How to Hide Tracked Changes Without Removing Them

When you collaborate on a document in Word, tracked changes can make the text hard to read. You want to review the final version without accepting or rejecting each change. This article explains how to temporarily hide all tracked changes so you see the document as if all changes were accepted. You will learn to switch display modes, use the Reviewing pane, and manage markup visibility. These methods work in Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016.

How Word’s Display for Review Feature Works

The Display for Review setting in Word controls how tracked changes appear on screen. It does not accept or reject any change. Instead, it changes the view to show one of four states: Simple Markup, All Markup, No Markup, or Original. The No Markup option is what you need to hide all tracked changes temporarily. The document looks clean, but every change remains in the file. You can switch back to All Markup at any time to see the redline again.

This setting is stored per document and per user session. When you close and reopen the document, Word remembers the last display mode you used. If you share the document with someone else, they see the document in their own default display mode unless you lock the setting via protection. The feature works with all types of tracked changes: insertions, deletions, formatting changes, and comments.

Prerequisites for Hiding Tracked Changes

Before you hide changes, make sure the document has tracked changes enabled. Check that the Track Changes button in the Review tab is highlighted (active). If the document is protected for Tracked Changes, you cannot hide or change the display mode unless you unprotect the document first. You need edit permissions to modify the display setting.

Steps to Hide Tracked Changes Using No Markup Mode

Follow these steps to hide all tracked changes and see the document as if all changes were accepted. This method works in Word for Windows, Mac, and the web version.

1. Open the document in Word
   Make sure the document contains tracked changes. You can verify this by looking for redline markup or the presence of the Track Changes button being highlighted.
2. Go to the Review tab
   Click the Review tab in the ribbon. It is located between the Mailings and View tabs.
3. Locate the Tracking group
   In the Review tab, find the Tracking section. It contains the Track Changes button, the Display for Review drop-down, and the Show Markup menu.
4. Open the Display for Review drop-down
   Click the arrow next to the Display for Review label. The default option is usually Simple Markup or All Markup.
5. Select No Markup
   From the drop-down list, choose No Markup. The document instantly removes all tracked changes from view. Insertions appear as normal text, deletions disappear, and formatting changes are applied.
6. Verify the changes are hidden
   Scroll through the document. You should see no redlines, strikethroughs, or comments. The document looks clean, but the tracked changes data is still stored.

Switching Back to All Markup

To see the tracked changes again, repeat the steps and select All Markup from the Display for Review drop-down. Word restores the visible markup immediately. You can switch between No Markup and All Markup as many times as needed without losing any change data.

How to Hide Specific Types of Markup

If you want to hide only certain types of tracked changes, such as formatting changes but keep insertions visible, use the Show Markup menu.

1. Go to the Review tab
   Ensure the document is open and the Review tab is selected.
2. Click Show Markup
   In the Tracking group, click the Show Markup button. A drop-down list appears.
3. Uncheck the markup types you want to hide
   Uncheck Comments, Insertions and Deletions, or Formatting. Unchecking a type hides all changes of that type. For example, uncheck Formatting to hide font and paragraph changes but keep insertions and deletions visible.
4. Review the document
   The document updates to show only the checked markup types. Unchecked types are hidden but remain stored.

Using the Reviewing Pane to See Changes While Hiding Markup

The Reviewing Pane provides a separate list of all tracked changes and comments. You can hide markup in the main document and still see a summary of changes in the pane.

1. Set Display for Review to No Markup
   Follow the steps in the previous section to hide all markup in the main document.
2. Click Reviewing Pane
   In the Review tab, in the Tracking group, click the Reviewing Pane button. Choose Vertical Reviewing Pane or Horizontal Reviewing Pane.
3. View the pane
   A separate pane opens on the left side or bottom of the window. It lists every tracked change with details: author, date, type, and location. The main document remains clean.
4. Navigate through changes
   You can click any item in the pane to jump to that location in the document. The main document still shows no markup.

If the Display for Review Option Is Grayed Out

Sometimes the Display for Review drop-down is disabled. This happens when the document is protected for Tracked Changes. To fix this, you must unprotect the document.

1. Go to the Review tab
   Click the Review tab.
2. Click Restrict Editing
   In the Protect group, click Restrict Editing. The Restrict Editing pane opens on the right.
3. Click Stop Protection
   At the bottom of the pane, click Stop Protection. If a password was set, enter it.
4. Check the Display for Review menu
   After unprotecting, the drop-down becomes available. Select No Markup to hide changes.

No Markup vs Simple Markup: Key Differences

Feature	No Markup	Simple Markup
Insertions and deletions	Hidden entirely	Shown as red vertical bars in the margin
Comments	Hidden	Shown as comment balloons in the margin
Document appearance	Clean, as if all changes accepted	Clean text but with margin indicators
Change data retention	All changes preserved	All changes preserved

Common Mistakes When Hiding Tracked Changes

Accidentally Accepting or Rejecting Changes

Some users click the Accept or Reject buttons thinking they are hiding changes. This removes the change data permanently. To avoid this, always use the Display for Review drop-down, not the Accept or Reject buttons.

Printing the Document With Markup Visible

When you print a document, Word prints the markup as it appears on screen. If you set Display for Review to No Markup, the printout will be clean. If you leave it on All Markup, the printout will show redlines. Always check the display setting before printing.

Sharing a Document With Markup Hidden

When you send a document to someone else, they see the document with their own default Display for Review setting. To ensure they see a clean version, you can either set the display to No Markup before saving and sending, or use the Inspect Document feature to remove tracked changes permanently. The latter is irreversible.

What to Do When Tracked Changes Reappear After Saving

If you save a document with No Markup selected and reopen it later, Word remembers the display mode. If the document reopens with markup visible, check the Display for Review setting. It may have reverted to All Markup due to a document template or add-in conflict. To fix this, set it back to No Markup and save again. If the issue persists, disable third-party add-ins under File > Options > Add-ins.

You can now hide tracked changes in Word without removing them. Use the No Markup display mode for a clean view, or customize which markup types appear with the Show Markup menu. For a full audit trail, open the Reviewing Pane while keeping the main document clean. An advanced tip: combine No Markup with the Reviewing Pane to proofread the final version while keeping a complete change log accessible on the side.