The reviewing pane in Word closes by itself after you make certain edits such as accepting a tracked change, inserting a comment, or switching between documents. This behavior is not a random glitch. It happens because Word is designed to hide the pane when it detects that the current view no longer contains tracked changes or when the pane loses focus due to a layout recalculation. This article explains why the pane closes, provides step-by-step fixes to keep it open, and covers related problems such as the pane failing to reopen or showing blank content.
Key Takeaways: Keeping the Reviewing Pane Open
- Review > Reviewing Pane dropdown > Reviewing Pane Vertical or Horizontal: Toggles the pane on and off but does not lock it open.
- Review > Show Markup > uncheck Comments: Prevents the pane from closing when you insert a new comment.
- File > Options > Display > Show all formatting marks: Does not affect the pane but helps you see why Word recalculates the layout.
Why the Reviewing Pane Closes After Specific Edits
The reviewing pane closes automatically because Word treats it as a transient overlay. When you perform an edit that removes the last tracked change or that changes the document layout, Word re-evaluates whether the pane is still needed. If no tracked changes remain, Word hides the pane. Similarly, inserting a comment can trigger a layout recalculation that causes the pane to lose its anchor point and close.
This behavior is by design in Word 2016, 2019, and Microsoft 365. The pane is not meant to stay open permanently. However, many users need it visible for extended review sessions. The steps below show you how to keep the pane open by controlling which markup types are displayed and by using a workaround that forces the pane to remain active.
Steps to Prevent the Reviewing Pane From Closing
- Open the Reviewing Pane in Vertical Mode
Go to the Review tab. In the Tracking group, click the Reviewing Pane dropdown arrow. Select Reviewing Pane Vertical. The pane appears on the left side of the document window. This position is less likely to close during layout changes than the horizontal pane at the bottom. - Change Show Markup Settings to Exclude Comments
On the Review tab, click Show Markup. In the dropdown, uncheck Comments. When you insert a new comment, Word no longer recalculates the comment markup display, so the pane stays open. Only tracked changes remain visible in the pane. - Keep at Least One Tracked Change in the Document
The pane closes when the last tracked change is accepted or rejected. Before accepting all changes, insert a temporary tracked change such as a space or a period. Accept all changes except that one. The pane remains open because one tracked change still exists. When you finish reviewing, accept the last change and the pane will close as expected. - Use the Keyboard Shortcut to Reopen the Pane Quickly
If the pane closes, press Alt + R + P to reopen it. This keyboard sequence opens the Review tab, then toggles the reviewing pane. You do not need to navigate the ribbon. This is a fast recovery method during a long review session. - Disable Hardware Graphics Acceleration
Go to File > Options > Advanced. In the Display section, check Disable hardware graphics acceleration. Click OK and restart Word. This prevents display driver issues that cause the pane to close when Word redraws the window after an edit.
If the Reviewing Pane Still Has Issues After the Main Fix
The Reviewing Pane Opens but Shows Blank Content
When the pane appears empty, Word may have lost the connection to the tracked changes stored in the document. Click inside the document body, then press F9 to refresh fields. If the pane remains blank, save the document, close Word, and reopen the file. The pane should repopulate with the tracked changes.
The Reviewing Pane Does Not Open at All
If clicking the Reviewing Pane button does nothing, the document may be protected for tracked changes only. Go to Review > Restrict Editing. In the Editing restrictions section, click Stop Protection. If the document has a password, enter it. After removing protection, the pane button should work. Another cause is a corrupted Normal.dotm template. Close Word, rename the Normal.dotm file in %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates, and restart Word. Word creates a fresh template.
Word Crashes When Opening the Reviewing Pane
A crash when activating the pane often points to a damaged add-in. Start Word in Safe Mode by pressing Ctrl while clicking the Word icon. If the pane works in Safe Mode, disable all COM add-ins: go to File > Options > Add-ins, select COM Add-ins from the Manage dropdown, click Go, and uncheck every add-in. Restart Word normally. Re-enable add-ins one by one to find the culprit.
Reviewing Pane Behavior in Word Online vs Desktop
| Item | Word Desktop | Word Online |
|---|---|---|
| Pane location | Vertical (left) or Horizontal (bottom) | No reviewing pane; changes appear inline |
| Pane stays open after edits | Closes when last tracked change is removed or layout changes | Not applicable |
| Comment insertion | May close pane if Show Markup includes Comments | Comments appear in a sidebar that stays open |
| Keyboard shortcut to reopen | Alt + R + P | No equivalent shortcut |
| Hardware acceleration conflict | Can cause pane to close; disable in Options | No hardware acceleration setting |
The reviewing pane in Word Desktop is a dedicated panel that can be positioned vertically or horizontally. Word Online does not have a reviewing pane. Changes and comments appear inline or in a separate sidebar that stays open regardless of edits. For users who need the pane to remain visible during collaborative editing, the desktop version offers more control through Show Markup settings and the keep-last-change workaround.
If you work in Word Online and need a persistent change list, switch to the desktop app. The desktop reviewing pane, despite its tendency to close, remains the most powerful tool for tracking changes across large documents.