How To Track Changes In Word 2016

How does Track Changes in Microsoft Word piece of work?

This page tells how rail changes works in Word 2010 and before versions.

If you are using a newer version of Word:
For an updated article that covers Word 2013, Word 2016, Word 2019, and Word for Microsoft 365, come across Lene Fredborg'due south commodity
Track Changes in Word – how it works

There are iv steps to tracking changes:

Tell Word to runway changes.
Tell Word to display Tracked Changes.
Tell Word how to brandish Tracked Changes.
Tell Word to accept or decline the changes.

Contents of this page

What is track changes, and why would I want to employ it?

Q: What is Track Changes?

Rails Changes is a manner for Microsoft Give-and-take to keep rails of the changes you make to a document. You can then cull to accept or reject those changes.

Permit's say Bill creates a document and emails information technology to his colleague, Lee, for feedback. Lee can edit the certificate with Track Changes on. When Lee sends the document back to Nib, Bill can run into what changes Lee had made.

Track Changes is also known as redline, or redlining. This is considering some industries traditionally depict a vertical red line in the margin to testify that some text has changed.

Q: What do I need to know to utilise Rails Changes?

To use Track Changes, you need to know that there are three entirely separate things that might be going on at whatsoever one time:

First, at some time in the past (last week, yesterday, one millisecond ago), Word might have kept runway of the changes you lot made. It did this because you turned on Track Changes. Word then remembered the changes you made to your document, and stored the changes in your document.
Second, if Give-and-take has stored data about changes you've fabricated to your document, then you can choose to brandish those changes, or to hide them. Hiding them doesn't brand them go away. Information technology just hides them from view. (The only manner to remove the tracked changes from your document is to accept or reject them.)
Third, at this very moment in time, Discussion may be tracking the changes you brand to your document.

Just to make the bespeak:

Discussion may, or may non, be currently keeping track of the changes you lot make.
At the aforementioned fourth dimension, Give-and-take may, or may not, have stored changes you made to the document at some indicate in the past.
And, at the same time, Give-and-take may, or may non, be displaying those tracked changes. Turning off (ie, hiding) the tracked changes doesn't remove them. Information technology just hides them. To remove the tracked changes from the document, you must accept or decline them

How to plow runway changes on and off

Q: How practice I tell Discussion to track the changes I make to my certificate?

To turn on Track Changes (that is, to tell Word to runway each change you make in your document), do 1 of the post-obit:

In all versions of Word: Ctrl+Shift+due east
In Give-and-take 2007 and Discussion 2010: on the status bar, click "Runway Changes: Off" to plough on track changes. If you can't see "Runway Changes" on the status bar and then right-click the status bar and click Track Changes.
In Word 2007 and Word 2010: Review > Track Changes. When the push is highlighted, Word is tracking changes.
In Word 2003 and earlier versions: Double-click the TRK text in the status bar at the lesser of the screen. If TRK is black, Word is tracking changes.
In Word 2002 and 2003: Tools > Track Changes.
In Word 2000 and earlier versions: Tools > Runway Changes > Highlight Changes. Tick Track Changes while editing.

Q: How can I tell if Word is tracking changes in my document?

Look at the Status Bar at the bottom of the screen. In Word 2003 and earlier versions: look for "TRK". If information technology'due south blackness, Word is tracking changes. If information technology's dimmed, Word is not tracking changes. In Word 2007 and Word 2010, look for "Rails Changes: On" or "Track Changes: Off". If you can't see "Runway Changes" on the condition bar, so correct-click the condition bar and click Track Changes.

But… turning Track Changes on or off doesn't affect whether you tin see the tracked changes. So read on…

How to display the tracked changes

Q: I desire to run into the tracked changes in my document. How practise I turn on the brandish of tracked changes?

There are several ways to exercise this, depending on what you need:

In Word 2007 and Give-and-take 2010, on the Review tab, utilize the piddling menus in the Tracking grouping. Terminal: Show Markup or Original: Show Markup will show what changes y'all take fabricated. Merely check the selected items on the Evidence Markup menu to exist certain that Word is showing y'all the correct things.
In Word 2002 and 2003, on the Reviewing toolbar, choose Final with Markup or Original with Markup. This volition show you what changes have been fabricated. If you are using balloons to brandish track changes (in that location's information virtually balloons, beneath), then:
- Original Showing Markup displays insertions in balloons.
- Concluding Showing Markup displays deletions in balloons.
In Word 2000 and earlier, Tools > Runway Changes > Highlight Changes. Tick Highlight Changes on Screen.

