Office Settings & Configuration

How to Display New Word Changes in a Specific Font and Color

Huda Qurayshi Oct 15, 2026 871 views

Question details

The user wants to format all future edits in a heavily revised document so that they appear in a consistent font color, distinguishing new changes from older ones.

How to Display New Word Changes in a Specific Font and Color

Product: Word Processing
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Editing a heavily revised document where the user needs to quickly identify edits made after a specific date or stage of review.
Observed behavior: The user needs to configure markup formatting rules to enforce a single font color for future edits without altering the visual representation of previous revisions.

Before you start

Make sure you have accepted or rejected previous revisions if you want a clean slate, or simply turn on Track Changes to begin applying your new color rules to upcoming edits.

Solution 1Recommended

Customize Advanced Track Changes Options

Use the Advanced Track Changes Options to assign a specific, uniform color to all new insertions and deletions.

By default, word processors assign tracking colors by author. You can override this setting to display all changes in one consistent color. Keep in mind that this configuration is tied to your local software installation. If you send the editable document to other users, they will see the markup in colors determined by their own software settings.

Enable Track Changes

Open your document, navigate to the Review tab on the top ribbon, and click Track Changes to ensure new edits are recorded.

Open Tracking Options

Click the small dialog box launcher arrow in the lower-right corner of the Tracking group, or select Change Tracking Options from the Track Changes drop-down menu.

Access Advanced Settings

In the Track Changes Options dialog box, click on the Advanced Options button to reveal detailed markup formatting settings.

Set Your Preferred Color

Under the Markup section, change the Color dropdown for both Insertions and Deletions from 'By author' to the specific color you want. Click OK to save your preferences.

Customize Advanced Track Changes Options

Sharing with Custom Colors: Because these color settings are local to your computer, you must export and send the document as a PDF if you want others to see your exact markup colors.

Track Changes effortlessly in WPS Office

Use WPS Writer for Advanced Document Tracking

WPS Writer provides comprehensive Track Changes capabilities that let you precisely control markup colors and formatting. It offers a seamless environment for document collaboration and revision tracking.

1. Open Document in WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office, open the Writer application, and load the document you wish to edit.
2. Navigate to the Review Tab: Click on the Review tab located in the main top ribbon menu.
3. Enable Track Changes: Click the Track Changes button so that it is highlighted, meaning all your upcoming edits will be recorded.
4. Modify Tracking Options: Click the drop-down arrow below Track Changes, select Track Changes Options, and specify your desired font color for insertions and deletions.

Easily customize Track Changes markup colors and fontsFully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formatsFree, lightweight, and fast to installFamiliar ribbon interface ensures zero learning curve

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing the tracking color affect existing document revisions?

No, changing the font and color in the Advanced Track Changes Options only applies to changes you make after the setting is enabled. It does not alter the appearance of previously tracked revisions in the document.

Why do my colleagues see different markup colors when they open my file?

Track Changes color preferences are stored locally in your software installation, not within the document file itself. When colleagues open the file on their devices, they will see the markup according to their own default settings, which is usually 'By author'.

How can I ensure others see the exact revision colors I have set?

To preserve your specific local markup colors so that others see exactly what you see, you need to save or export the document as a PDF file and share the PDF version with them.

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