Can I compare two Word documents if track changes were not turned on?

Yes. The Compare tool does not require track changes to be enabled in either document. It performs a fresh analysis of the text structures to identify differences regardless of whether changes were recorded during the writing process.

What is the difference between 'Compare' and 'Combine'?

Compare is used to see the differences between two versions of a file. Combine is used when you have multiple reviewers who have all edited the same document, and you want to merge all their individual tracked changes into a single file.

Can I compare a Word document with a PDF?

You can, but you must first open the PDF in Word to convert it to an editable format. This can sometimes lead to formatting shifts. For better results, convert the PDF to Word first or use a dedicated comparison service.

Blog · DocumentChecker

How to compare two Word documents for differences

23 June 2026 · 3 min read

Checking for changes between different versions of a document is a common task for legal professionals, students, and project managers. Manually reading two versions of a document side-by-side is slow and prone to human error. Microsoft Word contains a native feature specifically designed to handle this, highlighting every deletion, insertion, and formatting change automatically. This guide explains how to use the built-in tools and when you might need a more robust solution for accuracy.

Using the built-in Compare tool in Microsoft Word

The most straightforward way to identify changes is using Microsoft Word's 'Compare' feature. This tool takes two separate files—the original and the revised version—and merges them into a third document that highlights all discrepancies using tracked changes.

To start, open Microsoft Word and navigate to the 'Review' tab on the top ribbon. Click the 'Compare' button and select 'Compare...' from the dropdown menu. A dialogue box will appear asking you to select your original document and your revised document. You can also specify whose name should appear next to the changes made.

Click the Review tab.
Select Compare, then Compare again.
Choose the 'Original document' and the 'Revised document'.
Click OK to generate a new document showing all differences.

Analysing the comparison results

Once Word finishes the comparison, it typically displays a three-pane view. The centre pane shows the 'Compared Document' with tracked changes, while the smaller panes on the right show the original and revised versions for reference. Red lines in the margin indicate where text has been altered.

You can use the 'Next' and 'Previous' buttons in the Review tab to cycle through the differences. For each change, you have the option to 'Accept' or 'Reject' it. If the formatting changes are distracting, you can click 'Show Markup' and untick 'Formatting' to focus purely on text revisions.

Best practices for accurate document comparison

For the most accurate results, ensure both documents are in the same file format (such as .docx). If one is a PDF and the other is a Word file, the conversion process might introduce layout errors that register as 'differences' even if the text is identical.

If you are dealing with very long reports, schedules, or complex spreadsheets where Word’s native tool might struggle or become sluggish, professional alternatives are available. For high-stakes tasks, Jittan’s DocumentChecker allows you to compare documents, schedules, and source files to spot mismatches, omissions, and accuracy issues with greater precision than standard word processors.

Using the built-in Review tools is the most efficient way to compare two Word documents for differences. For more complex files and schedules, specialist checking tools can ensure no detail is overlooked.

Quick answers

Can I compare two Word documents if track changes were not turned on?: Yes. The Compare tool does not require track changes to be enabled in either document. It performs a fresh analysis of the text structures to identify differences regardless of whether changes were recorded during the writing process.
What is the difference between 'Compare' and 'Combine'?: Compare is used to see the differences between two versions of a file. Combine is used when you have multiple reviewers who have all edited the same document, and you want to merge all their individual tracked changes into a single file.
Can I compare a Word document with a PDF?: You can, but you must first open the PDF in Word to convert it to an editable format. This can sometimes lead to formatting shifts. For better results, convert the PDF to Word first or use a dedicated comparison service.