When you review a document with Track Changes turned on, Word can show insertions, deletions, and formatting changes in balloons in the margin. But sometimes you want to see only deletions in balloons while insertions appear inline, which reduces visual clutter while still highlighting removed text. This behavior is controlled by a specific setting in the Advanced Track Changes Options dialog. This article explains how to configure Word so that only deletions appear in balloons and all other changes show inline within the document body.
Key Takeaways: Configure Balloons for Deletions Only
- Review > Track Changes > Change Tracking Options > Advanced Options > Use Balloons (Print and Web Layout): Set this to Never to disable all balloons, then the specific deletion balloon setting overrides it
- Review > Track Changes > Change Tracking Options > Advanced Options > Show all deletions inline or in balloons: Choose In balloons to display deleted text as balloons while all other markup stays inline
- Review > Show Markup > Balloons > Show All Revisions Inline: Alternative method to temporarily hide all balloons and then re-enable only deletions via Advanced Options
How Word Controls Balloon Display for Track Changes
Word provides two separate settings that together determine whether deletions appear in balloons. The first setting is a master toggle labeled Use Balloons (Print and Web Layout). This setting has three options: Always, Never, and Only for Comments/Formatting. The second setting is Show all deletions inline or in balloons, which only activates when the master toggle is set to Never.
When you set the master toggle to Never, Word disables all balloons for insertions, deletions, and formatting changes. However, the deletion-specific option then becomes available. By choosing In Balloons for that option, you tell Word to override the master setting for deletions only. The result is that deleted text appears in a red balloon with a strikethrough in the margin, while inserted text appears inline with underline formatting and no balloon.
This configuration is available in Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016. It works in Print Layout view and Web Layout view. In Draft view and Outline view, balloons never appear regardless of these settings.
Steps to Show Deletions in Balloons and Everything Else Inline
- Open the Change Tracking Options dialog
Go to the Review tab. In the Tracking group, click the small dialog launcher arrow in the bottom-right corner. The Track Changes Options dialog opens. - Open Advanced Options
Click the Advanced Options button at the bottom of the Track Changes Options dialog. The Advanced Track Changes Options dialog appears. - Set the master balloon toggle to Never
In the Advanced Track Changes Options dialog, find the section Use Balloons (Print and Web Layout). Click the dropdown and select Never. This turns off all balloons by default. - Configure the deletion-specific option
Directly below the master balloon toggle, find the setting Show all deletions inline or in balloons. Click the dropdown and select In balloons. - Confirm and close the dialog
Click OK in the Advanced Track Changes Options dialog. Then click OK in the Track Changes Options dialog. The document now shows only deletions in balloons. Insertions, formatting changes, and comments appear inline or in their default display mode.
Common Mistakes and Limitations
Balloons Still Appear for Insertions or Formatting
If you still see balloons for insertions or formatting changes, the master balloon toggle is likely set to Always or Only for Comments/Formatting. Return to the Advanced Track Changes Options dialog and confirm that Use Balloons (Print and Web Layout) is set to Never. The deletion-specific option only overrides the master setting when the master is Never.
Deletions Appear Inline Instead of in Balloons
If deletions still show inline with strikethrough but no balloon, the Show all deletions inline or in balloons setting is probably set to Inline. Open the Advanced Track Changes Options dialog and change that dropdown to In balloons. Also verify that the master toggle is set to Never.
Balloons Do Not Appear in Draft View
Balloons only display in Print Layout view and Web Layout view. If you are in Draft view or Outline view, switch to Print Layout using the View tab or the status bar view buttons. Balloons will not render in any other view.
Setting Resets After Closing Word
The balloon configuration is saved per document in the document’s formatting and revision settings. If you close the document and reopen it, the setting persists. However, if you open a different document, that document may have its own balloon settings. To apply the setting to all new documents, modify the Normal template (Normal.dotm) by making the change with no document open, or use the Set as Default option in the Track Changes Options dialog.
Balloon Display Modes: Comparison of Available Options
| Option | Effect on Deletions | Effect on Insertions |
|---|---|---|
| Use Balloons: Always | All deletions appear in balloons | All insertions appear in balloons |
| Use Balloons: Never + Deletions: In balloons | Deletions appear in balloons | Insertions appear inline (no balloon) |
| Use Balloons: Never + Deletions: Inline | Deletions appear inline with strikethrough | Insertions appear inline with underline |
| Use Balloons: Only for Comments/Formatting | Deletions appear inline | Insertions appear inline |
Now you can configure Word to show only deletions in balloons while keeping all other tracked changes inline. Start by opening a document with existing tracked changes and applying the steps above. For a faster workflow, assign a keyboard shortcut to the Advanced Track Changes Options dialog using File > Options > Customize Ribbon > Keyboard Shortcuts > All Commands > ToolsTrackChangesOptionsAdvanced.