# How to turn on Track Changes in Word on Mac: Review tab steps and shortcut

> Learn how to turn on Track Changes in Word on Mac from the Review tab, plus the Command+Shift+E shortcut, tracking options and common fixes.

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

To turn on Track Changes in Word on Mac, open the Review tab and select Track Changes, then choose whether everyone's changes or only your own get tracked. To turn it off, select Track Changes again, or press Command+Shift+E, which toggles tracking from the keyboard.

## Quick answer

- Open the Review tab in Word for Mac and select Track Changes.
- Choose whether everyone's changes or only your own get tracked.
- Press Command+Shift+E to turn tracking on or off from the keyboard.
- Turning tracking off keeps existing markup. Accept or reject changes to clear it.
- A file shared for review, or a password lock, can stop you from turning tracking off.

Applies to: Word for Mac, desktop app, current 2026 builds. Time: 3 min. Difficulty: Easy.

## What you need

- Word for Mac desktop app, with the document open
- Permission to edit the file, since a locked or shared file may limit changes
- Word for the web also works, with a smaller set of tracking features

## How to Turn on Track Changes in Word for Mac in Word on a Mac

1. **Open the document in Word for Mac.** Open the Word document in the desktop app. Word for Mac must be the active app, with the document window in front. Tracking applies to the document that is open, so open the right file first.
2. **Open the Review tab.** (Review) Click Review in the ribbon at the top of the window. The Review tab holds the tracking controls, so every step after this one happens here.
3. **Select Track Changes.** (Review > Track Changes) Shortcut: ⌘⇧E. Click Track Changes once. Check that the button now looks active. Edits you make after this point show as markup, so turn it on before you start editing. Tip: The shortcut is Command+Shift+E. Use whichever way you prefer.
4. **Choose everyone's changes or only your own.** (Review > Track Changes) Pick whether everyone's changes or only your own get tracked. Read the option names as the menu opens, since labels can vary by build. Tip: Pick only your own when you are marking up a copy alone.
5. **Make a test edit.** Type one word in the body text, then delete a different word. Both edits should appear as markup. If they do not, check the troubleshooting list before you go further.
6. **Turn tracking off when you finish.** (Review > Track Changes) Shortcut: ⌘⇧E. Select Track Changes again to turn tracking off. New edits stop getting marked. Existing markup stays until you accept or reject it. Tip: Accept or reject changes before you send a clean final copy.

Track Changes marks every edit in a Word document. Insertions appear as new text, and deletions stay visible until someone removes them. The next reader can see what you added and what you cut. You can then accept the edits you want, reject the rest, and keep a clear record of who changed what. It matters most when more than one person touches the same file.

## Where the Track Changes button sits on a Mac

On a Mac, the control lives on the Review tab. Click Review in the ribbon at the top of the Word window, then look for Track Changes. Microsoft's training page gives the Mac path as Review > Track Changes. If you cannot see the Review tab, confirm the document is open in Word for Mac, not in a preview window.

![Person at a Mac laptop learning how to turn on Track Changes in Word on Mac](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/turn-on-track-changes-in-word/how-to-turn-on-track-changes-in-1-16d8c1.jpg)

Windows is different. Microsoft's Windows path puts the same control under a Tracking group on the Review tab, with the steps written as Tracking > Track Changes. A search snippet described the Mac button as part of a Tracking group too. Microsoft's own Mac steps do not say that, so trust the labels on your screen over any guide that copies the Windows layout.

## Track everyone's changes or only your own

Once tracking is on, you choose who gets tracked. The two options are everyone's changes and only your own. Choose everyone's changes when a file has several reviewers and you need one complete record. Choose only your own when you are marking up a copy by yourself, or when you want your edits kept apart from someone else's.

Word can change how these options are labelled from one build to the next. If the words on your screen differ, match them to the meaning. You want either every author's edits tracked, or only the edits from your own account. Read the menu as it opens before you click.

## Worked example: a contract with three reviewers

Say you send a services contract to three reviewers. Each one needs to mark up the payment terms and the deadline clauses. Before you send it, open Review, turn on Track Changes, and choose everyone's changes. When the drafts come back, every mark stays in the file, so you can compare the drafts clause by clause.

Now flip the roles. You are one of the reviewers, and you want to mark up a copy without mixing your edits with the sender's history. Turn on Track Changes and choose only your own. Then the marks in your copy come from you, and the next person does not have to guess who wrote what.