Q: How do I control how Word displays tracked changes?

Word 2003 and before versions

Practice Tools > Options. Click the Track Changes tab. Here y'all choose how to display tracked changes when you are displaying tracked changes.

To learn more about how Give-and-take displays tracked changes in Give-and-take 2002 and Give-and-take 2003, see How to use the Reviewing Toolbar in Microsoft Word 2002 and Word 2003.

[Just to recap: Plough on the brandish of tracked changes by choosing Terminal with Markup or Original with Markup. Having turned on the display, tell Discussion how to display the tracked changes using Tools > Options > Tracked Changes.]

Word 2007 and Word 2010

In Give-and-take 2007 and Word 2010, on the Review tab, click the lesser one-half of the big Track Changes split button and choose Change Tracking Options. (In my view, this menu item is mis-named. The options are not about the tracking. They are well-nigh how to display the effects of the tracking. Information technology's a subtle difference, but it's got a lot of people into hot water over the years!)

[Only to recap: Plow on the display of tracked changes by choosing Final: Show Markup or Original: Bear witness Markup. Refine the choice of what to testify using the Show Markup menu. Having turned on the brandish, tell Word how to display the tracked changes using Review > Track Changes > Change Tracking Options.]

Don't accidentally distribute documents containing tracked changes!

In Give-and-take 2002 and 2003, Tools > Options. On the Security tab, make certain you lot have ticked ii important boxes.

Tick the "Warn earlier printing, saving or sending a file that contains tracked changes or comments" box.
Tick the "Make hidden markup visible when opening or saving" box.

In Give-and-take 2007: File > Discussion Options. In Word 2010: File > Options. In both Word 2007 and Word 2010: From the Word Options dialog, click Trust Center, then Trust Center settings. In the Trust Center dialog box click Privacy Options. And now, exhausted from your long trip through the labyrinth of dialog boxes, tick the "Warn before printing, saving or sending a file that contains tracked changes or comments"

Turning these off is alike to removing the bombardment from the smoke alarm in your house.

Q: I want to hide the tracked changes in my certificate. How do I plow off the display of tracked changes?

There are several means to do this, depending on what you demand:

In Word 2007 and Word 2010, on the Review tab, in the Tracking group, choose Final. This displays your document as if you had accustomed all the tracked changes in the certificate. It hides (only does not remove) the tracked changes.
In Discussion 2007 and 2010, on the Review tab, in the Tracking group, cull Original. This displays your document every bit if you had rejected all the tracked changes in the certificate. It hides (simply does non remove) the tracked changes.
In Word 2002 and 2003, on the Reviewing toolbar, choose Final. This displays your document as if yous had accepted all the tracked changes in the certificate. It hides (merely does non remove) the tracked changes.
In Word 2002 and 2003, on the Reviewing toolbar, choose Original. This displays your document equally if you had rejected all the tracked changes in the document. Information technology hides (but does not remove) the tracked changes.
In earlier versions of Word, Tools > Track Changes > Highlight Changes. United nations-tick Highlight Changes on Screen. This displays your certificate as if you had accepted all the tracked changes. It hides (simply does not remove) the tracked changes.

Simply… if yous turn off the brandish of tracked changes, it doesn't mean they're not there. The tracked changes are merely hidden. Anyone could open up your document and choose to view your tracked changes. To remove the tracked changes from your document, read on…

How to remove tracked changes

Q: How exercise I delete tracked changes from my document?

To delelete a tracked change, either accept it or reject it.

Q: How do I accept or decline 1 tracked change?

In whatsoever version of Give-and-take, right-click on the tracked modify and choose Accept Insertion or Reject Deletion or Accept Change or Reject Format Change etc.
The menu you see when yous correct-click text depends on the context. Generally (though not always) if you correct-click on a tracked change that Discussion deems to exist a spelling error, you'll get the card appropriate to spelling errors, not the card advisable to tracked changes. If that's the case, use the menus or the ribbon to accept or turn down the tracked change.
In Word 2007 and Word 2010, to take or reject ane tracked change, click within the change and on the Review tab, click Have or Reject.
To accept one tracked change in Give-and-take 2002 or Word 2003, click inside the change and then on the Reviewing toolbar, click the Accept Change button (information technology'due south the one with the blue tick). To reject (ie delete) one tracked change in Word 2002 or Word 2003, on the Reviewing toolbar, click the Pass up Change button (it's the one with the carmine cantankerous).
In Give-and-take 2000 and earlier, Tools > Track Changes > Accept or Reject Changes. Click ane of the Find buttons (with the light-green pointer) to get through the changes one by one. Accept or reject the alter.

