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Summary
To turn off Track Changes in Word, launch your document with the app, access the “Review” tab, and select Tracking > Track Changes. If the button is grayed out, you’ll need to enter the password the author used to lock the document.
Not every change needs to be tracked in your document. You can disable the Track Changes feature in Microsoft Word even if your document is locked. We’ll show you how to do that as well as how to remove existing track changes and print your document with track changes hidden.
Related:How to Copy and Paste Text With Tracked Changes in Word 2013
How to Stop Tracking Changes in Word
To begin disabling Track Changes so your future edits in the document aren’t highlighted,launch the Word appand open your document.
When your document opens, in Word’s ribbon at the top, select the “Review” tab.
On the “Review” tab, select Tracking > Track Changes. This will disable the feature.
What to Do If You Can’t Turn Track Changes Off
If “Track Changes” is grayed out and you’re able to’t click it, your document’s author has locked the feature. In this case, you’ll need the password (if one was set up) that was used to lock the feature tounlock it.
Once you’ve obtained the password, in Word’s “Review” tab, click “Tracking” and choose the down-arrow icon next to “Track Changes.”
In the open menu, select “Lock Tracking.”
On the “Unlock Tracking” window, enter your password and select “OK.”
To now turn off the feature, select Tracking > Track Changes.
And that’s it. The feature is now disabled.
you’re able to confirm that bymaking an edit to your document. You’ll find that Word no longer records and highlights your changes.
How to Remove Existing Track Changes in Word
If you’d like to get rid of all the existing tracked changes, then either accept or reject all those changes. You can do this by accessing Word’s “Review” tab and choosing Accept > Accept All Changes or Reject > Reject All Changes.
Remember that accepting all changes makes all suggested changes become permanent, and rejecting all changes means all suggestions will disappear. If you accidentally chose the wrong option,use Ctrl+Ztoundo your mistake.
Related:How to Use Outline View in Microsoft Word
Print a Word Document Without Tracked Changes
If you’d like to keep your tracked changes but you don’t want to see them when you print the document,configure your print optionsas follows.
First, launch your document with Word. Then, in the app’s top-left corner, click “File.”
In the left sidebar, click “Print.” Then, in the middle column, select “Print All Pages.”
In the open menu, disable the “Print Markup” option.
You can now print your document and it won’t include your tracked changes. You’re all set.