![Office desk with papers and a laptop, set up for a Word draft with Track Changes on Mac](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/turn-on-track-changes-in-word/how-to-turn-on-track-changes-in-2-718f64.jpg)

| Where you work | Menu path | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Word for Mac (desktop) | Review > Track Changes | Select Track Changes, then pick everyone's changes or only your own |
| Word for the web | Review > Track Changes | Choose For Everyone, Just Mine or Off from the drop-down |
| Locked document | Review > Protect > Protect Document | Enter the password before you can turn tracking off |

_Menu paths by where you work, from Microsoft's training and web help pages._

## Turn off Track Changes without losing your markup

To turn tracking off, open the Review tab and select Track Changes again. New edits stop getting marked. Check the button before you save, because a tracked edit you forget about is easy to send by accident. Many people turn tracking off at the end of a review round, then forget that it was ever on.

Turning tracking off does not remove the markup already in the file. Old insertions and deletions stay until someone accepts or rejects them. Accept keeps the change. Reject undoes it. Finish that work before you send a clean final copy, not after.

## Lock Track Changes with a password on Mac

A password lock keeps tracking on. Without the password, nobody can turn tracking off or accept and reject changes. That helps when a document is under formal review and the record has to stay intact. Store the password somewhere you can find it. Without it, you cannot turn tracking off.

1. Go to Review > Protect > Protect Document.
2. Type a password in the Password box.
3. Type the same password again to confirm, then select OK.

To lift the lock later, return to Review > Protect > Protect Document. Uncheck Protect document for under Protection, then enter the password. After that, you can turn tracking off as usual.

## Track Changes in Word for the web

Word for the web has a Track Changes control too. Its feature set is smaller than the desktop app, and Microsoft says most reviewing tasks still work in the browser. Select Track Changes on the Review tab, then choose For Everyone, Just Mine or Off from the drop-down.

For fuller tracking, choose Open in Desktop. The document opens in the desktop app and keeps its original location. Existing tracked changes are preserved, so the review history you already have stays put.

Word for the web also has Editing, Reviewing and Viewing modes. Changes are tracked in Reviewing mode, so check the mode before you start a review in the browser.

## Keyboard shortcut for Track Changes

Microsoft's keyboard shortcuts page lists Command+Shift+E for turning Track Changes on or off in its Review a document section. Press the keys once to turn tracking on, then press them again to turn it off. Use the shortcut after you have looked at the button, so you know which state you are in.

Watch the Track Changes button the first time you use the shortcut. If nothing changes, click inside the document and press Command+Shift+E again. If the shortcut still does nothing, use the button on the Review tab. Shortcuts can differ between builds, so check Word's menus when in doubt.

Windows uses Ctrl+Shift+E for the same job. If you move between a Mac and a Windows PC, only the modifier key changes. When a guide gives you a shortcut, match it to your system before you press anything.

## Common mistakes people make with Track Changes

- Turning tracking on after the edits are made. Earlier changes do not show as markup.
- Choosing everyone's changes when you only meant your own. The file fills with marks you did not expect.
- Sending a file with markup still in it. Accept or reject first when you need a clean copy.
- Assuming a password is optional. A locked document stays locked until someone enters the password.
- Trusting a Windows guide for menu names. The Mac path is Review > Track Changes.

## Which Word build are you on?

Microsoft's release notes for Office for Mac list the recent builds. The newest entry is 16.114.3, build 26102720, released October 27, 2026. Build 16.114.2 came out on October 26, 2026. Microsoft describes both as quality and performance improvements.

To find your own build, open the Word menu and choose About Word. Write the number down before you report a bug. Support teams ask for it first, and it saves a round trip.

- **16.114.3** Latest Word for Mac build in Microsoft's release notes, released October 27, 2026 ([source](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/release-notes-office-for-mac))

## Track Changes not showing in Word 16.114.2

A Microsoft Q&A thread from November 2, 2026 describes a problem on Word for Mac 16.114.2. The poster says Track Changes markup stopped showing. Text looked black with no strikethrough, and deleted text disappeared from view.

A volunteer moderator said others reported the same thing that day. The moderator suggested Help > Feedback > Report a problem. No confirmed fix has been published. The 16.114.3 release notes describe quality and performance changes and do not mention Track Changes.

If your markup seems gone, do not delete anything or start over. Check your build, install any update, and report the problem. Keep an untouched copy of the file until you know the markup is safe.

## When a lock or a review share blocks you

Some Track Changes problems are not bugs. A file shared for review can stop you from turning tracking off. Microsoft suggests saving a copy, or asking the sender to share the document again with review mode off.