Turn on track changes before making any big changes to your document

If you're about to brand a really big modify to your document, turn on track changes then make the modify.

If y'all don't similar the event of your modify, you lot will exist able to turn down the changes easily.

For example, AppScout [Lene Fredborg, 14-Jun-2020: Removed outdated link] suggests turning on rails changes earlier a global search and replace of HTML tags.

Q: How practice I accept or turn down all tracked changes in the document in i footstep?

Give-and-take 2007 and Word 2010

To have all changes in the certificate, on the Review tab, click the bottom half of the Have button and cull Accept All Changes in Document.

To turn down all the changes in the document, on the Review tab, click the bottom half of the Reject button and cull Refuse All Changes in Document.

Word 2002 and Word 2003

To accept all changes in Word 2002 or Give-and-take 2003: on the Reviewing toolbar, hover over the Accept Change button (the one with the blueish tick). Click on the arrow you lot run across to the right of the push button. Choose Accept all Changes in Document.

To reject (or delete) all changes in Word 2002 or Word 2003: on the Reviewing toolbar, hover over the Reject Modify button (the one with the red cross). Click on the arrow yous see to the correct of the button. Choose Reject all Changes in Document.

Notation: If y'all have Word 2002 or 2003, and you liked the old Accept or Turn down changes box from earlier versions, you lot can reinstate it. A sensible place to put this button is on the Reviewing toolbar. Tools > Customize. Click the Toolbars tab. Brand sure that Reviewing is ticked. At present, click the Commands tab. In the Categories listing, choose All Commands. In the Commands list, discover ToolsReviewRevisions. Elevate it to the Reviewing toolbar. Click Close to close the Customize dialog. There volition now be a new push button on the Reviewing toolbar chosen Take or Pass up Changes. If you're later prompted to save Normal.dot, say yes.

Discussion 2000 and earlier

In Word 2000 and earlier, Tools > Runway Changes > Accept or Pass up Changes. You tin can cull to accept or reject all the changes in the document.

Printing tracked changes

Q: How exercise I print out my document showing the tracked changes?

Word 2002 and before: Tools > Track Changes > Highlight Changes. Tick Highlight Changes in Printed Document.

Word 2002 and 2003: File > Print. In the "Print What" box, choose Document showing Markup.

Discussion 2007: Circular Office button > Impress. In the "Impress What" box, cull "Document showing markup".

Word 2010: File > Print. Nether Settings, click the first button (that probably says 'Impress All Pages'). On the subsequent carte, choose 'Print Markup'. See Figure 1.

Figure 1. In Give-and-take 2010, print markup using the Print carte. Click the first button under 'Settings' (which probably says Print All Pages). On the menu, tick Print Markup.

Q: How exercise I impress out my document without showing the tracked changes?

Word 2002 and before: Tools > Track Changes > Highlight Changes. Un-tick Highlight Changes in Printed Document

Word 2002 and 2003: File > Print. In the "Print What" box, choose Document.

Discussion 2007: Round Office button > Impress. In the "Print What" box, choose Document.

Word 2010: File > Print. Under Settings, click the first button (that probably says 'Print All Pages'). On the subsequent menu, united nations-tick Impress Markup. Run across Effigy 1.

Q: How practice I print a list of the tracked changes in my document?

Word 2000 and before: This functionality is not available in Discussion 2000 or earlier versions. Just you tin can print just the comments. File > Print. In the "Impress What" box, choose Comments.

Word 2002 and 2003: File > Print. In the "Print What" box, choose List of Markup.

Word 2007: Round Part push button > Impress. In the "Impress What" box, cull List of Markup.

Word 2010: File > Print. Under Settings, click the first button (that probably says 'Impress All Pages'). On the subsequent bill of fare, tick List of Markup.

TIP: The complimentary Word add-in DocTools ExtractData lets you automatically consign all insertions and deletions in a document to a new document. The exported data is fix in a table. For each insertion and deletion, you volition find the page number, line number, type of modify, the revised text, author proper name and revision engagement. The advanced Word add-in DocTools ExtractChanges Pro lets you lot export insertions, deletions and comments in full context, including headings and subheadings. In add-on, the add-in includes several other features. For detailed information about comments, see the article How comments in Word work.

