Fix a Grayed-Out View Side by Side Option in Microsoft Word
Question details
The user needs to restore Microsoft Word’s View Side by Side option and other unavailable View tab controls to compare two documents.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Viewing two Word documents next to each other for a visual comparison.
- Observed behavior
- View Side by Side and other View tab features suddenly become grayed out.
Confirm that you are using the desktop version of Word and that both documents are open, not merely listed under Recent. The Safe Mode command and Office repair instructions below apply to Windows.
Open both documents and check Word’s window controls
Start here because View Side by Side requires two open document windows.
In Word, select File > Open and open the other document you want to compare. Use View > Switch Windows to confirm that both documents are listed.
Return to the View tab and select View Side by Side. If Word asks which document to compare, select the second document.
If the option remains unavailable, select View > New Window, then check View Side by Side again. New Window opens another view of the current document, so use View > Switch Windows to verify which documents you are viewing.
Update Word and test for add-in conflicts in Safe Mode
Use this when both documents are open but View controls remain unavailable or the problem started unexpectedly.
Repair Office if the View tab remains unavailable
Use an Office repair when opening another window, updating Word, and checking add-ins do not restore the controls.
Keep reviewing Word documents with WPS Writer
WPS Office is a free, lightweight alternative with a familiar editing interface and support for Microsoft Word files, making migration straightforward. Open your documents in WPS Writer to continue reviewing them while troubleshooting Word; WPS does not repair Microsoft Word’s disabled View controls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is View Side by Side grayed out when I have one document open?
Word needs two open document windows for side-by-side viewing. Open another file through File > Open, or select View > New Window to create a second view of the current document.
Why does New Window show two copies of the same document?
View > New Window creates another window for the current document; it does not open a different file. To compare two separate documents, open the second file through File > Open and check the window list under View > Switch Windows.
What does it mean if View Side by Side works in Safe Mode?
It suggests that an add-in or another customization may be interfering with Word. In a normal Word session, go to File > Options > Add-ins > Manage: COM Add-ins > Go, disable the add-ins, and re-enable them one at a time while testing.
Does View Side by Side automatically identify text changes?
No. View > View Side by Side displays documents next to each other for visual review. To identify revisions between two files, use Review > Compare > Compare and select the original and revised documents.
Can WPS Office fix Word’s grayed-out View controls?
No. WPS Office is a separate office suite, not a repair tool for Microsoft Word. You can open .doc or .docx files in WPS Writer to continue working, while using Word’s update, Safe Mode, or Office repair options to address the original issue.
