Document Editing Problems

How to Compare Word Documents and Copy Only Macronized Vowels

Kushani Nimanthika Oct 1, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to compare a plain text document with a revised version containing macronized vowels and merge only the text changes without importing any formatting.

How to Compare Word Documents and Copy Only Macronized Vowels

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Comparing a Māori text document without macrons to a formatted version with macrons in order to selectively merge character-specific changes.
Observed behavior: The user wants to selectively merge specific character changes (macronized vowels) while ensuring the original document's formatting remains strictly unchanged.

Before you start

Ensure you have both the original document and the revised document saved as separate files on your computer before initiating the comparison process.

Solution 1Recommended

Use the Compare Feature for Character-Level Changes

Use the built-in Compare tool to detect exact character-level differences and selectively accept only the macron changes without altering formatting.

The document comparison feature can precisely detect changes down to the individual character. By disabling formatting checks during the comparison, you can ensure that your original layout remains untouched.

Open the Compare tool

Open your original document, go to the 'Review' tab on the ribbon, and click on 'Compare', then select 'Compare...' from the drop-down menu.

Select your documents

In the Compare Documents dialog box, choose your original document on the left and the revised (macronized) document on the right.

Configure comparison settings

Click the 'More' button to expand advanced options. Under 'Show changes at', select 'Character level'. Ensure that the 'Formatting' checkbox is unchecked to prevent format merging.

Accept specific changes

Click 'OK'. A new document will generate displaying revision marks. Go through the document using the Review pane and selectively click 'Accept' for only the changes involving the macronized vowels.

Use the Compare Feature for Character-Level Changes

Comparison Tip: If you unchecked the 'Formatting' option, you can confidently accept all text changes knowing your original font and paragraph styles are safe.

Solution 2

Use Find and Replace for Batch Vowel Updates

If you know exactly which words need macrons, you can use Find and Replace to update them manually without relying on document comparison.

Efficient Document Comparison

Effortlessly Compare Documents and Merge Text Changes with WPS Writer

WPS Writer offers a highly intuitive Compare feature that makes it incredibly easy to spot character-level differences, like macronized vowels, and merge them without messing up your original layout.

1. Access the Compare Tool: Open WPS Writer, navigate to the 'Review' tab at the top, and click on 'Compare'.
2. Select Documents: Choose your original plain text file as the original document, and the revised file containing the macrons as the revised document.
3. Review and Accept: Review the character-level changes in the tracked revisions pane and selectively accept the macronized vowels while ignoring formatting differences.

Precise character and word-level document comparisonFully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formatsEasily toggle formatting checks to protect original layoutsLightweight, fast, and free to use

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my document formatting change when I accepted a revision?

This happens if formatting changes were tracked during the document comparison process. Ensure you uncheck the 'Formatting' box under the expanded 'More' settings in the Compare dialog before running the comparison.

Can I compare documents at the character level instead of the word level?

Yes, in the Compare Documents dialog box, you can click 'More' to reveal advanced settings and select 'Character level'. This allows you to see exactly which individual letters (like macronized vowels) were changed.

Is there a way to accept all macron changes at once without affecting formatting?

If you unchecked 'Formatting' in the comparison settings and the only textual differences between the two documents are the macrons, you can safely select 'Accept All Changes'. If there are other text edits you do not want, you must accept the macron changes individually.

Document & File Issues