Terminology trap!

Once upon a time, Microsoft invented "Track Changes". "Authors" put "changes" into their documents.

More than recently, "Reviewers" brand "revisions" to their documents. And "revisions" are one kind of "markup".

In Give-and-take 2002 and later versions, you display the work of a "Reviewer", but you may exercise so by choosing the colour "By Author".

You can take or reject a "Change", show a list of "Revisions" in the Reviewing pane, but print a list of "Markup". And they're all the same thing.

Q: How do I run into which changes were made by which author (also known equally a reviewer)?

If several authors have reviewed the document while Rail Changes was on, then you can identify the writer (or reviewer) in several means:

In any version of Discussion, hover the mouse over the tracked change. A balloon volition appear that shows you lot the name of the writer.
In Word 2002 or after versions, if y'all are using balloons to display tracked changes, hover the mouse over the balloon.
In Discussion 2002 and Word 2003, on the Reviewing toolbar, click the Reviewing Pane push button. You tin at present see a pane at the lesser of the screen that identifies the writer of each alter.
In Give-and-take 2007 and Word 2010, on the Review tab, click the Reviewing Pane button. This displays a pane at the left of the screen that identifies the author of each alter. Or, click the little pointer beside the Reviewing Pane push button to choose to display the Reviewing Pane at the lesser of the screen.

Q: How do I display each author's changes in a unlike colour?

In Word 2003 and earlier versions: Tools > Options. Click the Track Changes tab. In whatever of the Color boxes, choose "By Author".

In Word 2007 and Word 2010: on the Review tab, click the lesser one-half of the Track Changes push and choose Change Tracking Options. In the Track Changes Options dialog, in whatsoever of the color boxes, choose "Past author".

Q: How does Discussion choose which colour to allocate to which author?

You can choose to brandish tracked changed in any of xvi colours. But if you want Word to display unlike reviewers' revisions in different colours (that is, if yous cull to display using the "By Author" colour), then Discussion only provides 8 colours with which to distinguish authors.

In theory, Word allocates colours to reviewers in the following lodge: red, blueish, green, violet, dark blood-red, teal, dark yellow and grey. For the ninth and subsequent reviewers of a certificate, Give-and-take cycles through the colours again. But in practice, as reviewers come up and go (as their revisions are accepted or rejected), the allotment of colours to reviewers ends upwardly, in event, random.

You can test this out past irresolute the user's proper name, turning on tracked changes and making some changes to your document. To alter the user'southward name, in Word 2003 and before apply Tools > Options > User Information. In Discussion 2007 and Word 2010, on the Review tab, click the bottom half of the Rail Changes push and cull Change User Name.

Q: Can I allocate a specific colour to each author?

No. Word allocates colours to authors (who are also chosen reviewers).

Q: If Fred's revisions are shown in red on my machine, will they also exist ruby-red on someone else's auto?

Maybe, perhaps not. Don't rely on any one author's revisions being displayed in a particular colour from day to day, or from machine to machine. Discussion likes to be creative, and you lot can't control its creative urges!

Q: Where does Word get the author'southward name from?

Word attributes a tracked modify to the proper name of the author specified at Tools > Options > User Data (in Discussion 2003 and earlier) or Review > Track Changes > Change User Name (in Word 2007 and Give-and-take 2010).

Q: How do I brandish only the changes (or revisions) made by one writer (or reviewer)?

In Give-and-take 2007 or Discussion 2010, on the Review tab, in th Show Markup bill of fare, choose Reviewers, and so tick or un-tick names to choose the reviewers whose changes y'all want to see.

In Discussion 2002 or 2003, on the Reviewing toolbar, Show > Reviewers, and tick or un-tick names to choose the reviewers whose changes you desire to see.

There is no equivalent functionality in earlier versions of Discussion.

Security issues with tracking changes

Q: I've heard that using rail changes is a security threat. Is that right?

Well… yes and no. Electricity is powerful, and unsafe. Only don't go sticking your finger in the power outlet. Using Rail Changes is powerful, and dangerous. Just don't e-mail or publish documents containing tracked changes you wouldn't want the world to see.

Unfortunately lots of people have made this error. Don't exist like 1 of these people.

A reasonably balanced overview of security bug and track changes past Donna Payne was published by law.com in August 2006.

