Permission & Access Issues

How to Restrict Who Can Accept Tracked Changes in Microsoft Word

Tauseeq Magsi Sep 30, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to prevent unauthorized editors from accepting or rejecting tracked changes in a Microsoft Word document.

How to Restrict Who Can Accept Tracked Changes in Microsoft Word

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Managing document collaboration and protecting tracked changes from being finalized by unauthorized individuals.
Observed behavior: The user needs a way to enforce editing permissions rather than just filtering which revisions are visible on the screen.

Before you start

Ensure you have the finalized list of authorized editors and decide on a secure password that you will use to enforce editing restrictions.

Solution 1Recommended

Enforce Permissions by Restricting Editing with a Password

This is the most secure method to ensure only authorized users with the password can accept, reject, or modify tracked changes.

Using the 'Show Markup' filter only hides revisions from your current view; it does not stop other users from accepting them. To truly restrict access, you must enforce document protection.

Open Restrict Editing

Go to the 'Review' tab on the ribbon and click on 'Restrict Editing' located in the Protect group.

Set Editing Restrictions

In the Restrict Editing pane, check the box under 'Editing restrictions' that says 'Allow only this type of editing in the document'. Then, select 'Tracked changes' from the dropdown menu.

Start Enforcement

Click 'Yes, Start Enforcing Protection'. Enter a secure password that you will share only with authorized personnel, confirm the password, and click 'OK'.

Enforce Permissions by Restricting Editing with a Password

Accepting Changes Later: Authorized users will need to click 'Stop Protection' in the Restrict Editing pane and enter the password before the 'Accept' or 'Reject' buttons become active again.

Solution 2

Accept Changes from Specific Reviewers Only

Use this method if you need to quickly accept tracked changes made by a particular person while leaving other changes intact.

Manage Tracked Changes Effortlessly

Use WPS Writer to Secure and Manage Tracked Changes

WPS Office provides robust document protection and collaboration features, allowing you to track changes, restrict editing with passwords, and manage reviewer permissions seamlessly.

1. Enable Track Changes: Open your document in WPS Writer, go to the 'Review' tab, and click 'Track Changes' to start recording edits.
2. Restrict Editing: Click on 'Restrict Editing' under the 'Review' tab, check the editing restrictions box, and select 'Tracked changes'.
3. Apply Protection: Click 'Start Enforcing Protection', set a secure password, and share it only with trusted editors.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formatsSecure your documents with strong password protectionIntuitive interface for tracking and reviewing changesFree and lightweight office suite

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can other users still accept changes when I use the 'Specific People' filter?

The 'Specific People' option under 'Show Markup' only changes what is visible on your local screen. It does not apply document-level security or permissions. Anyone can still reset the filter or accept changes unless you actively restrict editing with a password.

How do I remove the editing restriction to accept tracked changes?

Go to the 'Review' tab, click 'Restrict Editing', and click the 'Stop Protection' button at the bottom of the pane. You will be prompted to enter the password that was set when the document protection was enforced.

Can I give specific users the ability to accept changes without sharing a password?

In standard Word documents, password protection applies universally to anyone trying to stop protection. However, if you are using Microsoft 365 or SharePoint, you can manage access through Information Rights Management (IRM) or advanced file-sharing permissions to grant explicit 'Editor' rights to specific Microsoft accounts.

Document & File Issues