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How to quickly compare two Word documents and highlight the differences?

Author Xiaoyang Last modified

Comparing two Word documents manually can be time-consuming, especially with long files. Fortunately, Microsoft Word offers a built-in feature that helps you compare two versions of a document and highlight their differences quickly and easily. This article introduces how to use that powerful tool.

Quickly compare two Word documents and highlight differences

Quickly compare two Word documents and highlight differences

Word’s "Compare" feature allows you to automatically find and highlight the differences between two documents. Here’s how to use it:

  1. Open a blank Word document. Then click "Review" > "Compare" > "Compare".
  2. In the "Compare Documents" dialog box, click the folder icons File selection icon to select the original and revised Word documents you want to compare.
    Compare Documents dialog box
  3. Click the "More" button to expand additional options. Then, configure the settings under "Comparison settings" and "Show changes" based on what you want to compare.
    Compare Documents dialog box with more options displayed
  4. Click "OK" to compare the documents.

A new document named "Compare Result" will be generated. It displays the changes clearly:

  • The left pane lists all revisions.
  • The center shows the comparison results.
  • The right pane displays the original document on top and the revised document below for side-by-side reference.
    Compared Document highlighting differences between two files

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