Q: How can I tell if there are Tracked Changes in my document?

In Word 2000 and before, Tools > Track Changes > Have or Reject Changes. Click i of the Find buttons (with the dark-green arrow). If it doesn't discover annihilation, there'southward nothing to notice.¹
In Word 2002 and Word 2003, on the Reviewing toolbar, click the Next button (information technology's the i with the blue arrow). If the message box says "The document contains no comments or tracked changes", and so there are no comments or tracked changes. Otherwise, the insertion point will move to the first tracked change in the document.
In Give-and-take 2007 and Word 2010, on the Review tab, click the Next button. If the message says "The document contains no comments or tracked changes" then there are no comments or tracked changes. Otherwise, the insertion betoken will move to the first tracked change in the certificate.
Word 2007 and Word 2010 too have a Document Inspector.
- To audit a certificate:
  - In Discussion 2007: Circular Office button > Prepare > Inspect Document > Inspect.
  - In Word 2010: File > Info > Cheque for Issues > Inspect Document > Inspect.
- You'll get a report of your certificate that will tell you nigh revisions (aka tracked changes). If there are tracked changes in the certificate, Word will give you lot a Remove All push.
  
  This is a bit ruthless for my taste. It seems to me that the only reason you would use the Document Inspector to wait for tracked changes is if yous don't know what tracked changes are in the document. And if I don't know what'due south there, I don't want to click a button that volition delete the lot in i fell dive. It doesn't fifty-fifty tell me if "remove" means "accept" or "reject". (It means "accept".)
  
  If I practice know what tracked changes are in the certificate, and so the tools on the Review tab give me more information and more options than the Document Inspector.
  
  I'grand an absolute fanatic about security and privacy. But the Document Inspector does sometimes report messages akin to "Warning! You have windows in your house! Remove all?".

Q: How tin I brand certain that Discussion always displays tracked changes when I open a document.

Word 2007 and Word 2010: In Discussion 2007 start with the round Function button > Word Options. In Word 2010 start with File > Options. In both versions, from the Discussion Options dialog, choose Trust Centre > Trust Eye Settings > Privacy Options. In the "Certificate-specific settings" section, tick the box "Make subconscious markup visible when opening or saving".

In Word 2003, Tools > Options > Security. Tick "Make hidden markup visible when opening or saving."

This functionality isn't available in earlier versions of Word.

Q: Can Word warn me before I email a certificate containing tracked changes?

Word 2007 and Discussion 2010: In Word 2007 start with the round Role button > Give-and-take Options. In Discussion 2010 start with File > Options. In both versions, from the Word Options dialog, choose Trust Centre > Trust Centre Settings > Privacy Options. In the "Document-specific settings" department, tick the box "Warn earlier printing, saving or sending a file that contains tracked changes or comments".

In Word 2003 and Give-and-take 2002, Tools > Options > Security. Tick "Warn earlier printing, saving or sending a file that contains tracked changes or comments".

This functionality isn't available in earlier versions of Word.

Q: I want to send my document exterior the company. I desire to leave tracked changes in the document, but I don't want anyone to run into who made the tracked changes or when they were fabricated. How practice I do that?

Give-and-take 2002 and earlier

In Word 2002 and before, you can't. The writer (or reviewer) information and the date information are permanently attached to the revision when the revision was tracked. Y'all can't change them, even in macro code.

Word 2003

In Word 2003, Tools > Options > Security. Tick the box "Remove personal information from file properties on relieve." In spite of the proper name, this does more merely remove information in the file properties. If this box is ticked, Word removes the name of the author of a tracked change, and it removes the appointment and time that the change was made when you save your document. Only it leaves the tracked alter itself. All tracked changes and comments will be now attributed to an bearding "Author".

In Give-and-take 2007 and Word 2010

For one document at a time, yous can remove the personal information near tracked changes. To do that:

In Word 2007: Round Function push button > Prepare > Audit Certificate > Audit.
In Wor 2010: File > Info > Cheque for Problems > Inspect Certificate > Inspect.

After the Inspector does its thing, y'all will see several 'Remove All' buttons.

The Remove All button for Comments, Revisions etc removes comments and accepts all tracked changes.
The Remove All button for Document Properties and Personal Information just assigns the name "Author" to your tracked changes, and removes the date and time the tracked alter. This is the one you need if yous want to retain the tracked changes, but remove the author's proper noun and the date and time the tracked change was made.

