How to Fix Word for Mac Printing Tracked Changes on the Second Attempt
Question details
Users are experiencing an inconsistent printing issue where a document's tracked changes fail to print on the first try but successfully print on subsequent attempts without any settings changes.
- Product
- Word for Mac
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Printing a Word document that contains tracked changes or markup.
- Observed behavior
- Tracked changes are omitted during the initial print attempt but are successfully included when the exact same document is printed a second time.
Ensure your Mac is connected to your printer and try printing a sample document to verify that basic printing functionality is working correctly.
Update Microsoft Word and Submit a Support Ticket
Because this is a known, sporadic bug affecting multiple versions and printers, escalating the issue with diagnostic logs to Microsoft Support is the most effective path to a permanent fix.
This bug occurs randomly across different Mac computers and printer setups. Testing confirms that changing basic printer settings generally does not fix the root cause. Gathering diagnostic logs and having your Microsoft 365 administrator escalate the issue is highly recommended.
Open Word for Mac, go to 'Help' in the top menu bar, and select 'Check for Updates' to ensure you are running the latest version of the application.
Note down your exact macOS version (from Apple Menu > About This Mac) and Word version (from Word > About Microsoft Word), along with the specific make and model of your printer.
Reach out to your organization's IT admin and request that they open a support ticket via the Microsoft 365 Admin Center to report the specific printing bug.
Supply the Microsoft Support team with a sample document that reproduces the issue, and provide any application diagnostic logs they request during their investigation.
Verify Print Settings for Tracked Changes Before Printing
Manually ensuring that the document is set to print markup before sending the job to the printer can sometimes force the application to recognize the tracked changes on the first try.
Try WPS Office for Mac for Reliable Document Printing
If Word for Mac continues to struggle with printing tracked changes consistently, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible alternative with robust tracking and printing features that work perfectly on macOS.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Word for Mac only print my tracked changes on the second try?
This is a known intermittent bug in certain versions of Word for Mac. The application's rendering engine sometimes fails to process the markup layer during the initial print spooling process, but successfully processes it when the identical print command is sent again.
Will reinstalling my printer drivers fix this issue?
Generally, no. Extensive testing indicates that this issue occurs across multiple different printers and Mac computers. Because it affects different hardware setups uniformly, the problem lies within Word's rendering engine rather than localized printer drivers.
How do I find my exact version of Word for Mac?
Open Microsoft Word, click on the 'Word' menu next to the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen, and select 'About Microsoft Word'. A dialog box will display your current version number (e.g., 16.64) and your license details.
Can I save the document as a PDF to guarantee the tracked changes print correctly?
Yes. A highly reliable workaround is to go to File > Save As and select PDF as the format. Ensure the option to include document markup is selected. Once the file is exported as a PDF, you can print it using any PDF viewer with a guarantee that the tracked changes will appear on the first try.
