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Word: different colors for each version of a document in Document Compare?

Anonymous
2024-09-29T16:55:50+00:00

This question seems to come up often, but none of the answers seem to work. Here is the problem:

I have a document which exists in two versions. I've changed the author's name in each version.

When I compare the two documents, and look at various changes, I want the version of the change in the original document to appear in one color, and the version of the same change in the revised document to appear in a different color.

No matter what I do - and I've spent hours on this - both the original text and the revision are in the same color. Is there a known, guaranteed-to-work method for showing the revisions in a different color from the original?

I'll be very grateful for any help.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For business | Windows

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  1. Stefan Blom 338.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2024-09-30T14:02:50+00:00

    1 person found this answer helpful.
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  2. Stefan Blom 338.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2024-09-30T12:20:19+00:00

    The Track Changes facility in Word can be instructed to use different colors for different users and for different types of tracked changes. The Advanced Track Changes Options dialog box will let you customize these settings in detail.

    If it helps, you can "fake" a new user by specifying a different user name in the "Label changes with" box in the Compare Documents dialog box.

    Image

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  3. Stefan Blom 338.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2024-09-30T13:00:07+00:00

    Hello Stefan,

    Thank you for the detailed reply. Unfortunately, that method does not work, as you can see from the screen shot.

    But I finally figured out that what seems to work well enough is to assign different colors to insertions and deletions.

    Thanks for the follow-up.

    Indeed, using different colors for different types of changes is a possibility that I mentioned in the very first sentence in my previous reply (together with using different user names): "The Track Changes facility in Word can be instructed to use different colors for different users and for different types of tracked changes."
    :-)

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-09-30T12:47:04+00:00

    Hello Stefan,

    Thank you for the detailed reply. Unfortunately, that method does not work, as you can see from the screen shot.

    But I finally figured out that what seems to work well enough is to assign different colors to insertions and deletions. That shows me what the later version deleted from, or added to, the original file.

    So I should not have wasted time with this question, and thank you again for prompting me to look again for the answer!

    Edward

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  5. Anonymous
    2024-09-30T10:32:28+00:00

    Dear EdwardMendelson,

    Good day and thanks for posting your question in our forum.

    Per your request, I did some searching from my side and found a similar thread link below:

    How to Compare two documents and change the differences to italics and - Microsoft Community

    Through the thread, we can find that it might be achievable using macro as we mainly focus on general and built-in feature queries in Microsoft 365 Office apps and SharePoint Online.

    I would like to guide you the Word management Forum where you can get the professional help via below link:

    Word Management - Microsoft Q&A

    So that the dedicated engineers and members could investigate this request and review your request.

    Appreciate your understanding and patience.

    Sincerely,

    AJ RAJ| Microsoft Community Moderator

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