The Remove All button for Certificate Backdrop and Personal Data sets the 'Remove personal information from file properties on salve' option for the certificate. So next time you save, your name will once more be removed from tracked changes. If you don't desire that, then:

Iin Word 2010 practice File > Info. In the 'Prepare for Sharing' department you volition at present see a note telling you that personal information will be removed on salvage. Click 'Allow this information to be saved in your file' to turn the setting off.
In Word 2007 and Word 2010 yous can turn off this option in the Privacy Settings in the Trust Center. The option is greyed out and disabled unless (a) you have a document created in an earlier version of Give-and-take that used this setting or (b) you run the Document Inspector from the File (or Office Push button) menu and cull to remove Document Properties and Personal Information.

Q: How can I be admittedly sure that there is no tracked changes information left in my document?

[Notation: outdated links in this paragraph removed by Lene Fredborg 12-Jul-2016] I style to do this is to use Microsoft's Remove Hidden Data Tool. You can download the Office 2003/XP Add-in: Remove Hidden Data tool . Nevertheless, be enlightened of the Known issues with the Remove Hidden Data tool.

The Hidden Data Tool morphed into the built-in Certificate Inspector in Word 2007 and Word 2010. To inspect a document:

In Word 2007: Round Office push > Ready > Inspect Certificate > Inspect.
In Word 2070: File > Info > Check for Issues > Inspect Document > Audit.

What other kinds of information might exist saved in my document?

Your documents might contain various kinds of subconscious information that could compromise your security. Microsoft uses the term "metadata" (that is, data about the data) to refer to this kind of information. Here are links to information about how to minimize metadata in your documents:

Give-and-take 97: Microsoft cognition base article 223790

Word 2000: Microsoft knowledge base of operations commodity 237361

Discussion 2002: Microsoft knowledge base commodity 290945

Give-and-take 2003: Microsoft noesis base of operations commodity 825576

Word 2007: Remove subconscious data and personal information from Office documents

Discussion 2010: Remove subconscious data and personal information past inspecting documents

How to re-create text containing tracked changes

Q: How do I re-create text to some other document without copying the track changes?

In the donor document, plow on Runway Changes. (In Word 2003 and earlier, ensure that TRK on the status bar is dark. In Word 2007 and Word 2010, ensure that the status bar says "Track Changes: On".)

In the recipient document, turn off Rail Changes. (In Discussion 2003 and before, ensure that TRK on the condition bar is dimmed. In Word 2007 and Word 2010, ensure that the status bar says "Track Changes: Off".)

Now re-create and paste.

Q: How exercise I copy text to some other document with the tracked changes?

In the donor document, turn off Track Changes. (In Discussion 2003 and earlier, ensure that TRK on the status bar is dimmed. In Word 2007 and Word 2010, ensure that the condition bar says "Track Changes: Off".)

In the recipient document, turn off Rails Changes. (In Discussion 2003 and earlier, ensure that TRK on the status bar is dimmed. In Word 2007 and Word 2010, ensure that the status bar says "Runway Changes: Off".)

At present copy and paste.

Yet, Clare discovered that if you have a table containing tracked changes, and you select only the table, and so the tracked changes won't copy into the new document.

The workaround is to select a paragraph earlier or after the table every bit well equally the tabular array itself. Make sure Track Changes is turned off, and then copy. At present, the tracked changes will copy forth with the text.

Other issues with track changes

Q: When I utilise Tracked Changes the numbering of my captions gets mixed up. Explanation numbering seems to skip some numbers. How do I stop that?

If rail changes is on, and you delete a effigy caption, Word marks the caption for deletion. It waits for y'all to take or turn down that alter earlier it actually deletes the text from your certificate. So while track changes is on, the numbering appears to be incorrect. When yous think about it, Word is doing exactly what you would want. When you accept or reject all the changes, do ctrl-a and so press F9. That will update all fields in the document and the explanation numbers will be fixed.

This folio tells how runway changes works in Give-and-take 2010 and earlier versions.

If yous are using a newer version of Give-and-take:
For an updated commodity that covers Word 2013, Word 2016, Discussion 2019, and Word for Microsoft 365, see Lene Fredborg's article
Track Changes in Give-and-take – how it works

Acknowledgment

Cheers to Microsoft Office MVP Beth Melton for reminding me about some of the security features of Word 2003 and to several readers who pointed out typos in the folio.

^one. Yeah, Geoff. I know you can't prove the null hypothesis. Gimme a intermission!