A password lock causes a different block. You cannot turn tracking off, or accept and reject changes, until you enter the password. Ask whoever set the lock. Do not try to get around it, because the lock is there for a reason.

## Check that it works with a test edit

Before you rely on the setting, run a short test. Type one word in the body text, then delete a different word. Both edits should show as markup. If the typed word appears plain black with no color, tracking is off or the display is hiding markup.

![Laptop keyboard and trackpad in use while turning on Track Changes in Word on Mac](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/turn-on-track-changes-in-word/how-to-turn-on-track-changes-in-3-fbc381.jpg)

Run the test in a copy so the real file stays untouched. Undo the test edits when you are done. Then check the Track Changes button one more time before you hand the file over.

## What to do after you turn it on

Once tracking is on, the work moves to review. Open the Review tab, step through each change, and accept or reject it. Keep the version you started with, so you can compare the review against it later.

## Shortcuts

- Turn Track Changes on or off in Word for Mac: ⌘⇧E
- Same job on Windows, for reference: Ctrl+Shift+E

## If it does not work

- **Track Changes is greyed out or will not turn off** The file may have been shared for review with tracking locked. Save a copy and turn tracking off in the copy, or ask the sender to share it again with review mode off.
- **A password prompt appears** Someone set a password lock. Enter it under Review > Protect > Protect Document, uncheck Protect document for under Protection, then enter the password. Without it, you cannot turn tracking off or accept and reject changes.
- **Tracked changes do not show on Word 16.114.2** A Microsoft Q&A thread from November 2, 2026 reports this problem with no confirmed fix. Check your build, install any update, and use Help > Feedback > Report a problem.
- **Old markup is still there after I turned tracking off** This is expected. Turning tracking off stops new marks only. Accept or reject each change to clear the old markup.
- **Word for the web has fewer tracking options** Choose Open in Desktop to open the file in the desktop app. The file stays in its original location, and existing tracked changes are kept.
- **The keyboard shortcut does nothing** Click inside the document, then press Command+Shift+E again. If nothing changes, use the Track Changes button on the Review tab and confirm the shortcut in Word's menus.

## 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 Word?”: Lazur draws a circle and a label around the Track Changes button on your screen, and says where it is out loud. (Points at it)

## FAQ

### Does Track Changes work in Word for Mac?

Yes. Microsoft's training page has a macOS section that uses Review > Track Changes. The main Track Changes article's Applies To list does not name macOS, so check the training page if the article confuses you.

### Why can't I find the Track Changes button?

Check that you are on the Review tab. Some guides describe a Tracking group, but that layout comes from the Windows path. In Word for the web, the button also sits on the Review tab, with a drop-down for For Everyone, Just Mine and Off.

### Can I track only my own changes?

Yes. When you turn tracking on, choose the option for only your own changes. Labels can vary by build, so read the menu as it opens.

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

No. Turning tracking off stops new marking. Existing tracked changes stay in the document until you accept or reject them.

### Why can't I turn off Track Changes in a file someone sent me?

The sender may have shared the file for review with tracking locked. Save a copy and turn tracking off there. Or ask the sender to share it again with review mode off.

### What is the Track Changes shortcut on a Mac?

Microsoft's keyboard shortcuts page lists Command+Shift+E for Track Changes in the Review a document section. Windows uses Ctrl+Shift+E for the same job.

### Will my tracked changes survive if I open the file in the desktop app?

Yes. Open in Desktop from Word for the web keeps the file in its original location and preserves existing tracked changes. Word for the web has a smaller set of tracking features.

## Sources

1. [Track changes in Word](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/track-changes-in-word-197ba630-0f5f-4a8e-9a77-3712475e806a), Microsoft Support, checked 2026-11-07
2. [Track changes in Word (training)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/training/track-changes-in-word), Microsoft Support, checked 2026-11-07
3. [Keyboard shortcuts in Word](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/word/keyboard-shortcuts-in-word), Microsoft Support, checked 2026-11-07
4. [Can I use Track Changes in Word for the web?](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/can-i-use-track-changes-in-word-for-the-web), Microsoft Support, checked 2026-11-07
5. [Release notes for Office for Mac](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/release-notes-office-for-mac), Microsoft Learn, checked 2026-11-07
6. [In the new version of Word (16.114.2) suddenly track changes aren't being displayed](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/6058992/in-the-new-version-of-word-16-114-2-suddenly-track), Microsoft Q&A, checked 2026-11-07