I can't see any edits!

Quick check: before you do anything, make sure you’re attempting to view the changes on a computer. You likely won’t be able to see the edits (and possibly the comments) on a mobile device. Still having trouble? Read on:

Sometimes our users are surprised to find that they can’t see any edits, changes, or comments on their paper. In many cases, this is because of a Microsoft Word setting that can be slightly hard to find (sorry!). Before you get too nervous, check to make sure you have your tracked changes on and all of your settings correct. 

The Review tab in Word has all of the necessary tools to confirm your tracked changes. The Tracking options section will help you make sure that you’re seeing the edits correctly. Click that review button (boxed in red in the image below) to start the process. Note that the screenshots below are from the Word Application in Windows, and Microsoft Office online menus as well as menus in other operating systems may appear differently.

"All Markup" (or "Final Showing Markup" in older versions of Word) is the setting that will help you see your editor’s changes to your document. You should also ensure that all of the change options are on by clicking the arrow by “show markup” and clicking all of the options.

The settings below are the most helpful for seeing all changes without cluttering your document view, but feel free to adjust to your preferences:

If you are using Microsoft Word 2003, Word 2002, or Word 2000, you will need to download the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack and any applicable updates in order to view your edited document. Some parts of the document may behave differently; please see this link for more information. 

Alternatively, you can view your document and edits by opening the file in Google Docs, or Word's online platform allows free access as well. 

If you’ve checked all of these avenues and still don't see your edits, email us at [email protected], and we’ll get in touch with you ASAP.