# How to turn on Track Changes in Pages on Mac: steps for Pages 15.4

> Learn how to turn on track changes in pages on mac: choose Edit > Track Changes, then pause, review or turn it off. Steps for Pages 15.4.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/how-to/turn-on-track-changes-in-pages
Updated: 2026-11-07

To turn on Track Changes in Pages on Mac, open your document and choose Edit > Track Changes in the menu bar. From then on, every edit you make is marked until you turn tracking off.

## Quick answer

- Open the document in the Pages app on your Mac, then choose Edit > Track Changes.
- Apple's guide lists no keyboard shortcut for turning tracking on or off.
- Pause tracking with the Paused slider in the review toolbar instead of turning it off mid-review.
- Accept or reject every change before you choose Turn Off Tracking in the Change Tracking menu.
- Pages for iCloud in a browser can't turn tracking on, so do the setup in the Mac app.

Applies to: Pages 15.4 on Mac, macOS 26 or later. Time: 3 min. Difficulty: Easy.

## What you need

- A Mac running macOS 26 or later for Pages 15.4
- The Pages app on the Mac, not Pages for iCloud in a browser
- The document open and editable in Pages

## How to Turn on Track Changes in Pages on Mac in Pages on a Mac

1. **Open the document in the Pages app.** Open the file in Pages on your Mac. Use the Mac app. Pages for iCloud in a browser can't turn tracking on, so a file opened there won't help.
2. **Open the Edit menu.** (Edit) Click Edit in the menu bar at the top of the screen. The Track Changes item is in this menu.
3. **Choose Track Changes.** (Edit > Track Changes) Click Track Changes. Pages turns tracking on right away. Apple's guide treats this as a menu choice, not a setup dialog. Tip: Make a test edit now. Marked text means tracking is working.
4. **Use the toolbar button if you prefer.** (Review toolbar > Track Changes) If the review toolbar is showing, click Track Changes there too. It does the same job as the Edit menu item.
5. **Make a test edit.** Type a word, then delete a word that was already there. Deletions show with a strikethrough. New words show in a different color. Reject the test edits to remove them. Tip: Run the test in a copy if the file matters to you.
6. **Pause tracking when you need to.** (Review toolbar > Paused slider) Move the slider in the review toolbar to Paused. Changes made while paused don't appear in the markup. Move it back to resume tracking.
7. **Accept or reject every change.** (View > Show Comments & Changes Pane) Shortcut: ⌥⌘A. Open the Comments & Changes pane from the View menu button, or hover over each marked change. Accept the edits you keep and reject the rest. Tip: ⌥⌘A accepts a change and ⌥⌘R rejects one, but only while tracking is on.
8. **Turn tracking off.** (Change Tracking > Turn Off Tracking) When no changes are left, click the Change Tracking menu button and choose Turn Off Tracking. Apple's guide says all changes must be handled first. Tip: Duplicate the file first if you want to keep the review history.

Track Changes is the Pages feature that marks every edit, so a reviewer can see what you changed. Deleted words stay visible with a strikethrough. New words show in a different color. You then accept the edits you keep and reject the rest. Turning it on takes one menu choice. The harder part is knowing when it's on, when it's paused, and how to switch it off without losing work. This page covers all of that, using the menu names from Apple's own Pages guide for Mac.

## Check your Pages version first

Apple's Pages guide for Mac links its Track Changes steps to version 15.4. The What's new page lists 15.4 as the newest version, and it requires macOS 26 or later. To see your version, open Pages and choose Pages > About Pages. Compare the number in that window with the one above. The steps here match the guide Apple published for version 15.4. If your version is older, some menu names may differ, so check the guide for your release.

- **15.4** Newest Pages for Mac version listed on Apple's What's new page ([source](https://support.apple.com/guide/pages/whats-new-tan700f60676/mac))
- **⌥⌘A** Shortcut to accept a change while Track Changes is on ([source](https://support.apple.com/guide/pages/keyboard-shortcuts-tanc0ffef022/mac))
- **0** Keyboard shortcuts Apple lists to turn Track Changes on or off ([source](https://support.apple.com/guide/pages/keyboard-shortcuts-tanc0ffef022/mac))

## Where to find Track Changes in the menu bar

Track Changes sits in the Edit menu at the top of the screen. Click Edit, then click Track Changes. Pages does not open a dialog. The menu item switches tracking on directly, so there is nothing to confirm. If the review toolbar is already showing, Track Changes also appears there as a button. Both do the same thing. You only need one of them, so pick whichever fits how you work.

