Fix Word Compare Finds No Differences After Track Changes
Question details
The user is trying to compare two documents but the word processor incorrectly reports that there are no differences, despite the presence of visible tracked changes.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Running the document comparison tool on files that currently contain unresolved tracked changes.
- Observed behavior
- The comparison tool returns a result stating there are no differences between the two documents, ignoring the visible changes and formatting.
Before proceeding with troubleshooting, create duplicate copies of your original and revised documents so you do not accidentally overwrite or lose any existing tracked changes.
Accept Tracked Changes in Document Copies
Creating copies and accepting all tracked changes before running the comparison ensures the tool evaluates the final text rather than the markup elements.
When documents contain unresolved tracked changes, the comparison engine can sometimes fail to process the differences between the underlying text and the markup. By accepting the changes in temporary copies, you force the application to compare the final states of both texts.
Make identical copies of both the original document and the revised document and save them to your desktop.
Open the copied original document. Navigate to the 'Review' tab on the ribbon, click the 'Accept' drop-down arrow, and select 'Accept All Changes'. Save and close the file.
Open the copied revised document and repeat the process: go to 'Review' > 'Accept' > 'Accept All Changes'. Save and close the file.
Open a blank document, go to 'Review' > 'Compare' > 'Compare...', and select the two clean copies you just prepared. The tool should now successfully highlight the text differences.
Use the Combine Feature Instead of Compare
If your primary goal is to merge tracked revisions from multiple authors rather than strictly finding differences in final text, the Combine tool is the appropriate feature.
Easily Compare and Combine Documents in WPS Writer
WPS Writer offers a highly compatible, intuitive, and robust interface for comparing documents and managing tracked changes without the typical formatting glitches or false 'no difference' reports.
- 1. Open WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and open a blank document or one of your existing files.
- 2. Navigate to the Review tab: Click on the 'Review' tab located in the top ribbon menu to access the document revision tools.
- 3. Open the Compare dialog: Click the 'Compare' button. From the drop-down, select 'Compare' to check for differences or 'Combine' to merge tracked changes.
- 4. Select files and run: Browse for your original and revised documents, select them, and click 'OK' to generate a clear, side-by-side view of all revisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the Compare tool ignore my tracked changes?
The comparison engine sometimes conflicts with existing markup. If documents already have unresolved tracked changes, the tool might fail to distinguish between the markup and the actual text differences, leading to a false 'no differences' result.
What is the difference between Compare and Combine?
The 'Compare' feature is designed to find text and formatting differences between two unedited, static versions of a document. 'Combine' is meant to merge active tracked changes and comments from multiple reviewers into a single document.
How do I ensure document formatting isn't lost when comparing?
When setting up the comparison in the 'Compare Documents' dialog box, click on 'More' or 'Settings' and ensure that the checkboxes for 'Formatting', 'White space', and 'Headers and footers' are selected so those elements are evaluated.
