Need to review someone's changes before they become part of your Google Doc? Google's Track Changes equivalent is called Suggesting, and it marks proposed additions and deletions for review. Here's how to turn it on, review suggestions, and find changes already made through version history.
Turn on Suggesting in Google Docs
On a computer, switch modes before you start changing the text.
- 1.Open your Google Docs document.
- 2.Click Editing at the upper right.
- 3.Select Suggesting.
- 4.Make your proposed edits. Additions appear in color, and deleted text appears crossed out.
Keep edits from changing the document directly
Changes go straight into the document when you work in Editing mode. Select View > Mode > Suggesting to switch to proposed changes that can be accepted or rejected. If that option is unavailable, select Request edit access.
Ask for Commenter or Editor permission. Both let you suggest changes. To give a new collaborator permission to suggest changes without directly editing, open Share. You need permission to manage sharing.
Add the person you want to invite, set their role to Commenter, then click Send. Commenters can suggest changes but cannot directly edit the document. An Editor can use either mode, so that role also allows direct edits.
Review suggested edits before accepting them
Once proposed changes are ready for a decision, review them individually or all at once. You need editing authority to accept or reject someone else's suggestions.
Open Comments to locate suggestions. Select the suggestion you want to review. Click Accept to apply it or Reject to discard it.
For a document with many suggestions, open Tools > Review suggested edits. Use the preview dropdown to inspect the proposed result before making a bulk decision. Choose Accept all or Reject all to apply that decision to every suggestion.
Look back at changes already made
On a computer, open File > Version history > See version history, or click Last edit at the top right. You need Owner or Editor access.
Choose a timestamp to inspect the saved version, its editors, and their color-coded changes. Version history shows saved document states; suggestions show proposed edits awaiting review.
Click Expand to open grouped entries for a closer look. To preserve a review milestone, open More beside a version. Select Name this version to give it a name. Naming prevents versions from being merged, and each document supports up to 40 named versions.
To keep a separate snapshot, select that version's More > Make a copy. Give the copy a name and choose where to save it. Click OK to create it.
To roll the original document back, choose Restore this version on the version you want. Click Restore to confirm. Tip: Name versions you want to preserve, because revisions can merge and owners can delete unnamed history.
Track changes on your phone or tablet
The Docs app handles suggestions on Android, iPhone, and iPad; full version history requires a computer.
Open the document in the Google Docs app. Tap More, then turn on Suggest changes. Make your proposed edits, then tap Done when you finish.
To review a suggestion, tap the highlighted text. On Android, tap Suggestion; on iPhone or iPad, tap View comment. Choose Accept or Reject. Accepting or rejecting someone else's suggestion requires editing permission.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get an email when someone changes a Google Doc?
Yes. On a computer, open Tools > Notification settings. Under Edits, select Added or removed content. This setting applies to that document only. Your own edits do not trigger notifications, and large updates can produce incomplete notification emails. Notification setup is unavailable in the mobile apps.
Do Microsoft Word tracked changes carry over to Google Docs?
Yes. Converting an Office document to Google Docs turns tracked changes into suggestions. Converting a Google document with suggestions to Office turns those suggestions into tracked changes.
Is there a keyboard shortcut for Suggesting mode?
Press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+X on Windows or ChromeOS, or Command+Option+Shift+X on Mac. To return to Editing, press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Z on Windows or ChromeOS, or Command+Option+Shift+Z on Mac. Returning to Editing requires edit permission. Shortcuts vary with keyboard layout.
Can Google Docs compare two separate documents?
Yes. On a computer, open one Google Doc and choose Tools > Compare documents. Select the second Google Doc from Drive to generate a document highlighting the differences.