![Person at a Mac laptop reviewing a document before they turn on track changes in Pages](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/turn-on-track-changes-in-pages/how-to-turn-on-track-changes-in-1-5736cd.jpg)

## How to tell whether tracking is on

The quickest check is a small test edit. Type a word, then delete a word that was already in the document. With tracking on, the deletion stays visible with a strikethrough, and the new word shows in a different color. If the edit just vanishes, tracking is off or paused. Reject the test edits afterward to remove them. Rejecting the new word removes it, and rejecting the deletion brings the old word back. Run this test in a copy if the file matters to you.

## Pause tracking without turning it off

Pausing and turning off are different actions. Pausing keeps tracking set up for the rest of the review. Move the slider in the review toolbar to Paused. Changes made while paused do not appear in the markup. Pause when you're setting up a layout or working on something outside the review. Be clear with your reviewers when you pause, so nobody thinks a silent edit is a bug. Move the slider back when you're done, or every later edit goes unmarked.

## Turn Track Changes off the right way

Turning tracking off with changes still pending is the most common mistake. Apple's guide says every change must be accepted or rejected before you turn tracking off. Work through the list in the Comments & Changes pane first. Then open the Change Tracking menu button and choose Turn Off Tracking. The same menu also has Accept All Changes and Reject All Changes. Those clear the whole document in one move, so use them only when you're sure. Accepting all removes the markup, and you can't see the marks afterward.

## Choose how changes appear on screen

The Change Tracking menu also controls what you see on the page. Markup shows the full review. Markup Without Deletions hides the struck-through text. Final shows the document as it would read with the changes in place. Tracking stays on in Final view, so the changes come back when you switch to another view. Switching views only changes the display. It doesn't change the text.

| Change Tracking view | What it shows |
| --- | --- |
| Markup | Deletions show with a strikethrough. New text shows in a different color. |
| Markup Without Deletions | Changes show, but the struck-through deletions are hidden. |
| Final | The document without the markup. Tracking stays on, so changes return when you switch back. |

_The three view options in the Change Tracking menu, per Apple's guide._

## Accept and reject changes with shortcuts

Hover over a marked change and click Accept or Reject. To handle a longer passage, select the text and use the review toolbar. Two shortcuts speed this up, and both need tracking to be on. ⌥⌘A accepts a change. ⌥⌘R rejects one. Apple's list of Pages shortcuts also includes ⇧⌘K for a new comment and ⇧⌘H for highlighting text. It does not list a shortcut to turn Track Changes on or off, so that step stays in the menu.

## What Track Changes marks and what it misses

Tracking covers body text, text in text boxes, text in shapes, and footnotes. Endnotes count too, including document and section endnotes. Apple's guide does not list other elements. Before you rely on the markup, test an edit in any element you're unsure about. If the edit doesn't show, tell your reviewers so they don't miss it.

## Why some changes are missing from the sidebar

The Comments & Changes pane lists your changes. Open it from the View menu button by choosing Show Comments & Changes Pane. A filter can hide some changes. Those changes still appear in the document, but not in the sidebar. Click Show All to bring them back. Check the filter before you accept anything, because it's easy to forget after a long review.

## Share a document with tracked changes

A document shared on iCloud with tracking on can be edited only by people using Pages on a Mac, iOS, or iPadOS device. People using Pages for iCloud can only view it. On an iPhone or iPad, a shared document opens in Final View with tracking hidden. Recipients must tap Edit to see the changes. Tell reviewers this before you send the link, so they don't think the changes are missing.

![Man using a MacBook to edit a document with track changes in Pages on Mac](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/turn-on-track-changes-in-pages/how-to-turn-on-track-changes-in-2-716c02.jpg)

## Pages for iCloud in a browser

The browser version can't turn tracking on. Apple's guide says people using Pages for iCloud can only view a tracked document. An older Take Control Books article, updated in 2019, says the browser version lets you view tracked changes but not edit the document, accept changes, or make a duplicate with changes accepted. That article may not describe the current browser app, so test it yourself before you rely on it. For editing and review, use the Mac app.

## Do you need a subscription to use Track Changes?

No. Apple says you can keep using Keynote, Pages, Numbers, and Freeform for free without a Creator Studio subscription. Creator Studio costs $12.99 per month or $129 per year, and new subscribers get a one-month free trial. Pages 15.1 is a new app that is part of Creator Studio, not an update to the old app. Apple's install page also warns that keeping older versions installed can cause duplicate collaboration notifications.

