by going to File > Options > Add-ins. Disable all add-ins and restart Word. If the setting stays, re-enable add-ins one by one to find the culprit.

Display for Review Setting Persistence: Final vs No Markup vs Original

Setting	What It Shows	Saved in File?
Final: Show Markup	Final text with tracked changes visible inline	No
No Markup	Final text with no tracked changes visible	No
Original: Show Markup	Original text with all tracked changes visible	Default on reopen

Word does not save any Display for Review setting in the document file. The Original view is the default because it shows the complete editing history. To permanently hide changes, accept all changes or remove all markup from the file.

You now know why Word resets to Original on reopen and how to work around it. Use Accept All Changes and Stop Tracking to finalize a document. Use the Document Inspector to remove all markup before sharing. For a temporary view, set Display for Review to Final each time you open the document.