How to Remove Tracked Changes Before Copying Word to SharePoint
Question details
The user needs to prevent hidden tracked changes and comments from reappearing when pasting content from Microsoft Word into a SharePoint page.
- Product
- Microsoft Word, SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Copying and pasting text from a Microsoft Word document to a SharePoint page.
- Observed behavior
- Tracked changes and comments reappear in SharePoint after pasting, even if visible markup was removed in Word, because hidden document data remains in the file.
Always create a backup copy of your Word document before inspecting and removing hidden metadata, as this process is irreversible and you will permanently lose your tracking history.
Use the Document Inspector to Remove Hidden Data
Utilize Word's built-in Document Inspector to find and permanently delete hidden revisions, comments, and personal information before copying your text.
Even when you select 'No Markup' in Word, the tracked changes are merely hidden from view, not deleted. SharePoint's text editor can inadvertently read and display this underlying metadata during the paste process. The Document Inspector safely strips this hidden data.
Make a duplicate of your original Word document and open the copy. This ensures you do not accidentally lose your original tracked changes or version history.
In Microsoft Word, go to the 'File' tab, click 'Info', select 'Check for Issues', and click on 'Inspect Document' from the dropdown menu.
In the Document Inspector dialog, ensure that 'Comments, Revisions, and Versions' is checked. Click 'Inspect', and once the scan is complete, click 'Remove All' next to the identified items.
Save the cleaned document. You can now highlight your text, copy it, and safely paste it into your SharePoint page without any hidden markup reappearing.
Easily Manage and Remove Tracked Changes in WPS Writer
WPS Writer provides a straightforward, user-friendly interface to quickly review, accept, or reject all tracked changes at once, ensuring your copied text is completely clean before pasting it into web platforms like SharePoint.
- 1. Open the document in WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and open your .docx file containing the tracked changes.
- 2. Navigate to the Review tab: Click on the 'Review' tab located in the top ribbon menu to access all tracking and commenting features.
- 3. Accept or Reject All Changes: Click the dropdown arrow under 'Accept' or 'Reject' and select 'Accept All Changes in Document' (or Reject All) to permanently clear the markup.
- 4. Copy clean text: Select your finalized text, copy it, and paste it into SharePoint. No hidden data will follow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do tracked changes show up when pasting into SharePoint?
When you copy text from Word, it often carries underlying HTML and XML metadata. If tracked changes are only hidden (e.g., set to 'No Markup') rather than permanently accepted or rejected, that hidden data is copied to the clipboard and may be exposed by SharePoint's rich text editor.
Can I just turn off 'Track Changes' to fix this?
No. Turning off 'Track Changes' only stops new edits from being recorded. It does not remove or accept the existing changes or comments already embedded in the document.
How do I accept all tracked changes instead of removing them entirely?
In Microsoft Word, navigate to the 'Review' tab, click the drop-down arrow below the 'Accept' button, and choose 'Accept All Changes'. This permanently integrates the edits into the final text, allowing you to copy it safely.
Does pasting as plain text prevent tracked changes from appearing?
Yes, pasting as plain text (using Ctrl+Shift+V or choosing 'Keep Text Only' in SharePoint) strips all formatting and hidden metadata, which prevents tracked changes from showing up. However, you will lose all intentional formatting like bolding, hyperlinks, or bullet points.