## Common mistakes people make with Track Changes

- Skipping the test edit. A quick test tells you in seconds whether tracking is on.
- Sending a file to a phone reviewer without a heads-up. The file opens in Final View with tracking hidden.
- Reading a document in Final view and assuming it's finished. Changes are still pending.
- Keeping an older Pages install next to the new one. Apple says that can cause duplicate notifications.
- Expecting the browser version to handle the review. It can't turn tracking on.
- Editing text outside the covered areas and assuming every edit is marked.

![Writer at a desk with a laptop checking edits from co-authors in Pages](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/turn-on-track-changes-in-pages/how-to-turn-on-track-changes-in-3-f0aee5.jpg)

## Next steps after your review

When the review ends, accept or reject every change, turn tracking off, then save the final version under a new name. Keep the marked-up draft as a separate file, so you can check who changed what later. If your document is long, read the [guide to a table of contents in Pages on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/create-a-table-of-contents-in-pages). For more Pages habits, see [Pages for writers on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/for/writers/pages).

## Shortcuts

- Accept a change (tracking must be on): ⌥⌘A
- Reject a change (tracking must be on): ⌥⌘R
- New comment: ⇧⌘K
- Highlight selected text: ⇧⌘H
- Turn Track Changes on or off: None in Apple's list

## If it does not work

- **Track Changes does nothing or isn't there** Open the file in the Pages app on your Mac. Pages for iCloud in a browser can't turn tracking on. Check your version against Apple's guide for Pages 15.4.
- **Edits don't show as marked text** Check that tracking isn't paused. Move the Paused slider in the review toolbar back, then make a test edit. Also check the view, since Final hides the markup while tracking stays on.
- **Turn Off Tracking doesn't work as expected** Accept or reject every change first. Apple's guide requires it. Then open the Change Tracking menu button and choose Turn Off Tracking.
- **Some changes are missing from the sidebar** A filter is hiding them. Click Show All. Changes hidden by a filter still appear in the document.
- **A shared file on iPhone shows no changes** The file opens in Final View with tracking hidden. Tap Edit to see the changes.

## With Lazur

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask; it sees your screen, answers out loud, points at buttons and walks you through apps. Hold fn to dictate. Free for 3 days, then $18/month: https://www.lazur.app/download

- “Where is the Track Changes button in Pages?”: Lazur circles the Track Changes item in the Edit menu and labels it, so you can see exactly where to click. (Points at it)

## FAQ

### Is there a keyboard shortcut to turn on Track Changes in Pages on Mac?

Not in Apple's list of Pages keyboard shortcuts. Apple lists ⌥⌘A to accept a change and ⌥⌘R to reject one, but both only work when tracking is on. Turn tracking on from the Edit menu.

### Why is Track Changes missing from my Edit menu?

Check that you're using the Pages app on a Mac, not Pages for iCloud in a browser. The browser version can't turn tracking on. Also check your Pages version against Apple's guide, which covers Pages 15.4 and macOS 26 or later.

### Can I turn on Track Changes in Pages on iPhone or iPad?

Apple's guide covers turning tracking on in Pages on Mac. On iPhone or iPad, a shared document opens in Final View with tracking hidden, and recipients must tap Edit to see the changes.

### Do I have to pay for Pages to use Track Changes?

No. Apple says you can keep using Pages for free without a Creator Studio subscription. Creator Studio costs $12.99 per month or $129 per year, with a one-month free trial for new subscribers.

### Will turning off Track Changes delete my edits?

Apple's guide requires you to accept or reject every change first. Accepting a change keeps the new text, and rejecting it restores the original text. Turn tracking off only after the list is clear.

### Why can't I see some changes in the sidebar?

A filter may be hiding them. Those changes still appear in the document. Open the filter options and click Show All to bring them back into the Comments & Changes pane.

## Sources

1. [Track changes in Pages on Mac](https://support.apple.com/guide/pages/track-changes-tan2685b84ff/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-07
2. [Keyboard shortcuts for Pages on Mac](https://support.apple.com/guide/pages/keyboard-shortcuts-tanc0ffef022/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-07
3. [Pages User Guide for Mac](https://support.apple.com/guide/pages/welcome/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-07
4. [What's new in Pages on Mac](https://support.apple.com/guide/pages/whats-new-tan700f60676/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-07
5. [Install Keynote, Pages, and Numbers 15.1 or later for Mac](https://support.apple.com/en-us/126151), Apple, checked 2026-11-07
6. [How to subscribe to Apple Creator Studio](https://creatorstudio.apple.com/info/try), Apple, checked 2026-11-07
7. [Track Changes Support Changed in Pages for iCloud](https://www.takecontrolbooks.com/track-changes-support-changed-in-pages-for-icloud/), Take Control Books, checked 2026-11-07